Honduras was home to several important Mesoamerican cultures, most notably the Maya, before the 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. The lower class is primarily agriculturally based while wealth is concentrated in the country's urban centers. Honduras has a Human Development Index of 0.625, classifying it as a nation with medium development. When adjusted for income inequality, its Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index is 0.443. (Full article...)
Honduran nationality law is regulated by the Constitution, the Migration and Aliens Act (Spanish: Ley de Migración y Extranjería), the 2014 Law on Protection of Honduran Migrants and their Families (Spanish: Ley de Protección de los Hondureños Migrantes y sus Familiares) and relevant treaties to which Honduras is a signatory. These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, a citizen of Honduras. The legal means to acquire nationality and formal membership in a nation differ from the relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship. Honduran nationality is typically obtained either on the principle of jus soli, i.e. by birth in Honduras; or under the rules of jus sanguinis, i.e. by birth abroad to a parent with Honduran nationality. It can also be granted to a permanent resident who has lived in the country for a given period of time through naturalization. (Full article...)
Image 2Mayan 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 3Flag of the Central American Federation that lasted until 1839. (from History of Honduras)
Image 59Oldest train still preserved in Honduras. (from History of Honduras)
Image 60The 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 61First 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 62In 1986 Honduras bombed two Nicaraguan towns. (from History of Honduras)
Image 65The 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 66The dictatorship of Carias Andino is remembered as the longest dictatorship that Honduras has ever had (from History of Honduras)
Image 67Coat of arms of the Miskito royal family. (from History of Honduras)
Image 68The baleada is a popular Honduran fast food dish. (from Culture of Honduras)
Image 69Coat of Arms of Trujillo, one of the oldest towns founded by the Spanish in Honduras.
Image 77Diablos Negros, is a Honduran hard Rock band active since the 1980s. (from Culture of Honduras)
Image 78Train 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)