Honduras was home to several important Mesoamerican cultures, most notably the Maya, before Spanish colonization in the sixteenth century. The Spanish introduced Catholicism and the now predominant Spanish language, along with numerous customs that have blended with the indigenous culture. Honduras became independent in 1821 and has since been a republic, although it has consistently endured much social strife and political instability, and remains one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. In 1960, the northern part of what was the Mosquito Coast was transferred from Nicaragua to Honduras by the International Court of Justice.
The nation's economy is primarily agricultural, making it especially vulnerable to natural disasters such as Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Honduras has a Human Development Index of 0.624, ranking 138th in the world. In 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Honduras (INE), 73% of the country's population lived in poverty and 53% lived in extreme poverty. The lower class is primarily agriculturally based while wealth is concentrated in the country's urban centers. The country is one of the most economically unequal in Latin America. (Full article...)
Alba Alonso de Quesada (17 August 1924 – 18 November 2020) was a Honduranlawyer and academic who played a pivotal role in the development of women's rights and anti-corruption policies in her country. She was the first woman to become a lawyer in Honduras and the first woman to serve as Secretary of the Ministry of Labor. Throughout her career, she worked for legal reforms to help children, families, women and the working classes, pressing for educational reform and providing pro bonolegal aid. She was one of the driving forces who established the Transition Commission to evaluate corruption in educational institutions and led the Transparency and Ethics Commission in the development of transparency policies for the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). Twelve years after the conclusion of their reforms, in 2017, Alonso was recognized with an honorary doctorate from UNAH and the academic year of 2017 was dedicated to her by the Ministry of Culture. (Full article...)
... that on May 14, 1980, Salvadoran forces massacred more than 300 civilians while Honduran soldiers prevented them from escaping across the border?
... that the royal dynasty at the Maya city of Copán(fragment pictured)Sculpture on Temple 11 of Copán in Honduras was founded by a warrior sent from the distant city of Tikal?
... that in March 1871, Sensuntepeque was raided by Salvadorian Liberals with Honduran army backing after Honduras declared war on El Salvador?
... that thanks to the song "Sopa de Caracol", the musical ensemble Banda Blanca became the best-known Honduran band?
Image 17The church of la Merced in the city of Comayagua was the first Cathedral of Honduras in 1550 and is the oldest Honduran church still standing. (from History of Honduras)
Image 18Map of the town of Trujillo from the 16th century. (from History of Honduras)
Image 59Lenca vessel from the Classic period depicting an ear of corn in its sheath (from Honduran cuisine)
Image 60Train station in La Ceiba during the 1920s. The locomotives were one of the main means of transportation in Honduras during the 20th century. (from History of Honduras)
Image 61American troops arriving in Honduras in 1988 during Operation Golden Pheasant. (from History of Honduras)
Image 62One of the Pyramids of Los Naranjos, considered the oldest structures of Honduras.
Image 63The railroad transportation suffered a lot of economic issues and disadvantages during the 2000s, it was not until 2010 passenger trains where reactivated. (from History of Honduras)
Image 70Coat of Arms of Trujillo, one of the oldest towns founded by the Spanish in Honduras.
Image 71First coat of arms of Honduras given by the emperor Charles I of Spain an 5th of the Holy Roman empire. By the time of the colonial era Honduras suffered a demographic change due the arrival of Spanish immigrants (from History of Honduras)
Image 77Mayan representative hieroglyphic of the Yax Kuk Mo Dynasty that later would become the emblem of the Kingdom of "Oxwitik" also known as Copán. (from History of Honduras)