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HONDURAS
GEOGRAPHY
Honduras shares borders in the southeast with Nicaragua, in the west with Guatemala, and in the southwest with El Salvador. To the north lies the Caribbean and to the south the Pacific Ocean. The interior of the country comprises a central mountain system running from east to west, cut by rivers flowing into both the Caribbean and Pacific. The lowlands in the south form a plain along the Pacific coast. The Gulf of Fonseca in the southwest contains many islands which have volcanic peaks. The large fertile valleys of the northern Caribbean lowlands are cultivated with banana plantations. However, large areas of land in Honduras are unsuitable for cultivation. The majority of the population lives in the western half of the country, while the second-largest concentration of people is in the Cortés area which extends northwards from Lake Yojoa towards the Caribbean.
HONDURAS
One Small Country, Three Wide Worlds
Honduras is a small country. However, at about 112,000 km Honduras is packed with so much natural, cultural and archaeological diversity, that we like to describe it in terms of three distinct and diverse "worlds".
Our first world is the world of Tropical Nature, and Honduras was blessed with the incredible natural diversity that Central America is famous for.
The second of our three wide worlds is the world of the Maya. In the world of Maya archaeology, the name Copan stands out like that of Athens in Ancient Western Civilization. Indeed, Copan has been called the Athens of the New World.
The third and most exotic of our three worlds is the world of Caribbean Honduras. Our fascination with our north coast came at the beginning of the century, when entrepreneurs from the US conceived a plan that would eventually turn into a multi-billion dollar industry, and earn Honduras the title of "Banana Republic."
HISTORY
In the centuries preceding the Spanish Conquest, Central America served as a bridge between the indigenous peoples of North and South America and was the meeting place for many cultures, great and small. An outpost for the area known as Mesoamerica, which stretched as far north as Mexico, the isthmus hosted both the highly socially developed migrants heading south and the more scattered and primitive groups moving north.
Located in western Honduras, the Mayan metropolis of Copan became one of the major cities of that great civilization. During its golden age from 250 to 900 AD, Copan's achievements in sculpture and architecture made it the artistic center of the Mayan world.
On his fourth and final voyage to the Americas in 1502, Christopher Columbus landed on what is known today as the Honduran Bay Island of Guanaja. Continuing on from there, he set anchor for the first time on the American mainland at Punta Castilla in Trujillo Bay. In 1508, Vicente Yañez and Juan Diaz de Solis followed Columbus to the New World. They, too, arrived at Punta Castilla, but not knowing that Columbus had already christened the site, they gave it a new name: Cabo de Honduras, or Cape of the Deep Waters. The Conquistadors referred to the region as the Provincia del Cabo de Honduras. The name has since been simplified to Honduras.
The Spanish empire set up permanent residence in Honduras in 1524 when Hernan Cortes instructed Cristobal de Olid to found Triunfo de la Cruz, near today's port city of Tela. Other explorers followed, founding communities of their own and launching one of the greatest struggles for power the world has ever known. The native Indians rebelled against the Spanish colonization with a well-organized army under the command of the great Lenca Chief Lempira. The Spanish lost many battles before they were able to defeat the Indian warrior. The Indian resistance died with the great hero.
It wasn't until more than three centuries later that Central America finally declared independence from the Spanish Crown on September 15, 1821. The region became a part of the Mexican Empire for a brief time, then opted in 1823 to establish a federal republic of five Central American States. Unable to remain united, however, the federation drifted apart to become five independent republics. The efforts of Central American hero General Francisco Morazan to keep the isthmus united led to his eventual execution in Costa Rica in 1842. Dionisio de Herrera, Jose Cecilio del Valle and Jose Trinidad Cabañas stand alongside Morazan as some of the most illustrious Hondurans of the post-independence period.
CULTURE AND ART
Despite its tumultuous history as an independent nation, Honduras has grasped with fervor the principles of democracy. Today, the international community recognizes it as one of the most peaceful and forward-looking countries in Central America, and its people as among the friendliest in the world. With a rich artistic and cultural evolution that dates back to centuries before the Spanish conquest, Honduras possesses innumerable treasures that range from the sumptuous stele of Copan to the primitive paintings of Jose Antonio Velasquez; from the intense poems of Clementina Suarez to the colorful folkloric dances and concerts as performed by young, national musicians.
Today, the field of painting constitutes one of the strongest bases, real and potential, in the artistic development of the Honduran people. History points to Jose Miguel Gomez as the painter who founded fine arts in Honduras in the eighteenth century with his religious paintings, which clearly show their European influence. With the arrival of independence, painters started to work on topics closer to home; but it was not until the second decade of this century that Honduran artists who had been trained abroad, such as Pablo Zelaya Sierra, Confucio Montes de Oca, Carlos Zuniga Figueroa and Arturo Lopez Rodezno (founder of the National School of Fine Arts in 1940) began what can be called contemporary Honduran painting.
The promotion of the fine arts has been intensified in recent years thanks to the efforts of public and private institutions that organize exhibits and contests where the new and the old generations of artists come together, presenting through their works a window into the natural beauty and social development of the country.
In the Honduran cultural evolution, there have been many illustrious men who have stood out for their individual achievements. Of special importance is Father Jose Trinidad Reyes due to his contributions in the fields of music, theater, poetry and education. In 1847, Father Reyes founded the first University of Honduras in Tegucigalpa.
With regards to Honduras’ literary development, a vast number of illustrious men and women stand out as some of the great Honduran writers of poetry, narrative, tale, novel, essay, as well as history and journalism. The genre of theater is currently reaffirmed with the presence of groups such as the Grupo Dramatico de Tegucigalpa, Circulo Teatral Sampedrano, Teatro La Fragua, Teatro Camino Real, Grupo Teatral Bambu and the National Theater Company.
Music is presented in varied rhythms and styles recalling the religious and folkloric traits of each ethnic group of the country. The guitar, the conch shell, the matraca and the accordion are instruments created or inherited to make music, which is generally complemented by native dances. Some of these are represented by the Cuadro Nacional de Danzas Folkloricas Criollas and the Ballet Nacional Folklorico Garifuna. There are many singers and composers which are outstanding in the areas of classical, semiclassical and popular music.
During their tours throughout the country, the young members of the National Symphonic Orchestra of Honduras delight the public with a wide repertoire of classical music and special arrangements featuring local songs. The Festival Aires de Abril and the Festival de los zorzales are two annual musical events that bring many composers and performers together.
From the Mayan stele to Father Reyes’ pastorals and Ezequiel Padilla’s pictorial expressionism, Honduran art and culture are the palpable reflections of the dignity and patriotism of a society that lives and fights to conserve the purity of its true identity.
TOURIST DESTINATIONS
TEGUCIGALPA
The capital, was originally founded as a mining camp in 1524. Unlike so many of Central America's cities, Tegucigalpa has never been subjected to the disasters of earthquake or fire and so retains many traditional features. Visitors to the capital should plan to visit the city's impressive parks, particularly Concordia, where models of Copan's Mayan architecture are displayed, and the United Nations Park for a spectacular view of the city. Also recommended is a visit to neighbouring Comayagua, former capital of Honduras and now a colonial masterpiece of cobbled streets, tiny plazas and whitewashed homes.
THE CARIBBEAN COAST
Two coastal towns are important to tourists and commercial visitors: La Ceiba and Trujillo. La Ceiba, which lies at the foot of the towering 1500m (5000ft) Pico Bonito, still a major banana port, now looks to tourism (and particularly eco-tourism) as a future major industry. There are good hotels and beaches, and an international airport, one of the city's major assets. The nearby Pico Bonito National Park is a protected rainforest area where high rainfall and steep slopes combine to form numerous waterfalls and spectacular scenery.
BAY ISLANDS
50km (30 miles) off the Caribbean coast of Honduras lies the exotic archipelago of the Bay Islands. Consisting of three major islands (Roatan, Guanaja and Utila) and several smaller islands, the Bay Islands have a history that spans the ancient Mayan civilisation, early Spanish exploration, colonial buccaneers and the British Empire. Roatan and Guanaja are hilly, tropical islands, protected by a great coral reef that provides fine skindiving. Utila offers wide expanses of sandy beach and is ringed by tiny cays surrounded by palm trees.
TRUJILLO
was once a thriving port and the old capital of colonial Honduras. Trujillo is today home to many old Spanish buildings, a fascinating pirate history and superb tropical beaches. New resorts and subdivisions are now opening in the Trujillo area.
SAN PEDRO SULA
Is a fast-growing banana, sugar manufacturing and distribution centre for the entire north coast. Today San Pedro Sula boasts a new airport, first-class hotels and several excellent restaurants.
The ancient city of Copán is 171km (106 miles) from San Pedro Sula. The Copán Ruins Archaeological Park in western Honduras is the best remaining testament to the culture of the Mayan Indians. Among the best of the ruins are the magnificent Acropolis composed of courts and temples, the Great Plaza, a huge amphitheatre, and the Court of the Hieroglyphic Stairway. Near the Great Acropolis, recent archaeological work has brought to light invaluable excavations. The majority of the site's original sculptures are on display at the Copán Sculpture Museum whose four-story centrepiece is the Rosalita temple, a full-scale replica of a temple recently excavated beneath the Acropolis.
Note: Honduras is still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Much of the infrastructure has only been repaired on a provisional basis. Travelers are advised to visit the country with a major tour operator and to keep to the main tourist locations.
CLIMATE
The climate is tropical, with cooler, more temperate weather in the mountains. The north coast is very hot with rain throughout the year, and though the offshore breezes temper the climate, the sun is very strong. The dry season is from November to April and the wet season runs from May to October.
Required Clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens; warmer clothes are recommended between November and February and in the mountains. Waterproofs are needed for the wet season.
CONTACT ADDRESSES
Instituto Hondureño de Turismo:
PO Box 3261, Edificio Europa, 5to Piso, Colonia San Carlos, Avenida Ramon Cruz, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Tel: 222 2124 or (800) 222•8687 (toll free; within Honduras only). Tel/Fax: 222•6621.
E-mail: ihturism@hondutel.hn Web site: http://www.hondurasinfo.hn
Embassy of the Republic of Honduras
3007 Tilden Street 4M, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Tel: (202) 966•7702 or 966•5008 or 966•4596. Fax: (202) 966•9751.
E-mail: embhondu@aol.com
Embassy of the United States of America:
Avenida La Paz, Apdo 3453, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Tel: 238•5114. Fax: 236•9037
Web site: http://www.usmission.hn/
Press: Daily newspapers are in Spanish, and include El Heraldo, La Prensa, La Tribuna and El Tiempo. The weekly Honduras This Week is published in English.
Country dialing code: 504
Source: World Travel Guide and hondurasinfo.HN
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