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República de Honduras Republic of Honduras
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Libre, Soberana e Independiente"  (Spanish) "Free, Sovereign and Independent"
Anthem: Himno Nacional de Honduras
Capital (and largest city)		Tegucigalpa 14°6′N, 87°13′W
Official languages		Spanish
Demonym		Honduran
Government
-	President	Manuel Zelaya
Independence
-	from Spain	15 September 1821
-	from the Mexico	1823
-	from the PUCA	1838
Area
-	Total	112,492 km² (102nd) 43,278 sq mi
Population
-	September 2007 estimate	7,483,763² (96th)
-	2000 census	6,975,204
-	Density	64/km² (128th) 166/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$25.63 billion (106th)
-	Per capita	$3,300 (124th)
Gini (2003)		53.8 (high)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.700 (medium) (115th)
Currency		Lempira (HNL)
Time zone		CST (UTC-6)
Internet TLD		.hn
Calling code		+504
1	"libre, soberana, e independiente" is the official motto, the congress order to put it on the coat of arms. The unofficial motto "NO PASARÁN" or "They shall not pass" became popular during the 1969 war with El Salvador. This is an allusion to the El Salvador's stated goal to reach the Honduran Caribbean coast during their offensive.
2	note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)

Honduras (pronounced /hɒnˈdʊərəs/; in Spanish, República de Honduras IPA: [onˈduɾas]) is a democratic republic in Central America. It was formerly known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras (now Belize).^[1] The country is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Honduras. ... Image File history File links Honduras_coa. ... National flag and civil and state ensign. ... The Coat of arms of Honduras features the text Republic of Honduras free sovereign and independent, topped with a cornucopia, a quiver of arrows, flanked by deciduous trees and limestone cliffs, with a Masonic eye at the center. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... The National anthem of Honduras (Spanish Himno Nacional de Honduras) was adopted under presidential decree 42 in 1915[1]. The lyrics were written by Augusto Constancio Coello and the music composed by Carlos Hartling. ... Image File history File links LocationHonduras. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... // The population of Honduras is 7. ... Tegucigalpa IPA: (Tegus for short), population 1,200,000 (2006) (metro area), is the capital of Honduras (together with Comayagüela), and the countrys largest city. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... This page lists presidents of Honduras. ... José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, also known as Mel Zelaya, (born September 20, 1952) is the President of Honduras and has been since January 27, 2006. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1821 (MDCCCXXI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 10,000 km² and 100,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... The lempira (IPA: , ISO 4217 code: HNL) is the currency of Honduras. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ...  CST or UTC-6 The Central Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time (UTC-6) and five hours during daylight saving time (UTC-5). ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .hn is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Honduras. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... Flag Capital Belize City Language(s) English Government Constitutional monarchy History  - Established 1871  - Disestablished 1981 Area 22,966 km2 8,867 sq mi Currency British Honduran dollar Flag of British Honduras British Honduras was the former name of what is now the independent nation of Belize and was a British... Gulf of Fonseca from space, July 1997 The Gulf of Fonseca (Spanish: Golfo de Fonseca) is a gulf in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. ... Missing image Map of Belize, showing the Gulf of Honduras The Gulf or Bay of Honduras is a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea, indenting the coasts of Belize, Honduras and Guatemala. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ...

[edit] Etymology

The Spanish used at least three different terms to refer to the area that became the Central American country of Honduras. Central America is the region of North America located between the southern border of Mexico and the northwest border of Colombia, in South America. ...

• Guaymuras - a name Columbus provided for a town near modern Trujillo. Bartolomé de las Casas subsequently generalized it to apply to the whole colony.
• Higueras - a reference to the gourds that come from the Jicaro tree, many of which were found floating in the waters off the northwest coast of Honduras.
• Honduras - literally "depths" in Spanish. Columbus is traditionally quoted as having written Gracias a Dios que hemos salido de esas Honduras (English: "Thank God we have come out of those depths") while along the northeastern coast of Honduras.^[2]

Flag of Trujillo Trujillo is a city in northeastern Honduras along the Caribbean coast. ... Bartolomé de las Casas This article is about a Spanish priest in the 16th century. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

[edit] History

See also: History of Honduras

Archaeologists have demonstrated that Honduras had a rich, multi-ethnic prehistory. An important part of that prehistory was the Mayan presence around the city of Copán in western Honduras, near the Guatemalan border. A major Mayan city flourished during the classic period (150-900) in that area. It has many carved inscriptions and stelae. The ancient kingdom, named Xukpi, existed from the fifth century to the early ninth century, with antecedents going back to at least the second century. The Mayan civilization began a marked decline in the ninth century, but there is evidence of people still living in and around the city until at least 1200.^{[citation needed]} By the time the Spanish came to Honduras, the once great city-state of Copán was overrun by the jungle, and the Lencas, not the Mayans, were the main Amerindian people living in western Honduras. The History of Honduras concerns the history of Honduras. ... Maya may refer to: // The Maya, Native American peoples of southern Mexico and northern Central America Maya peoples, the contemporary indigenous peoples Maya civilization, their historical pre-Columbian civilization Mayan languages, the family of languages spoken by the Maya Yucatec Maya language, specific and most widespread Mayan language, frequently referred... Location of Copán The Pre-Columbian city now known as Copán is a locale in extreme western Honduras, in the Copán Department, near to the Guatemalan border. ... Ancient Egyptian funerary stela A stela (or stele) is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerary or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased inscribed, carved in relief or painted onto the slab. ... Location of Copán The Pre-Columbian city now known as Copán is a locale in extreme western Honduras, in the Copán Department, near to the Guatemalan border. ... This article is about the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. ... The Lenca people are an indigenous peoples of Central America, situated in the western highland regions of Honduras and eastern El Salvador. ...

Fort of San Fernando Omoa. Built by the Spaniards to defend against pirates

Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil, King (18 Rabbit) of the Copán Dinasty

On his fourth and final voyage to the New World in 1502, Christopher Columbus reached the Bay Islands on the coast of Honduras.^[3] Landing near the modern town of Trujillo, in the vicinity of the Guaimoreto Lagoon. After the Spanish discovery, Honduras became part of Spain's vast empire in the New World within the Kingdom of Guatemala. Trujillo and Gracias were the first city-capitals. The Spanish ruled what would become Honduras for approximately three centuries. During this period a clock which had been built by the Moors in the twelfth Century was transferred to the Cathedral of Comayagua in 1636: it is now the oldest functioning clock in the Americas.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links SanFernadodeOmoa. ... Image File history File links SanFernadodeOmoa. ... Omoa is a town in the Cortés department of Honduras, on the Caribbean Sea coast, to the east of Puerto Cortés. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Detail of Stela H, Copán, depicting King 18 Rabbit. Uaxaclajuun Ubaah Kawiil (also known by the appellation 18-Rabbit or Eighteen Rabbit), was a ruler of the powerful Maya civilization polity associated with the site of Copán (Classic Maya name: Xukpi) from January 2, 695, to... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ... Comayagua is a town in Honduras, some 80 km northwest of Tegucigalpa on the highway to San Pedro Sula at 14. ...

Rainforest outside Tegucigalpa

Lake Yojoa

Virgin of Suyapa, Patron of Honduras and CentralAmerica

Spain granted independence to Honduras, with the rest of the Central American provinces on September 15, 1821. In 1822 the United Central American Provinces decided to join the newly declared Mexican Empire of Iturbide. The Iturbide Empire was overthrown in 1823 and Central America separated from it, forming the Federal Republic of Central America, which disintegrated in 1838. As a result the states of the republic became independent nations. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 156 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) picture of a small house on the hills outside Tegucigalpa I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 156 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) picture of a small house on the hills outside Tegucigalpa I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 164 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) a view of the Yojoa Lake I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 164 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) a view of the Yojoa Lake I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Lake Yojoa is the largest lake in Honduras. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Virgin of Suyapa is a 6 cm (2. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1821 (MDCCCXXI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Iturbide is a Basque last name, original from the region of Navarra, a province located north of Spain, bordering with France. ... Flag Capital Guatemala City¹ Language(s) Spanish Government Republic History  - Established 1823  - Disestablished May 31, 1838 Currency Central American Republic real ¹ Moved to San Salvador in 1834. ...

Silver mining was a key factor in the Spanish conquest and settlement of Honduras, but has been only a minor part of the national economy in recent years. The American-owned Rosario Mining Company was a major gold and silver producer, but shut down its large mine at San Juancito in 1954. A nugget of silver Silver mining refers to the resource extraction of the precious metal element silver, mostly through mines. ... Rosario Mining Company The mountains around Tegucigalpa were largely known since the Spanish rule due to their gold and silver deposits, which helps to explain why this rugged area was visited by fortune seekers, from Central America, the US and elsewhere. ...

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Honduras joined the Allied Nations on December 8, 1941. Less than a month later, on the first day of 1942, Honduras, along with twenty-five other governments, signed the Declaration by United Nations. This article is about the actual attack. ... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... The Declaration by United Nations was a World War II document agreed to on January 1, 1942 during the Arcadia Conference by 26 governments, several of them governments-in-exile. ...

In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador fought what would become known as The Soccer War.^[4] There had been border tensions between the two countries after Oswaldo López Arellano, a former president of Honduras, blamed the deteriorating economy on the large number of immigrants from El Salvador. From that point on, the relationship between the two countries grew acrimonious and reached a low when El Salvador met Honduras for a three-round football elimination match as a preliminary to the World Cup. Tensions escalated, and on July 14, 1969, the Salvadoran army launched an attack against Honduras. The Organization of American States negotiated a cease-fire which took effect on July 20, and brought about a withdrawal of Salvadoran troops in early August.^[4] The Football War (or Soccer War), as it was christened by the international mass media, was a short-lived war (only 6 days in duration) fought by El Salvador and Honduras in 1969. ... Oswaldo López Arellano (b. ... For the club competition, see FIFA Club World Cup. ... is the 195th day of the year (196th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Headquarters Washington, D.C. Official languages English, French, Spanish, Portuguese Membership 35 countries Leaders  -  Secretary General José Miguel Insulza (since 26 May 2005) Establishment  -  Charter first signed 30 April 1948 in effect 1 December 1951  Website http://www. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Contributing factors in the conflict were a boundary dispute and the presence of thousands of Salvadorans living in Honduras illegally. After the week-long football war in July 1969, many Salvadoran families and workers were expelled. El Salvador had agreed on a truce to settle the boundary issue, but Honduras later paid war damage costs for expelled refugees.^[4] Combatants El Salvador Honduras Commanders Fidel Sánchez Hernández Salvador Henríquez Oswaldo López Arellano Oscar Colindres Strength 20,000 (Army) 1,000 (Air Force) 12,000 (Army) 1,200 (Air Force) Casualties 700 (including civilians) 1,200 (including civilians) The Football War (La guerra de fútbol...

During the 1980s, the United States established a very large military presence in Honduras with the purpose of supporting the Iran-Contra Affair, anti-Sandinista Contras fighting the Nicaraguan government, and to support the El Salvador military fighting against the FMLN guerrillas. The U.S. built the airbase known as Palmerola, near Comayagua, with a 10,000-foot (3,000 m) runway so that C5-A cargo planes could land there, rather than at the public airport in San Pedro Sula. The U.S. also built a training base near Trujillo which primarily trained Contras and the Salvadoran military, and in conjunction with this, developed Puerto Castilla into a modern port. The United States built many airstrips near the Nicaraguan border to help move supplies to the Contra forces fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Though spared the bloody civil wars wracking its neighbors, the Honduran army quietly waged a campaign against leftists which included extra judicial killings and forced disappearances of political opponents by government-backed death squads, most notably Battalion 316.^[5] The Iran-Contra Affair was a political scandal occurring in 1987 as a result of earlier events during the Reagan administration in which members of the executive branch sold weapons to Iran, an avowed enemy, and illegally used the profits to continue funding anti-Communist rebels, the Contras, in Nicaragua. ... The Contras (from the Spanish term La Contra, short for movement of the contrarrevolucionarios) were the armed opponents of Nicaraguas Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction following the July 1979 overthrow of Anastasio Somoza Debayle (which ended the Somoza dynasty), and continuing throughout the following decade. ... The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (in Spanish: Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional, FMLN) is a political party in El Salvador that was formerly a revolutionary guerrilla organization. ... Palmerola is a joint United States and Honduras military base near Comayagua in Honduras. ... The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a military transport aircraft designed to provide strategic heavy airlift over intercontinental distances. ... Sandinista! is also the name of a popular music album by The Clash. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Assassination. ... A forced disappearance occurs when an organization forces a person to vanish from public view, either by murder or by simple sequestration. ... A death squad is an extra-judicial group whose members execute or assassinate persons they believe to be politically unreliable or undesirable. ... Battalion 316 was a Honduran Army unit responsible for carrying out hundreds of political assassinations and widespread torture of suspected political opponents of the government during the 1980s. ...

Hurricane Fifi caused severe damage while skimming the northern coast of Honduras on September 18 and 19, 1974. Hurricane Fifi-Orlene, usually known as just Hurricane Fifi was a catastrophic storm the 1974 Atlantic and was one of the deadliest hurricanes ever in the Atlantic basin. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused such massive and widespread loss that former Honduran President Carlos Roberto Flores claimed that fifty years of progress in the country were reversed. Mitch obliterated about 70% of the crops and an estimated 70-80% of the transportation infrastructure, including nearly all bridges and secondary roads. Across the country, 33,000 houses were destroyed, an additional 50,000 damaged, some 5,000 people killed, 12,000 injured, and total loss estimated at $3 billion USD.^[6] Lowest pressure 905 mbar (hPa; 26. ... Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé (b. ...

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Honduras

Supporters of the Liberal Party

Honduras has five registered political parties: PNH, PLH, Social Democrats (Partido Innovación Nacional y Social Demócrata: PINU-SD), Social Christians (Partido Demócrata-Cristiano: DC), and Democrat Unification (Partido Unificación Democrática: UD). The PNH and PLH have ruled the country for decades. In the last years, Honduras has had five Liberal presidents: Roberto Suazo Córdova, José Azcona del Hoyo, Carlos Roberto Reina, Carlos Roberto Flores and Manuel Zelaya, and two Nationalists: Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero and Ricardo Maduro. The elections have been full of controversies, including questions about whether Azcona was born in Honduras or Spain, and whether Maduro should have been able to stand given he was born in Panama. The 1982 constitution provides for a strong executive, a unicameral National Congress, and a judiciary appointed by the National Congress. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Roberto Suazo Córdova was born in the city of La Paz, Honduras March 17, 1927. ... José Simón Azcona del Hoyo (January 26, 1927 – October 24, 2005) was President of Honduras from January 27, 1986 to January 27, 1990 for the Liberal Party of Honduras (PLH). ... Carlos Roberto Reina Carlos Roberto Reina Idiáquez (March 13, 1926 – August 19, 2003). ... Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé (b. ... José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, also known as Mel Zelaya, (born September 20, 1952) is the President of Honduras and has been since January 27, 2006. ... Rafael Leonardo Callejas Romero was born on 14 November 1943 in Tegucigalpa in Honduras, and was President of Honduras January 27, 1990 to January 27, 1994, representing the National Party of Honduras (PNH). ... Ricardo Maduro Ricardo Rodolfo Maduro Joest (born April 20, 1946 in Panama) is a former President of Honduras and Bank of Honduras chairman. ...

In 1963, a military coup was mounted against the democratically-elected president Villeda Morales and a military junta established which held power until 1981. In this year Suazo Córdova (LPH) was elected president and Honduras changed from a military authoritarian regime A military junta is government by a committee of military leaders. ...

In 1986, there were five Liberal candidates and four Nationalists running for president. Because no one candidate obtained a clear majority, the so-called "Formula B" was invoked and Azcona del Hoyo became president. In 1990, Callejas won the election under the slogan "Llegó el momento del Cambio," (English "The time for change has arrived"), which was heavily criticized for resembling El Salvador's "ARENAs" political campaign. Once in office, Callejas Romero gained a reputation for illicit enrichment, and has been the subject of several scandals and accusations. It was during Flores Facusse's mandate that Hurricane Mitch hit the country and decades of economic growth were eradicated in less than a week. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Lowest pressure 905 mbar (hPa; 26. ...

Beginning in 2004, separate ballots were used for mayors, congress, and presidents; 2005 witnessed an increase in the number of registered candidates.^{[citation needed]}

Although the Nationalist and Liberal parties are distinct entities with their own dedicated band of supporters, some have pointed out that their interests and policy measures throughout the twenty-five years of uninterrupted democracy have been very similar. They are often characterized as primarily serving the interests of their own members, who receive jobs when their party gains power and lose them again when the other party is elected. A common struggle for presidents is the imposition of candidates in key ministries by the unelected political leaders of their party. Both are seen as supportive of the elite that owns most of the wealth in the country, while neither extensively promotes socialist ideals. In many ways Honduras resembles a democratic version of an old socialist state, with price controls and nationalized electric and land-line telephone services.

The effect of the patronage appointments is tremendously felt in the incapacity of government departments to carry out their mandate. In an interview with Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle, Minister of Sports & Culture and one of three 'super ministers' responsible for coordinating the ministries related to public services (security & economic being the other 2), published in Honduras This Week on July 31, 2006, it was related that 94% of the department budget was spent on bureaucracy and only 6% went to support activities and organizations covered by the mandate. Wages within that ministry were identified as the largest budget consumer. Unfortunately, many hard working and intelligent government employees end up tarnished by the broad brush strokes of this form of corruption. is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

President Maduro's administration "de-nationalized" the telecommunications sector in a move to promote the rapid diffusion of these services to the Honduran population. As of November 2005, there were around 10 private-sector telecommunications companies in the Honduran market, including two mobile phone companies. As of mid 2007 the issue of tele-communications continues to be very damaging to the current government.^[7] The country's main newspapers are La Prensa, El Heraldo, La Tribuna y El Tiempo.

A Presidential and General Election was held on November 27, 2005. Manuel Zelaya of the Liberal Party of Honduras (Partido Liberal de Honduras: PLH) won, with Porfirio Pepe Lobo of the National Party of Honduras (Partido Nacional de Honduras: PNH) coming in second. The PNH challenged the election results, and Lobo Sosa did not concede until December 7. Towards the end of December, the government finally released the total ballot count, giving Zelaya the official victory. Zelaya was inaugurated as Honduras' new president on January 27, 2006. His government has generally been considered fragile and he does not hold a majority in the National Congress. is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, also known as Mel Zelaya, (born September 20, 1952) is the President of Honduras and has been since January 27, 2006. ... The Liberal Party of Honduras (Partido Liberal de Honduras) is a liberal party in Honduras that was founded in 1891. ... Porfirio Pepe Lobo Sosa is a Honduran politician. ... The National Party of Honduras (Partido Nacional de Honduras PNH) is a conservative party in Honduras. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Congress (Spanish: Congreso Nacional) is the legislative branch of the government of Honduras. ...

[edit] Departments and municipalities

See also: Departments of Honduras and Municipalities of Honduras

Honduras is divided into 18 departments. The capital city is Tegucigalpa Central District of the department of Francisco Morazán. The Central American nation of Honduras is currently divided into 18 departments (departamentos). ... The second level of territorial subdivisions in Honduras are the municipalities, the first level being the Departments of Honduras. ... The word department has a number of meanings: It can mean an administrative sector of the government. ... Tegucigalpa IPA: (Tegus for short), population 1,200,000 (2006) (metro area), is the capital of Honduras (together with Comayagüela), and the countrys largest city. ... Left-aligned text #REDIRECT Insert textStrike-through text Insert non-formatted text hereMedia:Example. ...

Atlántida Choluteca Colón Comayagua Copán Cortés El Paraíso Francisco Morazán Gracias a Dios

Intibucá Islas de la Bahía La Paz Lempira Ocotepeque Olancho Santa Bárbara Valle Yoro

Departmental division of Honduras

Atlántida is a department located on the north Caribbean shore of Honduras, Central America. ... Choluteca is the regional center of southern Honduras. ... Colón is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... Comayagua is one of the 18 departments (departamentos) into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... Copán is one of the departments in the west of Honduras. ... Cortés is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... El Paraíso is a municipality in the Honduran department of Copán. ... Francisco Morazán is one of the departments of Honduras. ... Gracias a Dios (Spanish: Thanks to God) is one of the 18 departments (departamentos) into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... Intibucá is a department in Honduras. ... Islas de la Bahía (Bay Islands) is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... La Paz is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... Lempira is one of the 18 departments of Honduras Central America, located in the western part of the country with borders with El Salvador. ... Ocotepeque is one of the 18 departments of Honduras, Central America, located in the West and bordering both El Salvador and Guatemala. ... Olancho is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... Santa Bárbara is one of the 18 departments (departamentos) into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... Valle is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... Yoro is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... Image File history File links HondurasDivisions. ... Image File history File links HondurasDivisions. ...

[edit] National symbols

Orchid Brassavola Digbiana

Ara Macao

The flag of Honduras is composed of 3 equal horizontal stripes, with the upper and lower ones being blue and representing the Pacific ocean and Caribbean sea. The central stripe is white. It contains five blue stars representing the five states of the Central American Union. The middle star represents Honduras, located in the center of the Central American Union. The legislation designating this design for the flag of Honduras passed into law on January 18, 1949. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... National flag and civil and state ensign. ... Flag Capital Guatemala City¹ Language(s) Spanish Government Republic History  - Established 1823  - Disestablished May 31, 1838 Currency Central American Republic real ¹ Moved to San Salvador in 1834. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Coat of arms was established in 1825. It is one an equilateral triangle, at the base a volcano finds its base between two castles, over which we find a rainbow and the sun shining. The triangle placed on an area that supposes bathed by both seas. Around all of this an oval that it contains in golden lettering: "Republic of Honduras, Free, Sovereign and Independent".

The National Anthem of Honduras is a result of a contest carried out in 1904 during the presidency of Manuel Bonilla. In the end, it was the poet Augusto C. Coello that ended up writing the anthem, with the participation of the German composer Carlos Hartling writing the music. The anthem was officially adopted on November 15, 1915, during the presidency of Alberto Membreño. The anthem is composed of a choir and seven strophes, which report historical events of the country. Manuel Bonilla was President of Honduras from April 13, 1903 to February 25th 1907, and again from February 1, 1912 till March 21, 1913. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

The National Flower of the Honduran is the famous orchid, Rhyncholaelia digbyana (formerly known as Brassavola digbyana), which replaced the rose in 1969. The change of the National Flower was carried out during the administration of general Oswaldo López Arellano, thinking that Brassavola Digbiana "is an indigenous plant of Honduras; having this flower exceptional characteristics of beauty, vigor and distinction", as the decree dictates it. Oswaldo López Arellano (b. ...

The National Tree of Honduras is the Pine of scientific name: Pinus hondurensis, which was approved on February 4, 1927 during the presidency of Miguel Paz Barahona. Also the use of the tree was regulated, "to avoid the unnecessary destructions caused by choppings or fires of forest." Subgenera Subgenus Strobus Subgenus Ducampopinus Subgenus Pinus See Pinus classification for complete taxonomy to species level. ... Binomial name Pinus caribaea Morelet The Caribbean Pine (Pinus caribaea) is a pine native to Central America, Cuba and the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. ... is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Miguel Paz Barahona (?-1937) was President of Honduras from February 1, 1925 to February 1, 1929. ...

The National Mammal is the White Tailed Deer, which was adopted on June 28, 1993 by the government of Honduras, as measurement to avoid excessive depredation. The scientific name of the animal is: Odocoileus virginianus, one of two species of deer that live in Honduras. Its feeding is based on grasses, sheets, etc. The three biggest natural enemies of the White Tail are the puma, the jaguar and man. is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 The White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia Deer, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America far south as Peru. ... Species P. concolor P. yagouaroundi Puma is a Felidae genus that contains the Cougar (also known as the Puma, among other names) and the Jaguarundi. ... For other uses, see Jaguar (disambiguation). ... Photograph of a nude man by Wilhelm von Gloeden, ca. ...

The National Bird of Honduras is the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), under a decree established in 1993. This bird, was much valued by the pre-Columbian civilizations of Honduras. The Guacamaya, as it is called by Hondurans and others, belongs to the family of the Psittacidae and his feeding consists in: nectar, roots, fruits etc. The bird lives from Bolivia up to Mexico where the bird makes use of various zones as its natural habitat. In Honduras the scarlet macaw, can be found particularly in the Mosquito Coast. Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is a large, colourful parrot. ... For the runtime engine for Perl 6, see Parrot virtual machine. ... The article is about the Central American area. ...

[edit] Geography

Honduras is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea (top), Nicaragua, a gulf on the Pacific Ocean, El Salvador (lower left) & Guatemala (left)

Pico Bonito National park

Main article: Geography of Honduras

See also: Rivers of Honduras

Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea on the north coast and the Pacific Ocean on the south through the Gulf of Fonseca. The climate varies from tropical in the lowlands to temperate in the mountains. The central and southern regions are relatively hotter and less humid than the northern coast. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1249x1033, 246 KB) Shaded relief map of Honduras, 1985. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1249x1033, 246 KB) Shaded relief map of Honduras, 1985. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... Pico Bonito is a mountain that lies behind the coastal town of La Ceiba in Honduras. ... Map of Honduras Shaded relief map of Honduras, 1985 Economic activity map of Honduras, 1983 Land use map of Honduras, 1983 Honduras is a country situated in Central America. ... Rivers in Honduras is a list of the rivers in Honduras, and including those which it shares with its neighbours. ... The Central American nation of Honduras is currently divided into 18 departments (departamentos). ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... Gulf of Fonseca from space, July 1997 The Gulf of Fonseca (Spanish: Golfo de Fonseca) is a gulf in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... Disambiguation: For the region of Scotland please see Scottish Lowlands Lowlands, also known as A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise, is a music festival, held annually in the Netherlands in August. ... For the usage in virology, see temperate (virology). ...

The Honduran territory consists mainly of mountains (~81%), but there are narrow plains along the coasts, a large undeveloped lowland jungle La Mosquitia region in the northeast, and the heavily populated lowland San Pedro Sula valley in the northwest. The La Mosquitia region contains the whole northeastern part of Honduras. ... Nickname: Country Department Foundation June 1536 Government  - Alcalde (Mayor) Rodolfo Padilla Sunseri Area  - Urban 136 km² (52. ...

In La Mosquitia, lies the UNESCO-world heritage site Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, with the Coco River which divides the country from Nicaragua. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... The Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve is located on the Río Plátano in the La Mosquitia region of Honduras. ... The Coco River, formerly known as the Segovia River, is a river in southern Honduras and northern Nicaragua. ...

Natural resources include timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, shrimp, and hydropower. Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use—from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use—as structural material for construction or wood... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... This article is about the chemical element. ... For other uses, see Copper (disambiguation). ... General Name, Symbol, Number lead, Pb, 82 Chemical series Post-transition metals or poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 6, p Appearance bluish gray Standard atomic weight 207. ... General Name, symbol, number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Standard atomic weight 65. ... General Name, symbol, number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Standard atomic weight 55. ... For other uses, see Ore (disambiguation). ... This article is about the element. ... Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal (pronounced ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... Superfamilies Alpheoidea Atyoidea Bresilioidea Campylonotoidea Crangonoidea Galatheacaridoidea Nematocarcinoidea Oplophoroidea Palaemonoidea Pandaloidea Pasiphaeoidea Procaridoidea Processoidea Psalidopodoidea Stylodactyloidea True shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. ... Undershot water wheels on the Orontes River in Hama, Syria Saint Anthony Falls Hydropower or hydraulic power is the force or energy of moving water. ...

The Islas de la Bahía and the Swan Islands (all off the north coast) are part of Honduras. Misteriosa Bank and Rosario Bank, 130 to 150 km (80-93 miles) north of the Swan Islands, fall within the EEZ of Honduras. Islas de la Bahía (Bay Islands) is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. ... The Swan Islands are a chain of three islands located in the northwestern Caribbean Sea, approximately ninety miles off the coastline of Honduras. ... The Misteriosa Bank is an underwater reef in the Caribbean Sea - approximately equidistant from Mexico, Honduras and Cuba, with a surface area of over 400 square kilometres with an average depth of 20 metres. ... In international maritime law, an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is a seazone extending from a states coast over which the state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources. ...

[edit] Economy

See also: Economy of Honduras

In Honduras electricity comes in to households through overhead cables. Other cables carry telephone, cable television and broadband internet.

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