What Continent is Honduras In?
Honduras is located in Central America, the southernmost edge of the continent of North America. Central America includes seven countries: Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Belize, and El Salvador. The capital city of Honduras is Tegucigalpa. The country has the greatest barrier reef in the continent and is popular for its biodiversity. The country is one of the poorest in the continent, ranking as second poorest country after Nicaragua.
Geography of Honduras
Honduras spans over 112,400 square kilometers. It is bordered by Guatemala to the west, El Salvador to the southwest, Nicaragua to the southeast, the Gulf of Honduras to the north, and the Gulf of Fonseca to the south.
The physical landscape of Honduras consists mainly of mountains, the Caribbean lowlands, and the Pacific lowlands. In the northeast, there is a lowland jungle. The country experiences a tropical climate in the lowlands and temperate climate in the mountains. Honduras is known for its great biodiversity. The country has rain forests, cloud forests, mangroves, and savannas. Several of its islands are located in the Caribbean Sea including Bay Island and Swan Island. The country also has volcanic islands which are situated at the Gulf of Fonseca including Zacate and Tigre.
The Mesoamerican barrier reef system which stretches to 620 miles is another notable part of the marine ecosystem in the country. The Rio Platano biosphere reserve which is a lowland rainforest is home to an amazing diversity of life. The reserve is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1982. The country also has rainforests.
Economy
The economy of Central America is the eleventh largest economy in Latin America. Honduras is the second poorest country in the continent of Central America after Nicaragua. In 2016, 66% of the citizens in the country were living below the poverty line. The gross domestic product for Honduras was US$21.52 billion in 2016. The World Bank has categorized the country as a low middle-income country. The economy of the country is mostly based on agriculture. Honduras exports products such as coffee, rice and bananas. The country is the main source of cheap labor in the continent.
Attraction and Popular Sites
One of the most notable sites in Honduras is Belize Barrier Reef. The reef is the largest in the northern hemisphere and the second largest barrier reef in the world. Roatan Island is also another popular destination. It is part of the large Mesoamerican barrier reef. Its beautiful beaches and diving sites make for a great holiday destination.
Copan ruin, an archaeological site, is also a popular site in the country and has even been listed as a World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The site dates back to around 2000 years. It hosts altars scattered around the huge plaza. It also holds a unique temple. Another notable site is the LA Tigra National Park which is about 20 kilometers. The park hosts a cloud forest with monkeys, pumas, and Ocelots. It also hosts more than 200 species of birds. It is a great hiking place with clearly marked hiking trails.
