Honduras: Capital, Flag and Fun Facts

About Honduras

Honduras is in Central America, with a long Caribbean coast in the north and a short Pacific coast in the south. Much of the country is mountainous and covered by pine and cloud forests. It is known for the ancient Maya city of Copán and for the coral reefs around the Bay Islands.

About Tegucigalpa

Tegucigalpa sits in a mountain valley in south-central Honduras, about 990 metres above sea level, and forms the Central District with its sister city Comayagüela. It is the country's largest city, known for its hilly streets and the 18th-century San Miguel Cathedral.

Fun facts about Honduras

1. The Maya city of Copán has a stairway carved with more than 1,800 glyphs, the longest known Maya inscription.
2. The Honduran currency, the lempira, is named after a 16th-century chief of the Indigenous Lenca people.
3. The colourful scarlet macaw is the national bird of Honduras.
4. The five stars on the flag stand for the five nations of the former Federal Republic of Central America.
5. The Bay Islands, off the north coast, sit on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, one of the largest reef systems in the world.
6. The Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve protects a huge lowland rainforest in the northeast and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.