Honduras

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Honduras ( Ã, ( listen ) , ; Spanish: Ã, [on'du? as] ), officially The Republic of Honduras (Spanish: RepÃÆ'ºblica de Honduras ), is a republic in Central America. It has been sometimes referred to as Spanish Honduras to distinguish it from the English Honduras, which became the modern Belizean. Honduras borders west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at Fonseca Bay, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras, a major entrance from the Caribbean Sea.

Honduras is home to some important Mesoamerican cultures, notably Maya, before the Spanish invaded in the sixteenth century. The Spaniards introduced the now dominant Roman Catholic and Spanish languages, along with many of the customs that had blended with indigenous cultures. Honduras gained independence in 1821 and has since become a republic, despite consistently experiencing much social strife and political instability, and remains one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. In 1960, the northern part of the Mosquito Coast was moved from Nicaragua to Honduras by the International Court of Justice.

The country's economy is primarily agriculture, making it particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The lower classes are primarily agricultural based while wealth is concentrated in the urban centers of the country. Honduras has a Human Development Index of.625, classifying it as a nation with intermediate development. When the Index is adjusted for income inequality, the Human Inequality Development Index is.443.

The people of Honduras are dominated by Mestizo; However, Indians, Blacks and White Americans also live in Honduras (2017). The country has relatively high political stability until the 2009 and again coups with 2017 presidential elections. Honduras has the highest murder rate in the world and high levels of sexual violence.

Honduras covers about 112,492 km ² and has a population of over 9 million. The northern part is part of the Western Caribbean Zone, as reflected in the demographics and culture of the area. Honduras is known for its rich natural resources, including minerals, coffee, tropical fruit and sugar cane, as well as for its burgeoning textile industry, serving the international market.

Video Honduras

Etimologi

The literal meaning of the term "Honduras" is "depth" in Spanish. His name could refer to the bay of Trujillo as a harbor, fondura in the Spanish language Leonese dialect, or a Columbus alleged quote that "Gracias a Dios que esos salido de esas Honduras" ("Thank God we has departed from that depth ").

Just before the end of the 16th century, Honduras was used for the entire province. Before 1580, Honduras only refers to the eastern part of the province, and Higueras refers to the western part. Another preliminary name is Guaymuras, revived as a name for political dialogue in 2009 that took place in Honduras compared to Costa Rica.

The Hondurans are often referred to as Catracho or Catracha (fem) in Spanish. The word was created by Nicaraguan people and comes from the last name of the Spanish General of Spain Florencio Xatruch, who in 1857 led Honduran armed forces against invasion efforts by North American adventurer William Walker. Nicknames are considered free, not insulting.

Maps Honduras

History

Pre-colonial period

In pre-Columbian times, modern Honduras was part of the Mesoamerican cultural region. In the west, the Mayan civilization grew for hundreds of years. The dominant country within the boundaries of Honduras is in the Copa ¡n. CopÃÆ'¡n fell with other Lowland centers during the dismantling of the Classic Terminal in the 9th century. The Maya of this civilization survives in western Honduras as Ch'orti, isolated from their Choltian linguistic counterparts in the west.

The remains of other Pre-Columbian cultures are found throughout the country. Archaeologists have studied sites such as Naco and La Sierra in the Naco Valley, Los Naranjos on Lake Yojoa, Yarumela in the Comayagua Valley, La Ceiba and Salitron Viejo (both now under Cajon Dam Reservoirs), Selin Farm and Cuyamel in the Aguan valley, Cerro Palenque, Travesia, Curruste, Ticamaya, Despoloncal in the lower Ulua river valley, and many others.

Spanish Conquest (1524-1539)

On its fourth and final trip to the New World in 1502, Christopher Columbus landed near the modern city of Trujillo, near Guaimoreto Lagoon, becoming the first European to visit the Bay Islands on the Honduran coast. On July 30, 1502, Columbus sent his brother, Bartholomew, to explore the islands and Bartholomew met the Mayan merchant vessels of YucatÃÆ'¡n, carrying the well-dressed Maya and rich cargo. The Bartholomews stole the cargo they wanted and abducted the old captain of the ship to serve as a translator in the first recorded meeting between Spain and Maya.

In March 1524, Gil González Dávila became the first Spanish to enter Honduras as a conquistador. followed by HernÃÆ'¡n CortÃÆ'Â © s, who had lowered troops from Mexico. Many conquests took place in the next two decades, first by the faithful group to CristÃÆ'³bal de Olid, and then by those loyal to Francisco Montejo but especially by those who followed Alvarado. In addition to Spanish resources, conquerors rely heavily on Mexico's armed forces - Tlaxcalans and Mexica troops from thousands of survivors in the region.

The resistance to the conquest led especially by Lempira. Many areas in northern Honduras have never fallen into Spain, especially the Miskito Kingdom. After the Spanish conquest, Honduras became part of the great empire of Spain in the New World in the Kingdom of Guatemala. Trujillo and Gracias were the first capital cities. The Spaniards controlled the area for about three centuries.

Honduras Spanish (1524-1821)

Honduras is organized as a province of the Kingdom of Guatemala and its capital is established, first at Trujillo on the Atlantic coast, and then in Comayagua, and finally in Tegucigalpa in the central part of the country.

Silver mining is a key factor in the Spanish conquest and settlement of Honduras. Initially the mines were worked on by the locals through the encomienda system, but because disease and resistance made this choice less available, slaves from other parts of Central America were brought in. When local slave trade ceased at the end of the 16th century, African slaves, mostly from Angola, were imported. After about 1650, very few slaves or other outsiders arrived in Honduras.

Although Spain conquered the southern or Pacific Rim of Honduras quite quickly, they were less successful on the north side, or the Atlantic. They managed to find several towns along the coast, in Puerto Caballos and Trujillo in particular, but failed to conquer the eastern part of the region and many pockets of independent indigenous people as well. The Miskito empire in the northeast is very effective against the conquest. The Miskito kingdom found support from the northern European pirates, pirates and especially British British colonies before, which placed much of the area under its protection after 1740.

Independence (1821)

Honduras gained independence from Spain in 1821 and was part of the First Mexican Empire until 1823, when it became part of United Provinces of Central America. This is an independent republic and has held regular elections since 1838. In the 1840s and 1850s Honduras participated in several failed attempts at Central American unity, such as the Central American Confederation (1842-1845), Guatemalan agreement (1842), Diet Sonsonate (1846), Nacaome Diet (1847) and National Representative in Central America (1849-1852). Although Honduras has finally adopted the name of the Republic of Honduras, the ideals of unions have never been extinguished, and Honduras is one of the Central American states that push hardest for regional unity policy.

The neo-liberal policy that supported international trade and investment began in the 1870s, and soon foreign interests became involved, first in shipping from the north coast, especially tropical fruits and especially bananas, and later in building railroads. In 1888, a railway line projected from the Caribbean coast to the capital, Tegucigalpa, ran out of money when reaching San Pedro Sula. As a result, San Pedro grew to become the center of the primary industry and the second largest city in the country. Comayagua was the capital of Honduras until 1880, when the capital moved to Tegucigalpa.

Since independence, nearly 300 minor internal uprisings and civil wars have taken place in the country, including some changes to rà ©  © gime.

20th century

At the end of the nineteenth century, Honduras provided land and substantial relief to some US-based fruit companies and infrastructure in return for developing the northern region of the country. Thousands of workers came to the north coast as a result of work on banana plantations and other businesses that grew up around the export industry. The banana exporter, dominated until 1930 by the Cuyamel Fruit Company, and the British Fruit Company and Standard Fruit Company, built an enclave economy in northern Honduras, controlled infrastructure and created tax-free and tax-free sectors that contributed relatively little economic growth. American troops landed in Honduras in 1903, 1907, 1911, 1912, 1919, 1924 and 1925.

In 1904, author O. Henry coined the term "banana republic" to describe Honduras, published a book entitled Cabbage and Kings , about a fictitious country, Anchuria, inspired by his experience in Honduras, at where he has been living for six months. In The Admiral , O.Henry refers to the nation as a "small maritime banana republic"; naturally, the fruit is the whole of its economic base. According to an author of literary analysis for The Economist, his neat expression gave rise to the image of tropical and agrarian countries, but the real meaning is sharper: referring to the fruit companies of the United States who came to exert tremendous influence over politics Honduras and neighbors. "In addition to attracting Central American workers to the north, the fruit company encourages immigration workers from English-speaking Caribbean, especially Jamaica and Belize, who introduce African-speaking, English-speaking and largely Protestant populations to the country, although many workers left after immigration law changes in 1939. Honduras joined the Allied States after Pearl Harbor, on 8 December 1941, and signed the Declaration by the United Nations on January 1, 1942, along with twenty-five other governments.

The constitutional crisis of the 1940s led to reforms in the 1950s. One reform gave workers permission to organize, and the general strike of 1954 paralyzed the northern part of the country for more than two months, but led to reforms. In 1963, a military coup overthrew the democratically elected president, RamÃÆ'³n Villeda Morales.

In 1960, the northern part of the Mosquito Coast was moved from Nicaragua to Honduras by the International Court of Justice.

In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador fought what is known as the Football War. Border tensions led to unrest between the two countries after Oswaldo LÃÆ'³pez Arellano, president of Honduras, blamed Honduras' deteriorating economy on immigrants from El Salvador. The relationship reached a low point when El Salvador met Honduras for an early three-round soccer elimination game to the World Cup.

Tensions increased and on July 14, 1969, Salvadoran troops launched an attack on Honduran soldiers. The Organization of American States negotiated a ceasefire that took effect on 20 July and brought withdrawal of Salvadoran troops in early August. Factors contributing to the conflict are border disputes and the presence of thousands of Salvadorans living in Honduras illegally. After a weeklong war, as many as 130,000 Salvadorans were driven out.

The Fifi storm caused severe damage while crashing northern coast of Honduras on September 18 and 19, 1974. Melgar Castro (1975-78) and Paz Garcia (1978-82) largely built the physical infrastructure and telecommunications system of Honduras today.

In 1979, the country returned to civilian rule. A constituent assembly was popularly elected in April 1980 to write a new constitution, and elections were held in November 1981. The Constitution was approved in 1982 and the PLH government Roberto Suazo won the election with a pledge to implement an ambitious program of economic and social development to address the recession in where Honduras finds itself. He launched an ambitious social and economic development project sponsored by American development assistance. Honduras hosts the largest Peace Corps mission in the world, and international and international non-governmental organizations are proliferating. Peace Corps attracts its volunteers in 2012, citing security concerns.

During the early 1980s, the United States established a sustainable military presence in Honduras to support El Salvador, the Contra guerrillas fighting the Nicaraguan government, and also developing modern air and port lines in Honduras. Although spared bloody civil war destroying neighbors, Honduran soldiers secretly campaign against Marxist-Leninist militias such as the Popular Liberation Movement of the Cinchoneros, which is notorious for abductions and bombings, and against many non-militants as well. The operation included an extradition-killing campaign backed by the CIA by government-backed units, notably Battalion 316.

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused a massive and widespread destruction. Honduran President Carlos Roberto Flores said that fifty years of progress in the country has reversed. Mitch destroys about 70% of the country's crops and is estimated to account for 70-80% of transport infrastructure, including almost all bridges and secondary roads. In Honduras 33,000 homes were destroyed, and an additional 50,000 were damaged. About 5,000 people were killed, and another 12,000 were wounded. The total loss is estimated at $ 3 billion USD.

21st century

The 2008 Honduras floods were severe and damaged or destroyed about half of the way as a result.

In 2009, a constitutional crisis occurred when power was transferred in a coup from the president to the head of Congress. The Organization of American States (OAS) suspends Honduras because it does not feel the government is legitimate.

Countries around the world, the OAS, and the United Nations formally and unanimously condemn such acts as coup d'etat, refuse to recognize de facto government, even though lawyers consult the Library. Congress submitted to the United States Congress is the opinion that the coup d'etat is legitimate. The Supreme Court of Honduras also ruled that the trial was valid. The government that followed the de facto government established a truth and reconciliation commission, Comisi de la Verdad y Reconciliación, which after more than a year of research and debate concluded that the overthrow had been a coup d'etat, and illegal in the opinion of the commission.

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Geography

The northern coast of Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean to the south through the Fonseca Gulf. Honduras are mostly made up of mountains, with narrow plains along the coast. A large undeveloped lowland forest, La Mosquitia is located in the northeast, and the densely populated Sula valley in the northwest. At La Mosquitia is a UNESCO world heritage site, the RÃÆ'Â © Plátano Biosphere Reserve, with the Coco River that divides Honduras from Nicaragua.

Islas de la Baha and the Swan Islands are off the north coast. Misteriosa Bank and Rosario Bank, 130-130 to 150 kilometers (81 to 93 miles) north of the Swan Islands, included in the Exclusive Economic Zone (ZEE) in Honduras.

Natural resources include wood, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, shrimp, and hydropower.

Climate

The climate varies from tropical lowland to temperate in the mountains. The central and southern regions are relatively hotter and less humid than the north coast.

Ecology

This region is considered a biodiversity hotspot because many species of plants and animals are found there. Like other countries in the region, it contains enormous biological resources. Honduras has more than 6,000 species of vascular plants, of which 630 (described so far) are orchids; about 250 reptiles and amphibians, over 700 species of birds, and 110 species of mammals, half of which are bats.

In the northeastern region of La Mosquitia is the RÃÆ'o PlÃÆ'¡tano Biosphere Reserve, a lowland rainforest that is home to incredible biodiversity. Backup was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982.

Honduras has rain forests, cloud forests (which can rise up to nearly three thousand meters or 9,800 feet above sea level), mangroves, savannahs and mountains with pine and oak trees, and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. In the Bay Islands there are bottle nose dolphins, manta rays, parrotfish, a collection of blue sharks and whale sharks.

Environmental issues

Deforestation from logging is rampant in the Olancho Department. Clearing land for agriculture is prevalent in the largely undeveloped La Mosquitia region, leading to soil degradation and soil erosion.

Lake Yojoa, which is the largest freshwater source in Honduras, is polluted by heavy metals generated from mining activities. Some rivers and streams are also polluted by mining.

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Government and politics

Honduras is organized within the framework of democratic republican presidential representation. The President of Honduras is the head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the Honduran government. The legislative powers are held by the Honduran National Congress. Independent courts of both the executive and legislative branches.

The National Congress of Honduras ( Congreso Nacional ) has 128 members ( diputados ), elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. The congressional seats are awarded party candidates on a departmental basis in proportion to the number of votes received by each party.

Political culture

In 1963, a military coup abolished the democratically elected president, RamÃÆ'³n Villeda Morales. A series of authoritarian military governments held uninterrupted power until 1981, when Roberto Suazo CÃÆ'³rdova was elected president.

The party system was dominated by the conservative Honduran National Party (Partido Nacional de Honduras: PNH) and the liberal Liberal Party of Honduras (PLH) until the 2009 Honduran coup put Manuel Zelaya out of office and placed Roberto Micheletti in place.

The current Honduran President Juan Orlando HernÃÆ'¡ndez took office on 27 January 2014. After successfully running for a second term, a very tight election in 2017 leaves uncertainty as to whether Hernandez or his main challenger, Salvador Nasralla's television personality, has won.

Panama Papers

Two Honduran names appear in the Panama Papers disclosure of highly successful businessmen from some of the most prominent families in Honduras. Jaime Rosenthal and Gilberto Goldstein are one of the Honduran elite, both successful businessmen and politicians. Rosenthal was vice president in the administration Josà © Josà © Ã… © Josepa del Hoyo of the 1980s. His son CÃÆ'Ã… © sar Rosenthal, according to Panama Papers, is the sole shareholder of Renton Management S.A., a Panama entity that was created to buy airplanes.

Foreign relations

Honduras and Nicaragua had strained relationships during 2000 and early 2001 due to border disputes off the Atlantic coast. Nicaragua imposed a 35% tariff on Honduran goods due to the dispute.

In June 2009 a coup overthrow of President Manuel Zelaya; he was taken on a military plane to neighboring Costa Rica. The United Nations General Assembly voted to abort the coup and called for Zelaya's recovery. Some Latin American countries including Mexico sever diplomatic ties with Honduras. In July 2010, full diplomatic relations were once again re-established with Mexico. The United States sent mixed messages after the coup; Obama called the expulsion of the coup and expressed support for Zelaya's return to power. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, suggested by John Negroponte, a former Reaganian era for the Honduran ambassador involved in the Iran-Contra affair, refrained from expressing support. He has since made clear that the US will have to cut aid if it is called Zelaya who ousted a military coup, although the US has a record of ignoring this event when it voted. Zelaya has expressed interest in the Hugo ChÃÆ'¡vez Bolivarian Alliance for our American Society (ALBA), and has actually joined in 2008. After the 2009 coup, Honduras withdrew its membership.

Interest in this regional agreement may have raised the alarm of politicians. When Zelaya started calling for "the fourth ballot box" to determine whether Hondurans wanted to hold a special constitutional congress, this sounded a lot to some people like the constitutional amendment that had extended the terms of both Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales. "Chavez has served as a role model for like-minded leaders who want to unite their powers, these presidents have just taken office when they usually hold a constitutional convention to guarantee their re-election," said a 2009 Spiegel International analysis, noting that one reason to join ALBA is Venezuela's oil discount. In addition to Chavez and Morales, Carlos Menem of Argentina, Brazilian Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Colombian President ÃÆ'lvaro Uribe have taken this step, and Washington and the EU both accused the Sandanista government of Nicaragua of damaging election results. The politicians of all lines declared the rejection of Zelaya's referendum proposal, and the Attorney General accused him of violating the constitution. The Supreme Court of Honduras agrees, saying that the constitution has placed the Supreme Electoral Court responsible for elections and referendums, not the National Institute of Statistics, which Zelaya has proposed to run the count. Regardless of whether Zelaya's transfer of power has constitutional elements, Honduras's constitution explicitly protects all Hondurans from forced eviction to Honduras.

The United States maintains a small military presence on a Honduran base. Both countries undertake peacekeeping, counter-narcotics, humanitarian, disaster relief, humanitarian, medical and civic action. US forces conduct and provide logistical support for various bilateral and multilateral exercises. The United States is Honduras' main trading partner.

Military

Honduras has a military with the Honduran Army, the Honduran Navy and the Honduran Air Force.

Administrative division

Honduras dibagi menjadi 18 departemen, ibu kotanya adalah Tegucigalpa di Distrik Tengah di dalam departemen Francisco Morazá n.

1. Atlá Ntida
2. Choluteca
3. ColÃÆ'3n
4. Comayagua
5. Copa n
6. CortÃÆ'© s
7. El ParaÃÆ'so
8. Francisco Morazá¡ ¡ n
9. Gracias a Dios
10. IntibucÃÆ'¡¡.
11. Islas de la Baha
12. La Paz
13. Lempira
14. Ocotepeque
15. Olancho
16. Santa Bá ¡ Rbara
17. Valle
18. Yoro

A new administrative division called ZEDE (Zonas de empleo y desarrollo econÃÆ'³mico ) was created in 2013. ZEDE has a high level of autonomy with their own political system at the judiciary, economic and administrative levels, and is based on market capitalism free.

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Economy

Poverty

The World Bank categorizes Honduras as a low-middle income country. The country's per capita income of about $ 600 makes it one of the lowest in North America.

In 2010, 50% of the population lives below the poverty line. By 2016 more than 66% live below the poverty line. Estimates put unemployment around 27.9%, which is more than 1.2 million Hondurans.

Economic growth in recent years averaged 7% per year, one of the highest rates in Latin America (2010). Nonetheless, Honduras has experienced the least development among all Central American countries. Honduras is ranked 130th out of 188 countries with the Human Development Index of.625 which classifies the nation as having medium development (2015). The three factors that go to the Honduran HDI (extended and healthy life, accessibility of knowledge and living standards) have all increased since 1990 but are still relatively low with the expectation of life at birth is 73.3 years, the expected year from school to 11, 2 (average of 6.2 years) and GNP per capita to $ 4,466 (2015). HDI for Latin America and the Caribbean as a whole is 0.751 with life expectancy at birth is 68.6 years, expected school year to 11.5 (average 6.6) and GNP per capita to $ 6,281 (2015).

The Honduras coups of 2009 led to various economic trends in the country. Overall growth has slowed, averaging 5.7 per cent from 2006-2008 but slowing to 3.5 per cent every year between 2010 and 2013. Following the trend of the coup of poverty reduction and extreme poverty is reversed. The nation saw an increase in poverty 13.2 percent and in extreme poverty 26.3 percent in just 3 years. Furthermore, unemployment grew between 2008 and 2012 from 6.8 percent to 14.1 percent.

Since much of Honduras's economy is based on small-scale farming with little exports, natural disasters have a devastating impact. Natural disasters such as 1998 Hurricane Mitch have contributed to this inequality because they mainly affect poor rural areas. In addition, they are big contributors to food insecurity in the country because farmers can not provide for their families' needs. A study conducted by the Honduran NGO, World Neighbors, determined that "increased workload, decreased grain base, expensive food, and fear" is most closely related to Hurricane Mitch.

The rural and urban poor were hit hardest by Hurricane Mitch. Those in the South and West are particularly considered the most vulnerable because they both suffered environmental damage and homes for many farmers of sustenance. Due to a disaster like Hurricane Mitch, the agricultural economy sector has declined by a third in the last twenty years. This is largely due to declining exports such as bananas and coffee that are affected by factors such as natural disasters. The indigenous people along the Patuca River were also hit hard. The mid-Patela region is almost completely destroyed. More than 80% of the rice harvest and all the harvests of bananas, plantains and cassava are gone. Relief and reconstruction efforts after the storm are partial and incomplete that strengthen the existing poverty level rather than reverse it, especially for indigenous peoples. The period between the final and subsequent crops of food contributes to the extreme hunger that causes death among the inhabitants of Tawahka. Those who are considered the most "rich in land" lose 36% of their total average land. Those with the most "poor land," lost less land but the largest share of their total totals. This means that those who are hardest hit are single women because they constitute the majority of this population.

Poverty reduction strategies

Since the 1970s when Honduras was designated a "food priority country" by the UN, organizations such as the World Food Program (WFP) have worked to reduce malnutrition and food insecurity. Most Honduran farmers live in extreme poverty, or under $ 180 per capita. Currently a quarter of children are affected by chronic malnutrition. WFP is currently working with the Honduran government on a School Feeding Program that provides food for 21,000 Honduran schools, reaching 1.4 million schoolchildren. WFP also participates in disaster relief through reparations and emergency response to assist with the rapid recovery that handles the impact of natural disasters on agricultural production.

The Poverty Reduction Strategy is also intended to influence social policy through increased investment in the education and health sectors. It is expected to lift poor communities out of poverty while also increasing labor as a means to stimulate the Honduran economy. Conditional cash transfers are used to do this by the Family Assistance Program. The program was restructured in 1998 in an effort to improve the effectiveness of cash transfers for health and education especially for those in extreme poverty. Overall spending on the Poverty Reduction Strategy has focused on the education and health sectors that increased social spending from 44% of Honduras's GDP in 2000 to 51% in 2004.

Critics of aid from the International Financial Institutions believe that the World Bank's Poverty Reduction Strategy produces substantive minor changes to Honduran policy. The Poverty Reduction Strategy also does not include clear priorities, specific intervention strategies, strong commitment to macroeconomic strategies and more effective macroeconomic reforms by Jose Cuesta of Cambridge University. Because of this, he believes that the strategy does not provide a way for economic development that can lift Honduras out of poverty resulting in no lasting economic growth from poverty reduction.

Prior to the 2009 coup, Honduras widely expanded social spending and extreme minimum wage increases. Efforts to reduce inequality were quickly reversed after the coup. When Zelaya was removed from office social expenditure as a percentage of GDP declined from 13.3 percent in 2009 to 10.9 recently in 2012. This decline in social spending worsened the effects of the recession, which at first the country was relatively prepared to deal with.

The World Bank Group Executive Board approved a plan known as the new State Partnership Framework (CPF). The objectives of the plan are to expand the scope of social programs, strengthen infrastructure, improve financing accessibility, strengthen regulatory frameworks and institutional capacity, increase rural productivity, strengthen natural disaster resilience and climate change, and build local government so that violence and crime rates will be reduced. The overall goal of this initiative is to reduce the inequality and vulnerability of specific populations while promoting economic growth. In addition, the signing of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is intended to diversify the economy in order to foster growth and expand the country's reliable export scope.

Economic imbalances

The level of income inequality in Honduras is higher than in other Latin American countries. Unlike other Latin American countries, inequality continued to rise in Honduras between 1991 and 2005. Between 2006 and 2010, inequality was seen to decline but increased again in 2010.

When the Honduran Human Development Index adjusted for inequality (known as IHDI) the Honduran development index was reduced to 0.443. The level of inequality in every aspect of development can also be assessed. By 2015 the inequality of life expectancy at birth is 19.6%, inequality in education is 24.4% and inequality in income is 41.5% The overall loss in human development due to inequality is 29.2.

The IHDI for Latin America and the Caribbean as a whole is 0.575 with an overall loss of 23.4%. By 2015 for the whole region, the inequality of life expectancy at birth is 22.9%, inequality in education is 14.0% and income inequality is 34.9%. While Honduras has a higher life expectancy than other countries in the region (before and after adjustment of inequality), the quality of education and economic standards are lower. Inequality in incomes and inequalities of education have a major impact on nation-wide development.

Inequality also exists between rural and urban areas relating to the distribution of resources. Poverty is concentrated in the southern, eastern and western regions where rural and indigenous peoples live. Northern and central Honduras are home to the country's industry and infrastructure, resulting in low poverty rates. Poverty is concentrated in rural Honduras, a pattern that is reflected throughout Latin America. The effects of poverty on rural communities are wide. The poor usually live in adobe homes, lack material resources, have limited access to medical resources, and live off the basics like rice, corn and beans.

The lower class consists mainly of rural subsistence farmers and landless farmers. Since 1965 there has been an increase in the number of landless farmers in Honduras which has led to an increase in the class of urban poor individuals. These people often migrate to downtown looking for jobs in the services, manufacturing or construction sectors. Demographers believe that without social and economic reforms, rural to urban migration will increase, resulting in the expansion of urban centers. In the lower classes, underemployment is a big problem. Individuals who are underemployed often only work as part-time workers on seasonal farms, which means their annual income remains low. In the 1980s peasant organizations and trade unions such as the Honduran National Farmers' Federation, the Honduran National Farmers' Association and the National Farmers' Union were formed.

It is not uncommon for rural people to voluntarily register in the military, but this often does not offer a stable or promising career opportunity. The majority of high-ranking officials in Honduran troops are recruited from the elite military academy. In addition, the majority of conscripts are forced. Forced recruitment depends largely on an alliance between the Honduran government, the military and the upper class of Honduras. In urban areas, men are often sought from middle schools, while in rural areas roadblocks help the military in recruiting people. Higher socioeconomic status allows individuals to more easily avoid drafts.

Medium-level Honduras is a small group defined by membership and relatively low income levels. The movement from the lower classes to the middle class is usually facilitated by higher education. Professionals, students, farmers, traders, business employees, and civil servants are all considered part of the Honduran middle class. Opportunities for jobs and industrial and commercial sectors grew slowly, restricting middle-class membership.

Upper class Honduras has a much higher income level than other Hondurans reflecting large inequalities of income. Most of the upper classes gave their success to the growth of cotton and post-World War II livestock exports. The rich do not unite politically and differ in political and economic views.

Trading

The currency is the Honduran lempira.

The government operates both power lines, Empresa Nacional de EnergÃÆ'a Elà ©  © ctrica (ENEE) and landline telephone service, Hondutel. ENEE received heavy subsidies to deal with its chronic financial problems, but Hondutel is no longer a monopolist. The telecommunication sector was opened for private investment on December 25, 2005, as required by CAFTA. The price of petroleum is regulated, and Congress often passes temporary pricing rules on staples.

Gold, silver, lead and zinc are mined.

In 2005 Honduras signed the CAFTA, a free trade agreement with the United States. In December 2005, Puerto Cortes, the main port of Honduras, was included in the US Custody Safety Initiative.

In 2006, the US Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Energy announced the first phase of the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI), which builds on existing port security measures. SFI gives the US government increased authority, enabling it to scan containers from abroad for nuclear and radiological materials to increase risk assessments for each US container. The initial phase of Safe Transport involves the deployment of nuclear detection and other devices to six foreign ports:

• Port Qasim in Pakistan;
• Puerto Cortes in Honduras;
• Southampton in the UK;
• Port of Salalah in Oman;
• The Port of Singapore;
• Gamman Terminal in Port Busan, Korea.

Containers at this port have been scanned since 2007 for radiation and other risk factors before they are allowed to leave for the United States.

For economic development, a memorandum of understanding in 2012 with a group of international investors obtained the approval of the Honduran government to build a zone (city) with its own laws, tax system, judiciary and police, but the opponents filed a lawsuit against him in the Supreme Court, calling it " country within the country ". In 2013, the Honduran Congress ratified Decree 120, which led to the formation of ZEDEs. The government began construction of the first zone in June 2015.

Energy

About half of the electricity sector in Honduras is privately owned. The remaining generating capacity is run by ENEE ( Empresa Nacional de EnergÃÆ'a Elà © ctrica ). The main challenges in this sector are:

• Financing investments in generation and transmission without financially sound utilities or concession funds from external donors
• Re-balancing rates, cutting arrears and reducing losses, including power theft, without social unrest
• Reconcile environmental issues with government goals - two major new dams and associated hydroelectric power plants.
• Increase access to electricity in rural areas.

Transport

Infrastructure for transportation in Honduras consists of: 699 kilometers (434 miles) from trains; 13,603 kilometers (8,453 mi) highway; seven ports and ports; and 112 airports altogether (12 paved, 100 unpaved). The Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Housing (SOPRTRAVI in the Spanish acronym) is responsible for transport sector policies.

Water supply and sanitation

Water supply and sanitation in Honduras are very different from the city center to the villages. Larger population centers generally have modern water treatment and distribution systems, but water quality is often poor due to lack of proper care and care. Rural areas generally have basic drinking water systems with limited capacity for water treatment. Many urban areas have a sewage system in place to collect wastewater, but proper waste water treatment is rare. In rural areas sanitation facilities are generally limited to latrines and basic manure pits.

Water and sanitation services have historically been provided by Servicio AutÃÆ'³nomo de Alcantarillas y Aqueductos (SANAA). In 2003, the government adopted a new "water law" calling for decentralization of drinking water services. Under the 2003 law, local communities have the right and responsibility to own, operate and control their own drinking and wastewater systems. Since the law was passed, many communities have joined together to address regional water and sanitation issues.

Many national and international non-governmental organizations have a history of working on water and sanitation projects in Honduras. International groups including Red Cross, First Water, Rotary Club, Catholic Relief Service, Water for People, EcoLogic Development Fund, CARE, Canada Executive Service Organization (CESO-SACO), Engineers Without Borders - USA, Flood Nations, Students Help Honduras (SHH), Global Brigade, and Agua para el Pueblo in partnership with AguaClara at Cornell University.

In addition, many government organizations work on various projects in Honduras, including the European Union, USAID, the Army Engineers Corps, Cooperacion Andalucia, the Japanese government, and others.

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Demographics

Honduras has a population of 9,112,867 by 2016. The proportion of people under 15 in 2010 is 36.8%, 58.9% are between 15 and 65 years of age, and 4.3% are 65 or older.

Since 1975, emigration from Honduras has accelerated as economic migrants and political refugees looking for a better life elsewhere. The majority of Honduran expatriates live in the United States. The 2012 US State Department estimates show that between 800,000 and one million Hondurans live in the United States at the time, nearly 15% of the population of Honduras. The big uncertainty about numbers is because many Hondurans live in the United States without a visa. In the 2010 census in the United States, 617,392 residents were identified as Hondurans, up from 217,569 in 2000.

Race and Ethnicity

Details of the ethnic Honduran community are 90% Mestizo, 7% American Indian, 2% Black and 1% White (2017). The Honduran census of 1927 did not provide racial data but in 1930 five classifications were made: white, Indian, Negro, yellow, and mestizo. This system is used in the 1935 and 1940 censuses. Mestizo is used to describe individuals who are incompatible with the white, Indian, negro or yellow or mixed Indian-Indian category.

John Gillin considers Honduras as one of thirteen "Mestizo countries" (Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay). He claims that just like the Spanish Americans, little attention is given to race and race mixes that result in a social status that has little dependence on a person's physical features. However, in "Mestizo countries" such as Honduras, this is not the case. The social stratification of Spain is capable of developing in these countries through colonization.

During the occupation, the majority of the indigenous Hondurans died or died of disease causing the indigenous population to be more homogeneous than other colonies. Nine indigenous and African American groups are recognized by the government in Honduras. The majority of Amerindian people in Honduras are Lenca, followed by Miskito, Cho'rti ', Tolupan, Pech, and Sumo. Around 50,000 Lenca live in western and western Honduras while other small indigenous groups are all over the country.

The majority of blacks in Honduras are a ladino culture, which means they are culturally Hispanic. Non-ladino groups in Honduras include Black Carib, Miskito, Arab immigrants and black population Islas de la Baha The Black Carib population comes from slaves freed from Saint Vincent. Miskito's population (about 10,000 individuals) are descendants of African and British immigrants and very racial. While the Black Carib and Miskito populations have the same origin, Black Caribs is considered black while Miskitos are considered natives. This is largely a reflection of cultural differences, as Black Caribs has retained much of their native African culture. The majority of Arabs of Honduras are of Palestinian and Lebanese descent. They are known as "turcos" in Honduras because of migration during the Ottoman Empire's rule. They retain cultural peculiarities and prosper economically.

Gender

The male and female ratio of the Honduran population is 1.01. This ratio is at 1.05 at birth, 1.04 from 15-24 years, 1.02 from 25-54 years, 0.88 from 55-64 years, and 0.77 for those aged 65 years or older.

The Gender Development Index (GDI) is 0.942 in 2015 with HDI of 0.600 for women and 0.637 for men. Life expectancy at birth for men is 70.9 and 75.9 for women. The expected year of schooling in Honduras is 10.9 years for men (average 6.1) and 11.6 for women (average 6.2). These measures do not show a large difference between the level of male and female development, however, the GNI per capita differs greatly by gender. Men have a GNI per capita of $ 6,254 while women only $ 2,680. The overall GDI of Honduras is higher than other middle-level HDI countries (.871) but is lower than the overall HDI for Latin America and the Caribbean (.981).

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) places Honduras 116 for actions including women's political power, and women's access to resources. The Gender Inequality Index (GII) describes gender-based inequality in Honduras according to reproductive health, empowerment, and economic activity. Honduras has a GII of.461 and ranks 101 out of 159 countries by 2015. 25.8% of Honduran parliament is women and 33.4% of adult women have higher secondary education while only 31.1% of adult males do so. Nevertheless, while men's participation in the labor market was 84.4, women's participation was 47.2%. The maternal mortality ratio in Honduras was 129 and the adolescent birth rate was 65.0 for women ages 15-19.

Familialisme and machismo bring a lot of weight in Honduran society. Familialism refers to the idea of ​​second individual interest from the family, most often in relation to dating and marriage, parental abstinence and consent and dating surveillance. Aggression and proof of masculinity through physical dominance are characteristics of masculinity.

Honduras has historically functioned with a patriarchal system like many other Latin American countries. Honduran men claim to be responsible for family decisions including reproductive health decisions. Recently Honduras has seen an increasing challenge to this idea as a feminist movement and access to increased global media. There has been an increase in educational attainment, labor force participation, urban migration, young marriage, and contraceptive use among Honduran women.

Between 1971 and 2001, Honduras' total birth rate declined from 7.4 births to 4.4 births. This is largely due to improvements in educational attainment and labor force participation by women, as well as wider use of contraception. In 1996, 50% of women used at least one type of contraception. In 2001, 62% were mostly due to female sterilization, birth control in pill form, birth control injection, and IUD. A 2001 study of Honduran men and women reflects the conceptualization of reproductive health and decision making in Honduras. 28% of men and 25% of women surveyed believe men are responsible for decisions about family size and family planning use. 21% of men believe men are responsible for both.

Sexual violence against women has proved to be a major problem in Honduras that has caused many people to migrate to the United States. The prevalence of child sexual abuse is 7.8% in Honduras with the majority of reports coming from children under the age of 11. Women who experience sexual abuse when children are found twice as likely to be in a violent relationship. Femicide is widespread in Honduras. By 2014, 40% of unaccompanied minors are female. Gangs are largely responsible for sexual violence against women because they often use sexual violence. Between 2005 and 2013 according to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, violent deaths increased 263.4 percent. Impunity for sexual violence and femicide crime is 95 percent by 2014. In addition, many girls are forced into trafficking and prostitution.

Between 1995 and 1997, Honduras recognized domestic violence as a public health issue and violations that could be punished for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) effort. The PAHO Sub-Committee on Women, Health and Development is used as a guide to develop programs that assist in domestic violence prevention programs and victim assistance. However, a study conducted in 2009 showed that while the policy requires health providers to report cases of sexual violence, contraceptive emergencies, and victim referrals to legal institutions and support groups, very few other regulations exist in the field registration, examination and follow-up. Unlike other Central American countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, Honduras does not have detailed guidelines that require service providers to be trained extensively and respect the rights of victims of sexual violence. Since the study, UNFPA and the Honduran Health Secretariat have worked to develop and implement better guidelines for dealing with cases of sexual violence.

An education program in Honduras known as Systema de Aprendizaje Tutorial (SAT) has sought to "undo gender" through a focus on gender equality in everyday interactions. The SAT Honduras program is one of the largest in the world, second only to Colombia with 6,000 students. Currently sponsored by Asociacion Bayan , a Honduran NGO, and the Ministry of Education of Honduras. It works by integrating gender into curriculum topics, linking gender with ideas of justice and equality, encouraging reflection, dialogue and debate and emphasizing the need for individual and social change. The program was found to increase gender awareness and the desire for gender equality among Honduran women through a discourse about gender inequalities in Honduras society.

Language

In addition to Spanish, some native languages ​​are used in Honduras, as well as Honduras and Bay Islands Creole English sign language.

The main indigenous languages ​​are:

• Garifuna (Arawakan) (nearly 100,000 speakers in Honduras including monolingual)
• MÃÆ'skito (Misumalpan) (29,000 speakers in Honduras)
• Mayangna (Misumalpan) (less than 1000 speakers in Honduras, more in Nicaragua)
• Pech/Paya, (Chibchan) (less than 1000 speakers)
• Toll (isolate) (less than 500 speakers)
• Ch'orti '(Mayan) (less than 50 speakers)

Isolat Lenca lost all native speakers in the 20th century but is currently undergoing a resurgence effort among members of an ethnic population of about 100,000. The biggest immigrant languages ​​are Arabic (42,000), Armenian (1,300), Turkish (900), Chinese Yue (1,000).

The largest city

Religion

Although most Hondurans are nominally Roman Catholics (regarded as the main religion), membership in the Roman Catholic Church declines while membership in Protestant churches is increasing. The International Religious Freedom Report, 2008, notes that the Gallup CID poll reported that 51.4% of the population identified themselves as Catholic, 36.2% as evangelical Protestants, 1.3% claiming to be from other faiths, including Muslims, Buddhists, Jews , Rastafarian, etc. and 11.1% does not belong to any religion or are unresponsive. The details and membership of the customary Catholic Church estimate 81% of Catholics where priests (in more than 185 parishes) are required to fill in parish pastoral accounts each year.

The CIA Factbook lists Honduras as 97% Catholic and 3% Protestant. Commenting on the variety of statistics everywhere, John Green of Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life notes that: "That's not... numbers are more precise than [others] figures... but how people organize group concepts." Often people attend a church without leaving their "home" church. Many who attend evangelical megachurches in the US, for example, attend more than one church. This shift and fluency is common in Brazil where two-fifths of those evangelically resurrected are no longer evangelicals and Catholics seem to have shifted in and out of churches, often while still Catholic.

Most survey agencies suggest an annual poll taken over several years will provide the best method for knowing religious demographics and variations in one country. In Honduras, however, Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Seventh-day Adventist Churches, Lutherans, Latter-day Saints (Mormon), and Pentecostals are present. There is a Protestant seminary. The Catholic Church, still the only recognized "church", is also growing in a number of schools, hospitals, and pastoral institutions (including its own medical schools) it operates. His archbishop, Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga, is also very popular, both with the government, other churches, and in his own church. Buddhist, Jewish, Islamic, BahÃÆ'¡'ÃÆ', Rastafari and denominational and indigenous religious practitioners exist.

Health

The fertility rate is about 3.7 per woman. The under-five mortality rate is 40 per 1,000 live births. Health expenditure was US $ (PPP) 197 per person in 2004. There are about 57 doctors per 100,000 people.

Education

Approximately 83.6% of the literacy population and net primary enrollment rate was 94% in 2004. In 2014, the primary school level graduation was 90.7%. Honduras has bilingual schools (Spanish and English) and even trilingual (Spanish with English, Arabic, and/or German) and a number of universities.

Higher education is organized by the National Autonomous University of Honduras, which has centers in the most important cities of Honduras.

Crime

Due to insufficient law enforcement resources, crime in Honduras is rampant and criminals operate with high levels of impunity. As a result, Honduras has one of the highest rates of murder in the world. Official statistics from the Honduran Observatory on National Violence indicate the rate of Honduran killings is 60 per 100,000 by 2015 with the majority of unlaid killings.

Roadblocks and carjackings on roadblocks or checkpoints established by criminals with police uniforms and equipment are common. Although alien abduction reports are uncommon, the families of abductees often pay ransoms without reporting crimes to the police for fear of retribution, so the number of abductions may not be reported.

Due to actions taken by the government and business in 2014 to improve the safety of tourists, Roatan and the Bay Islands have a lower crime rate than the Honduran mainland.

In the less populated region of Gracias a Dios, narcotics trade is rampant and the presence of police is scarce. Threats against US citizens by drug dealers and other criminal organizations have caused the US Embassy to place restrictions on US officials traveling through the region.

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Culture

Art

The most famous Honduras painter is Jose Antonio  © VelÃÆ'¡squez. Other important painters include Carlos Garay, and Roque Zelaya. Some outstanding Honduras' writers are Lucila Gamero de Medina, FroylÃÆ'¡n Turcios, Ramon Amaya Amador and Juan Pablo Suazo Euceda, Marco Antonio Rosa, Roberto Sosa, Eduardo BÃÆ'¤hr, Amanda Castro, Javier Abril Espinoza, TeÃÆ'³filo Trejo, and Roberto Quesada.

Theater Josà © Francisco Saybe in San Pedro Sula is home to CÃ'rculo Teatral Sampedrano (Teatral Circle of San Pedro Sula)

Cuisine

Honduran cuisine is a blend of authentic Lenca cuisine, Spanish cuisine, Caribbean cuisine and African cuisine. There are also dishes from Garifuna people. Coconut and coconut milk is featured in sweet and savory dishes. Area specialties include fried fish, tamales, carne asada and baleadas.

Other popular dishes include: grilled meat with chismol and carne asada, chicken with rice and corn, and fried fish with pickled onions and jalapeà ± a. Several ways seafood and some meat are prepared in coastal areas and in the Bay Islands involving coconut milk.

Soups enjoyed by Hondurans include pea soup, mondongo tripe soup, seafood soup, and beef soup. Generally these soups are served mixed with plantains, yucas, and cabbage, and served with corn tortillas.

Other typical dishes are montucas or corn tamales, fill tortillas, and tamales wrapped in banana leaves. Honduran specialties also include an abundance of tropical fruits such as papaya, pineapple, plum, sapote, passion fruit and bananas prepared in various ways while still green.

Media

At least half of Honduran households have at least one television. Public television has a much smaller role than in most other countries. Honduras's major newspapers are La Prensa, El Heraldo, La Tribuna and Diario Tiempo. The official newspaper is La Gaceta (Honduras).

Music

Punta is Honduras' main music, with other sounds like Caribbean salsa, merengue, reggae, and reggaeton being heard, especially in the north, and Mexican rancheras heard in the country's countryside.

Celebrations

Some Honduran national holidays include Honduras Independence Day on September 15 and Children's Day or DÃÆ'a del NiÃÆ' Â ± o, which is celebrated in homes, schools and churches on September 10; on this day, the children receive a gift and have a party similar to a Christmas or birthday celebration. Some neighborhoods have piÃÆ' Â ± over on the street. Other holidays are Easter, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Army Day (October 3 to celebrate the birth of Francisco MorazÃÆ'¡n), Christmas, El Dia de Lempira on July 20, and New Year's Eve.

Honduran Independence Day celebrations begin early in the morning with a marching band. Each band uses different colors and cheerleaders features. Fiesta Catracha takes place on the same day: Honduran specialties such as beans, tamales, baleadas, cassava with chicharron, and tortillas are offered.

On Christmas Eve people reunite with their family and close friends for dinner, then give a gift at midnight. In some cities, fireworks are seen and heard at midnight. On New Year's Eve there is food and "cohetes", fireworks and celebrations. Birthday is also a great event, and includes the top piÃÆ'Â ± filled with candies and surprises for the kids.

La Ceiba Carnival is celebrated in La Ceiba, a town located on the north coast, in the second half of May to celebrate Saint Patrick's patron saint day. People from all over the world come for a week of celebration. Every night there is a little carnaval (carnavalito) in the neighborhood. On Saturday there is a large parade with buoys and exhibits with people from different countries. The celebration is also accompanied by the Milk Fair, where many Hondurans come to showcase agricultural products and animal brands

Source of the article : Wikipedia