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Honduras

✨ The land of depths and Mayans

Honduras is a country in Central America, bordered by Guatemala to the west, El Salvador to the southwest and Nicaragua to the southeast. It has coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, through the Gulf of Fonseca. Its capital, Tegucigalpa, lies in the central highlands, while San Pedro Sula is an important urban and industrial centre in the north.

Covering about 112,500 square kilometres, Honduras is mostly mountainous, with several ranges separated by valleys and plateaus. The Caribbean coast includes broad lowlands and the Mosquito Coast, a sparsely populated region of forests, wetlands and rivers. Offshore, the Bay Islands form part of the Mesoamerican Reef system. Lake Yojoa, the country's largest natural lake, lies between volcanic and mountainous landscapes.

Honduras has a tropical climate, but conditions vary considerably with altitude and location. The Caribbean coast generally receives abundant rainfall, while some inland and Pacific-facing areas have a pronounced dry season. Tropical forests, pine forests, wetlands and coastal ecosystems support a wide variety of plants and animals. The country is also exposed to natural hazards, including hurricanes, floods, landslides and earthquakes.

Agriculture is important to the economy, with coffee, bananas, palm oil, sugar cane and maize among the major crops. Fishing and forestry also contribute to livelihoods in several regions, while manufacturing, services and tourism are important economic activities. Honduras therefore combines mountainous interior landscapes with Caribbean lowlands, Pacific coastal areas and offshore islands, creating a varied geography within a relatively compact territory.

💡 Did you know?

Did you know that in Honduras, in the city of Yoro, there is an incredible legend called 'Lluvia de Peces' (the fish rain)? Every year, after a huge storm, residents go out into the streets and find hundreds of small living fish hopping on the ground! No one knows exactly how they get there, but people have a big party to celebrate this gift from the sky and cook these magical fish.

Honduras is home to one of the most artistic cities of the ancient Mayan empire: Copán. There you can find the 'Hieroglyphic Stairway,' which is the longest text written by the Mayans on stone. It is like a giant history book carved into steps! At the top of the stairs, Mayan kings spoke to their people, surrounded by magnificent statues of jaguars and tropical birds.

On the coasts of Honduras, in the Bay Islands, you can swim with the largest fish in the world: the whale shark! Despite its impressive size (larger than a bus!), it is a very gentle giant that only eats plankton. Its white spots on its body are unique to each shark, much like your fingerprints. Diving alongside it is a magical and peaceful experience.