Honduras gained independence from the Federal Republic of Central America on this date in 1838. Here are some facts you may not know about Honduras.
- Honduras literally means "depths" in Spanish. It may have derived from Columbus's alleged quote "Thank God we have departed from those depths". It has also been known as Spanish Honduras and Guaymuras.
- The capital and largest city is Tegucigalpa which means "Silver Mountain".
- Talking of mountains, the highest one in Honduras is Cerro Las Minas at 2,870 m (9,420 ft).
- Bananas are an important export crop. Honduras was the first country to be called a "Banana Republic,"a term coined by the writer O. Henry.
- The currency in Honduras is the Lempira, named after a native who died fighting the Spaniards. However, the picture on the banknotes is actually of a Native American.
- Honduras is considered to be the cradle of the Mayan civilization. There are Mayan pyramids in the country which are very well preserved.
- The Flag consists of three horizontal bands of equal width. The top and bottom bands are cerulean Blue and represent the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The middle band is White and has five blue stars. The white represents the land between the ocean and the sea, the peace and prosperity of its people, and purity of thoughts. The stars represent the five nations of the former Federal Republic of Central America (El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala) and the hope that the nations may form a union again.
- In the city of Yoro, it has frequently been known to rain fish between May and July when there is a heavy storm.
- Hondurans are often referred to as Catrachos/Catrachas by other Central Americans, after a famous Honduran general named Florencio Xatruch. The nickname is a complimentary one.
- The national flower was the Rose until 1969, when it was replaced by the orchid Rhyncholaelia digbyana. The national mammal is the white-tailed deer, and the national bird is the scarlet macaw.
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