About Honduras

Honduras is just over 112,000 km² in size with an estimated population of almost 8,000,000 people. Its capital is Tegucigalpa. About a third of the population of the country live on less than US$2 per day. According to the World Bank, Honduras is the thrid poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, after Haiti and Nicaragua. It is estimated that there are more than 1.2 million people who are umemployed, the rate of unemployment standing at 27.9%.

The region is considered a biodiversity hotspot because of the numerous plant and animal species that can be found there. The country hosts more than 6,000 species of vascular plants, of which 630 (described so far) are orchids; around 250 reptiles and amphibians, more than 700 bird species, and 110 mammal species, half of them being bats.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honduras

Fun Facts:

* Its nickname is the Banana Republic due to the large growth and exports of bananas

* Honduran Flag created January 18, 1949:

The upper and lower stripes represent the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The central stripe which contains five blue stars representing the five states of the Central American Union. The middle star represents Honduras because the country is located in the center of the Central American Union.

* One of the popular holidays is Children's Day or Dia del Niño which is celebrated on September 10. Children receive presents and have parties.

* Soccer or Futbol is the main sport in Honduras.

* The national flower is the orchid

* The National Bird of Honduras is the Scarlet Macaw

* The Maya Indians were some of the first people to live in Honduras just like the Native Indians of the U.S.A. The Mayan ruins are a popular tourist attraction.

Education

The typical school year runs from February through November. Education is compulsory from ages seven through 12. Only 58 percent of primary-school-age students reach the fifth grade. According to Honduras' National Statistics Institute (INE), on average, Hondurans complete 5.4 years of schooling. Undergraduate education is only reached by 5.3 percent of the population and graduate studies by 0.2 percent. There is one government-run and several private-run universities in Honduras, along with various trade schools.

In urban areas of the country, Hondurans are more aware than their rural neighbors of the importance of education. Although many parents desire education for their children, it is often more important for children to help provide for their families, especially in the country; and because of this, the dropout rate is higher. In addition, the education provided by the government is poor in most cases, from inadequate facilities to teachers constantly going on strike and delaying the school year. There is a sense of helplessness among parents who desire good education for their children but can only afford a public education.

Holidays and Festivals

The Feast Day of the Virgin of Suyapa, Feb. 3: Celebration in honor of the patron saint of Honduras
Easter, March or April: a two-week celebration with festivals and parades. All schools and most businesses shut down from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. Traditionally, the majority of the population travels to the beaches during this time.
Carnaval at La Ceiba, held during the third week of May
Independence Day, Sept. 15
Columbus Day, Oct. 12
Christmas, Dec. 25; Hondurans celebrate with their families on Christmas Eve and rest on Christmas Day. Hondurans set up a nativity scene where they cover the baby Jesus with a blanket. On Christmas Eve, the blanket is removed to unveil the baby.

Source: http://www.compassion.com/about/where/honduras.htm