History
Honduras was originally inhabited by indigenous tribes, 
the most powerful of which were the Mayans. The estern-central part of Honduras was inhabited by the Lencas. These autonomous groups had their conflicts but maintained their commercial relationships with each other and with other populations as distant as Panama and Mexico.
On July 30, 1502, Christopher Columbus first saw Honduran soil and he claimed the territory in the name of his sovereigns, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile. He named the area "Honduras" (meaning "depths") for the deep water off the coast.
Independence
Honduras gained independence from Spain in 1821. The country was then briefly annexed to the Mexican Empire. In 1823, Honduras joined the newly formed United Provinces of Central America federation, which collapsed in 1838. Gen. Francisco Morazan--a Honduran national hero--led unsuccessful efforts to maintain the federation. Honduras' agriculture-based economy was dominated in the 1900s by U.S. companies that established vast banana plantations along the north coast. Foreign capital, plantation life, and conservative politics held sway in Honduras from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century.
Economy
Honduras, with a per capita gross national income of $1,845, is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. Economic growth was 6.3% in 2007 and 4% in 2008. The decreased growth rate is due to the combination of the global economic crisis and reduced internal investment from the public sector. Historically dependent on exports of agricultural goods, there continues to be a large farmer population with few economic opportunities.
For Honduras Daily News http://www.hondurasnews.com/honduras-news/articles/politics/
