Honduras
By Rebecca.Brewer-Barker
Land and Climate
- POPULATION=8.3 million people
- Land size covers 43,278 sq. miles
- Location: Central America
- Bordered by Atlantic & Pacific Oceans
- Natural Resources: wood, gold, silver, copper, lead & zinc
- Only Central American country with volcanoes
- Summer temperatures reach up to 105 degrees F
- 1998: Hurricane Mitch hit Honduras for 7 days
- Hottest Season: March-May
- Poor soil
- Climate varies with elevation; Lowlands: Subtropical; Highlands: Temperate
GOVERNENT
- Honduras is a Republic
- Divided into 18 Provinces
- Each Province has a Governor
- Has a President that serves one-4 year term with a cabinet as head of state
- Government and Military are separate
- Congress has 128 seats
- All citizens are allowed to vote at age (18)
history
- Mayan empire resided until AD 800 in what is known as present-day Honduras
- Smaller empires controlled various regions until Spanish conquistadors arrived
- In 1502 columbus arrived and named the land Honduras (named for deep waters off the north caost)
- Battles between the Spanish & groups of natives lasted until the last indian chief was killed in 1539
- in 1539 the Spanish established a capital in Comayagua Honduras was incorporated into Spain's colony of Guatemala
- In 1570's silver was discovered and immigration increased
- In 1821 Honduras declared independence from Spain & joined the Mexican empire
- In 1838 Honduras became an indepent republic
- In 1949 military rule ended
- In 1981 civilian rule was restored by the election of Robert Suazo Cordoua
- Honduras has the highest murder rate in the world
economy
- One of the poorest conries in the world
- About 62% of the population lives in poverty
- Economy is dependant on agrigculture
- Exports: bananas, coffee, seafood, timber, cotton, sugar & metals
- Obstacles to growth in economy are weak infrasture; large foreign debts; high interest rates; a large,inefficient bureaucracy corruption & high crime rates
- Currency is the lenpira