Traveling to Honduras - 12 Topics You Should Know

🇭🇳 1. Founded / Gains Independence

• Pre-Colonial Era: Inhabited by Maya, Lenca, and other Indigenous groups.

• Spanish Conquest: Began in 1524.

• Independence from Spain: September 15, 1821, as part of the Central American independence movement.

• Full Sovereignty: Declared independence from the Federal Republic of Central America on November 5, 1838.

🏙️ 2. Capital, Major Cities

• Capital: Tegucigalpa — ~1.57 million (metro area)

• Major Cities:

  • San Pedro Sula – industrial hub

  • Choloma, La Ceiba, El Progreso, Comayagua, Choluteca, Puerto Cortés, Danlí, Juticalpa

💵 3. Currency

• Currency: Honduran Lempira (HNL) — symbol: L

• Exchange Rate: ~1 HNL = $0.038 USD (2025)

• Subunit: 1 lempira = 100 centavos

📊 4. Economy, Exports, Imports

• GDP (2025 est.): ~$38.17B (nominal), ~$85.98B (PPP)

• Main Exports:

  • Knit T-shirts, coffee, insulated wire, palm oil

• Main Imports:

  • Refined petroleum, cotton yarn, trucks, medicaments, cars

• Top Trade Partners:

  • Exports: U.S., Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico

  • Imports: U.S., China, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador

🧑🏫 5. Historic Figures

• Francisco Morazán – liberal reformer and Central American unifier

• José Cecilio del Valle – philosopher and independence leader

• Roberto Sosa – national poet

• Xiomara Castro – first female president (elected 2021)

• Carlos Mencia – comedian born in Honduras

⚔️ 6. Wars

• Football War (1969) – brief conflict with El Salvador over immigration and soccer

• Civil Conflicts – multiple 19th-century uprisings and coups

• Filibuster War (1856–1857) – regional resistance against U.S. adventurer William Walker

• Modern Unrest – coups in 1963 and 2009; gang-related violence ongoing

🌄 7. Geography

• Location: Central America; borders Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua

• Size: ~112,492 km²

• Terrain: ~80% mountainous; coastal plains in north and south

• Highest Point: Cerro Las Minas – 2,870 m

• Coastline: Caribbean (long), Pacific (short via Gulf of Fonseca)

👥 8. Current Population

• 2025 Estimate: ~11 million

• Urbanization: ~58.3% urban

• Median Age: ~24.2 years

• Density: ~98 people/km²

🎶 9. Culture / Music

• Traditional Genres:

  • Punta – Afro-Indigenous Garifuna rhythm and dance

  • Paranda, Xíbara, Marimba, Folk ballads

• Modern Styles: Punta Rock, reggaeton, bachata, merengue

• Instruments: Drums, maracas, conch shells, marimba, guitar

🗣️ 10. Languages

• Official Language: Spanish

• Indigenous Languages:

  • Garifuna, Miskito, Pech, Tol, Ch’orti’, Lenca (endangered)

• Immigrant Languages: Arabic, Armenian, Turkish, Chinese

• Creole English: Spoken in Bay Islands

🍽️ 11. Cuisine

• Staples: Beans, rice, corn, plantains, coconut milk

• Signature Dishes:

  • Baleadas – flour tortillas with beans, cheese, crema

  • Sopa de Caracol – conch soup with coconut milk

  • Enchiladas, Tamales, Pupusas, Macheteadas

• Drinks: Horchata, tamarind juice, coffee, banana soda

⚽ 12. Sports

• National Sport: Football (Soccer)

  • National team: Los Catrachos — World Cup appearances in 1982, 2010, 2014

• Other Popular Sports:

  • Basketball, Baseball, American Football, Tennis

• Notable Athletes:

  • Maynor Figueroa, Carlos Pavón, Mauricio Dubón, Steve Van Buren

Would you like this formatted into a visual infographic or turned into a podcast script? I can also help you compare Honduras with other countries you’ve explored like El Salvador or Ecuador.