HONAN 45 HONDURAS not occurring together, so as to have their relative age tested by proved con- tinuity or by visible superposition. HONAN, or HO-NAN (ho-nanO, a central province of China; area, 67,940 square miles; pop. about 25,000,000 Its capital, Kaifung-fu, is on the Yellow river, from which it has often suffered, '■ the river bed being here elevated above the adjacent country. HONDO (hon'do), the name given by the Japanese to the chief island in their empire. The area is 87,425 square miles. See Japan. HONDURAS, a republic of Central America; bounded by Nicai'agua, Guate- mala, the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean; area, 46,250 square miles; pop. about 610,000; capital, Tegucigalpa. Topography. — The country is gener- ally mountainous, and is traversed by the Cordilleras, connecting the Andes on the S. with the Sierra Madre on the N. The rivers are numerous though small, the principal ones being the Ulna, Aguan, Choluteca, and Chamelican. The repub- lic has nearly 500 miles of sea coast with numerous fine harbors. Climate and Productions. — The climate is mild in the higher regions and semi- tropical in the lowlands. Agriculture is the principal occupation of the people. The mineral resources are great; gold, platinum, silver, copper, lead, zinc, ii'on, antimony, nickel and cobalt being found in nearly every department. Commerce. — The chief agricultural product is bananas, which are grown mainly on the Caribbean coast. That region also produces cocoanuts. The staple food product is corn. Other agri- cultural products are rubber, coffee, to- bacco, beans, rice, and sugar cane. The total imports in 1919 amounted to about $5,000,000 and the exports to about $7,000,000. Practically all the exports are taken by the United States, which also furnished nearly all the imports. Covimunications. — In recent years the main roads of the country have been improved so that they are passable by motor cars. The railroad from Puerto Cortez to Potrerillos, about 70 miles in length, was taken over by the Govern- ment in 1912, and has been completely overhauled and repaired. In 1918 a line was completed from the Port of Tela to El Progreso. There are in all about 365 miles of railway. There were in 1919 about 630 miles of telephone lines and 4,500 miles of telegraph lines. Finance. — The revenue is derived chiefly from customs, and from spirit, explosive, and tobacco monopolies. The Vol. V- total revenue for 1919-1920 was $6,688,- 976 and the total expenditure amounted to $7,770,585. The internal debt for 1919-1920 was $3,555,982. The revenue of the country is mainly derived from tobacco and spirits. Govei-^iment. — The legislature is vested in a Congress of Deputies, consisting of 42 members elected dii-ectly for four years. The executive is a President, elected by popular vote for four years. He acts thi'ough a Council of five, who are ministers of Foreign Relations, Government and Justice, War, Treasury and Public Credit, Public Works and Instruction. Religion and Education. — The prevail- ing religion is the Roman Catholic, but freedom is guaranteed to all creeds. Instruction is free and compulsory. There are about 1,000 schools, with about 1,200 teachers. There are about 95,000 children of school age, of whom about 35,000 attend school. The ex- penditure for education in 1919 was 384,980 pesos. There is a university at Tegucigalpa, where there is also main- tained a central institution for secondary instruction. History. — Honduras was discovered by Columbus in 1502, conquered by Cortez in 1523, joined the Republic of Central America in 1821 and became an inde- pendent State in 1839. There have been several small civil wars and conflicts with adjoining States. In 1894 the present constitution was adopted and in 1897 Honduras became a part of the Greater Republic of Central America, which soon dissolved. In July, 1906, there was a short war between Honduras and Salvador on one side, and Guatemala on the other. There was a revolt against the Government in 1910, headed by General Valladeras. In the following year, the former president, Bonilla, instigated a revolt. The United States Government intervened to adjust the difficulties. Disturbed conditions continued throughout the several years following, and in 1913 United States marines were landed to protect American property. In 1916 an arbitration treaty was negotiated between Honduras and the United States. A revolution against the rule of President Bertrand broke out in 1919, largely as a result of the anti- German attitude of the executive. In September, President Bertrand resigned. There was another revolution in Febru- ary, 1920, which resulted from the elec- tion of General Gutierrez to the presi- dency, in October, 1919. This was sup- pressed without difficulty. His govern- ment was recognized by President Wilson in August, 1920. •Cyc— D
