Honduras is the second-largest part of Central America. It has been world-renowned because of its natural wonders. Also, the country is rich with Mayan legacy, traditions, and culture. It has been nearly 200 years when Spain once colonized Honduras; they were independent since 1821.
The population of Honduras is around 9.5 million, with a dominant ethnicity of Mestizo. The country’s a land area of approximately forty-three thousand square miles. Honduras is a striving country with a GDP or Gross Domestic Product of over five thousand dollars per capita. There are more interesting facts to discover in this country, and here are some of them.
Honduras’ Rich Nature
One of the best highlights of the Honduras facts is its rich natural resources. The country is known all over the world to have sufficient natural minerals, sugar cane, and fruits. Their state is striving in the industry of textiles they export in different countries worldwide.
Honduras’ Motto
Honduras is widely known to be an independent country. Their motto, which, when translated in English, revolves around the context of freedom, sovereignty, and independence, which was motivated and driven by the independence they earned from the Spanish colonization.
Honduras’ National Flag
The primary colors of Honduras’ flag are blue and white. Their flag is embedded with five stars, which symbolizes unity among the five nations of Central America. Their flag has a star in the center which represents their country, Honduras, which is the only nation in Central America that is sharing the borders of the countries surrounding it.
Tegucigalpa: Honduras’ National Capital
The Tegucigalpa city is a terrain of hills in the Honduras mountains, which have high latitude and are around three thousand feet above the sea level. Their capital, Tegucigalpa City, has the most expanded land area in Honduras and was discovered by the Spaniards as a mining site around the sixteenth century.
Utila: Honduras’ Smallest Island Bay
Thin sheets of rocks surround the eastern region of the island from the nearby volcano. Utila has an impressive land formation because of the pyroclastic bursts from the volcano. Honduras’ smallest island is a hot spot for tourism and highlights its rich waters through diving.
Belize: British Honduras
The British empire once colonized Belize, between the eastern region of Central America and the southern part of Mexico. Formerly known as British Honduras, the area changed its name to Belize when granted freedom in 1973.
San Pedro Sula: The Most Dangerous City in Honduras
The danger in this part of Honduras is greatly feared not just by the people outside of Honduras, but most especially its citizens. No matter the time of day, their safety is at significant risk since this part of Honduras is mostly ruled by the country’s most notorious gangs.
In previous years, people were murdered at an average rate of twenty people a day. With its population of around nine million, the murder rate is high and terrible, the highest compared to the countries in the war-zone. Different crimes revolve around the city, such as drugs, gangs, sexual assaults, and political issues.
The authorities have lost their confidence in defending the city, which caused the crime rate to increase since criminals rapidly gained confidence in this situation. Multiple crimes are often uninvestigated and left open without solving it, which makes their citizens terrified and angry.
With everything mentioned, the people of Honduras are still trying to change through proper education and make sure that the authorities won’t be scared enough or easily bribed by notorious criminals.
Citizens of Honduras: Catracho and Catracha
The Nicaraguans initially gave their name. The term Catracho and Catracha were inspired by their General, Florencio Xatruch, which is a Spanish-Honduran citizen. Catracho is identified to be the nickname of men, while Catracha is the women’s nickname.
The general governed the army of Honduras in the eighteen hundreds and made an outstanding contribution in preventing the North Americans from invading their country. Their coined names are not degrading but a reminder of how they were saved by their dedicated general Florencio Xatruch.
The Ruins of Mayan City in Honduras
For many years, the heritage of Mayan City has been well-preserved. The artifacts in the city were relocated to their national museums to be appropriately taken care of. Honduras’s Mayan City is one of the World’s Heritage Sites granted by the United Nations, Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization, or UNESCO.
There are multiple statues and various temples in the Maya ruins that have carvings with intricate designs. There are carved symbols on the faces of the rocks which the Historians do not yet determine the meanings of.
Takeaway
Every country has its unique features, wonders, and flaws. But what makes a great country is their rich culture founded by their ancestors. With these facts, we have created an impression that Honduras is a great country to explore.
