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HONDURASOnce part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage. WHEN TO GO The Caribbean coastal lowlands where most dive travelers go is hot and wet year-round. Hurricanes between June and November can shut down Honduras and cause severe damage. FACTS ABOUT HONDURAS - Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua.
- Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 86 30 W
- Area: 112,492 sq km
- Coastline: 820 km
- Max elevation: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
- Population: 7,639,327
- Capital: Tegucigalpa
- Government: Democratic constitutional republic
- Currency: lempira (HNL)
- Internet Country Code: .hn
- Calling code: 504
- Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%
- Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects
- Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%
- Major Industries: Tourism, sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
- Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower
- Environmental issues: urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with heavy metals.
- Climate: The climate of Honduras is tropical but becomes milder at the higher elevations of the interior. The average annual temperature in the interior is 21°C (70°F). The low-lying coastal regions, however, are warmer, and the humidity is oppressive; the annual temperature here averages 27°C (80°F).
- Average sea surface temp: 27 °C
- Average annual rainfall: 1,000 mm in mountain valleys to 2,500 mm along the northern coast
- Average annual tourist arrivals: 1,056,642
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