Land and People Over 80% of the land is mountainous; ranges
extend from east to west at altitudes of 5,000 to 9,000 ft
(1,520–2,740 m) and limit heavy rainfall to the north. In the
east are the swamps and forests of the Mosquito Coast. Two river
systems, the Patuca and the Ulúa, drain most of the north. The
country's short stretch of southern coast on the Gulf of
Fonseca, with San Lorenzo and the port of Henecán, is the sole
Pacific outlet. Honduras has a tropical, rainy climate. The
people, of whom about 90% are mestizo, are Spanish-speaking
(indigenous dialects are also spoken) and nearly all Roman
Catholic. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed.
Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights
reserved.