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...)
Intelligence Battalion 3–16 or Battallón 316 (various names: Group of 14 (1979–1981), Special Investigations Branch (DIES) (1982–1983), Intelligence Battalion 3–16 (from 1982 or 1984 to 1986), Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence Branch (since 1987)) was the name of a Honduran Army unit responsible for carrying out political assassinations and torture of suspected political opponents of the government during the 1980s.
Image 28Mayan 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)
Image 34In 1986 Honduras bombed two Nicaraguan towns. (from History of Honduras)
Image 35Pre Columbian pottery from the Ulua region. (from Culture of Honduras)
Image 36El Xendra is an independent film that mixes elements of suspense and science fiction. (from Culture of Honduras)
Image 37Train 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 38Map of the town of Trujillo from the 16th century. (from History of Honduras)
Image 54The 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 55The nacatamal a prehispanic dish widely consumed in Honduras. (from Culture of Honduras)
Image 57The 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 76Coat of Arms of Trujillo, one of the oldest towns founded by the Spanish in Honduras.
Image 77First 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)