Honduras, officially called the Republic of Honduras, is one of the most exotic and diverse places in the world and is home to myriad plants, animals and peoples. With such a wide variety of cultural attractions, unique activities and beautiful wildlife and forests to explore, it's no wonder that thousands of people flock to Honduras' shores every year for a special and memorable vacation. The history of Honduras is full of changes in power, population, languages ​​and politics. Most likely the first civilization to occupy Honduras were the Maya, who were also one of the most intelligent indigenous tribes in history. The Maya also populated areas such as Yucatán, Belize and the northeastern part of Guatemala (1). However, they decided to build their main city and official metropolis in the current city of Copán, Honduras. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The earliest known sign of Mayan presence in the Republic of Honduras can be dated as far back as 5000 BC with the use of carbon dating technology. Archaeologists can use old ceramic, bone, or stone artifacts to determine exactly how old the object is. It is thought that the first Maya arrived in the Copan Valley in Honduras from the highlands of Guatemala (2). They set up camps, hunted game and began to develop culturally. After years of development, perfecting agriculture, and creating a way of life, the Maya were a significant civilization in Mesoamerica. They prospered for many years until the Spanish conquest in the early 16th century. Christopher Columbus set foot on the coast of Honduras in 1502 and incidentally created a firestorm of other Spanish forces, all hoping to conquer and rule Honduras. Throughout the early 1800s, Spanish conquistadors fought against natives, as well as each other, to gain control of the territory. Honduras finally gained independence from Spain in 1821, only to become fully independent in 1840 following the dissolution of the Federal Republic of Central America. Today, Honduras is supported by a conservative government of the National Party, led by Pepe Lobo (Porfirio Lobo Sosa)(3). Along with other countries like Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama, the Republic of Honduras sits right in the middle of Central America. The northern part of Honduras is the coast of the Caribbean Sea, while the southern border borders Nicaragua. The western part of Honduras borders El Salvador and Guatemala. As one of the largest countries in Central America, it covers an area of ​​approximately 43,000 square miles, about the size of Indiana. Most of Honduras' interior consists of mountainous regions that make travel and cultivation difficult. However, a large depression runs from the Caribbean Sea south through Honduras, providing a reasonably easy crossing through the territory. Between many of these mountain groups there are green, habitable valleys. Here, people have sufficient plants, shrubs and woodland to live in these parts, as well as to successfully support livestock, crops and other commercial agricultural activities(4). There is a wide variety of vegetation growing in Honduras, both in the mountainous regions and lowland coastal regions. In the higher areas of the mountains you can find trees such as pines, oaks, scrub and grassy fields or meadows.