Honduras is a country of lowlands and fertile valleys and, indeed, La Ceiba (a major banana port) even looks to tourism as a future major industry. There are
good hotels and beaches, and an international airport to boot. Trujillo itself was once a thriving port, with a fascinating
pirate history and superb
tropical beaches.
Hurricane Mitch devastated much of the country in 1998 but an international effort quickly rebuilt much of the country’s infrastructure. However, the economy is still very weak. Many people live in poverty and crime levels
and drug trafficking have soared.
GeographyHonduras shares borders in the southeast with Nicaragua, in the west with Guatemala, and in the southwest with El Salvador. To the north lies the Caribbean and to the south the Pacific Ocean. The interior of the country comprises a central mountain system running from east to west, cut by rivers flowing into both the Caribbean and Pacific. The lowlands in the south form a plain along the Pacific coast. The Gulf of Fonseca in the southwest contains many islands which have volcanic peaks. The large fertile valleys of the northern Caribbean lowlands are cultivated with banana plantations. However, large areas of land in Honduras are unsuitable for cultivation. The majority of the population lives in the western half of the country, while the second-largest concentration of people is in the Cortés area which extends northwards from Lake Yojoa towards the Caribbean.
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