Honduras - The Tibet of Central America Quiz

Answer: Belize

The Republic of Honduras is bordered by Guatemala to the west, El Salvador to the southwest, and Nicaragua to the southeast. Though Belize is also part of Central America, the tiny nation does not share a land border with Honduras.

In 1840, Belize was colonized by the British, and it was known as British Honduras during that time. However, this name should not be mistaken for another similar term -- Spanish Honduras, which was the former name of Honduras from 1524 until 1821.

Answer: Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Honduras is a bi-coastal Central American nation - it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the south, and the Caribbean Sea to the north.

The flag of Honduras depicts three horizontal stripes - a white band sandwiched between two turquoise outer bands. The white band features five stars arranged in a quincuncial pattern, symbolizing the five nations that were part of the Federal Republic of Central America (1823 - 1841) - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Answer: Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506) was a renowned explorer and navigator. Born in the Republic of Genoa, he was best remembered for his voyages across the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1502, Columbus arrived at Trujillo, a city located in the northern part of Honduras, along the shores of the Caribbean Sea. Columbus coined the word "Honduras", meaning "depths" in Spanish, as a reference to the depth of the coastal water. Columbus was also attributed with the following quote: "Gracias a Dios que hemos salido de esas Honduras." ("Thank God we have departed from those depths.")

Answer: Copan

The ruins of Copan were first excavated in the 19th century. Archaeologists believe that the city was abandoned in the early 10th century.

The archaeological site of Copan is located in a Honduran department of the same name. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

Among the incorrect options, both Chichen Itza and Tikal are Mayan archaeological sites located in Mexico and Guatemala, respectively. Angkor was the capital city of the Khmer Empire, located in present-day Cambodia.

Answer: Bay Islands

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, also known as the Great Mayan Reef, extends over 1,100 kilometers (684 miles) along the coastlines of four nations. From north to south, they are Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Within this system is the Belize Barrier Reef, the world's second-largest coral reef system, after the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

The capital of the Bay Islands is Coxen Hole, situated on the main island of Roatán.

Answer: La Mosquitia

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve is situated in the La Mosquitia regio, along the Caribbean coast in eastern Honduras. The reserve houses one of Central America's largest remaining tropical rainforests.

The La Mosquitia region is characterized by diverse landscapes, which include mangrove swamps, savannas, and tropical rainforests. This region is located on the Mosquito Coast, which is named after the indigenous Miskito people.

Interestingly, the Mosquito Coast has no relation at all to mosquitos. The name of the coast was derived from transliteration, which resulted in a misunderstanding.

Answer: Banana Republic

O. Henry (1862 - 1910), or his birth name, William Sydney Porter, coined the term "banana republic" in 1904 to describe the situation in both Honduras and Costa Rica. At that time, Honduras was heavily exploited by the United Fruit Company (later renamed Chiquita).

In 1910, American businessman Sam Zemurray acquired a vast piece of land in Honduras for the cultivation of bananas. The fruits were harvested and supplied to the United Fruit Company.

Answer: Lempira

Lempira (1499 - 1537) was a Honduran chieftain who fought against Spanish conquistador Francisco de Montejo during the early 16th century. In honor of his bravery, Honduras named its currency after him in 1931. The image of Lempira has also been featured on the obverse of the Honduran 1 lempira banknote. Additionally, the Gracias Department was renamed Lempira Department in 1943.

Among the incorrect options, the cordoba is the currency used in Nicaragua. The kwanza is the currency unit of Angola, while the ariary is the currency adopted by Madagascar.

Answer: America Ferrera

America Ferrera was born in Los Angeles, California, US in 1984 to Honduran parents, Carlos Gregorio Ferrera and América Griselda Ayes, who migrated from Tegucigalpa, Honduras to the US in the mid-1970s.

At the 2020 Oscars ceremony, Ferrera wore a special headband to pay tribute to her Honduran heritage. She noted, "Tonight, I bring my own warrior ancestors with me, the indigenous Lenca tribe of Honduras." Ferrera lent her voice to Astrid Hofferson in the animated movies "How to Train Your Dragon" (2010), "How to Train Your Dragon 2" (2014), and "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" (2019).

Among the incorrect options, Salma Hayek is a Mexican actress of Lebanese and Spanish descent. Nicole Kidman is an Australian actress, while Cobia Smulders is a Canadian actress.

Answer: Toncontín International Airport

Toncontín International Airport (TGU) is notoriously known for its short runway and mountainous terrain that surrounds it. Additionally, the area is prone to wind gusts due to the location's high altitude.

In 1969, the Football War, also known as 100 Hour War, erupted between Honduras and El Salvador, following the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifier event. The Salvadoran Air Force targeted and bombed Toncontín International Airport.

Of the incorrect options, Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) is located in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Tripoli International Airport (TIP) is located in Tripoli, Libya. Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) is located in Tbilisi, Georgia.