ABSTRACT
The Republic of Honduras, in Central America, is bordered by Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, the Pacific Ocean, and the Gulf of Honduras. The population of 9.3 million is overwhelmingly ethnically Mestizo, with smaller portions of the population identifying as Amerindian. The official language is Spanish, with Amerindian dialects spoken throughout the country. About 60 percent of the population lives in urban areas, predominantly in two major metropolitan centers: Tegucigalpa (the capital) and San Pedro Sula. About 46 percent of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, while 41 percent is Protestant. The name Honduras translates into “great depths,” which is an accurate description of the deep waters off the coast of the country, home to the second largest coral reef system in the world.
