Honduras is a nation in Central America with a multicultural populace. The majority of people are mestizo, or of mixed Native American and European heritage. There is, nevertheless, a sizable Afro-Honduran population. What proportion of Honduras is black, then?
Afro-Honduran or Black people make up about 2.5% of the population of Honduras, according to the 2017 census. This is roughly equivalent to 250,000 individuals. The fact that many Afro-Hondurans may identify as Mestizo due to the nation’s history of marginalizing Black populations means that this number may not be totally accurate.
Honduras has a high proportion of poverty, especially in the countryside. Honduras is categorized by the World Bank as a lower-middle income country, yet poverty and inequality are still major issues. Over 60% of Hondurans live in poverty, with 1 in 5 experiencing extreme poverty, according to the United Nations Development Program. The poverty percentage is significantly greater among Afro-Hondurans, many of whom reside in rural areas with scant access to economic opportunities, healthcare, and education.
Honduras is one of the world’s top producers of coffee, and coffee is the main export of the nation. Over 6 million bags of coffee were exported by Honduras in 2020, bringing in over $1 billion. In Honduras, coffee is grown on more than 120,000 plantations, supporting over 300,000 jobs. Although the economy of the nation is significantly influenced by the coffee business, there are worries about how low coffee prices and climate change may affect small-scale farmers’ ability to make a living.
Another nation in Central America with a reputation for producing quality coffee is El Salvador. Coffee exports brought in more than $200 million in revenue for El Salvador in 2020, making up almost 20% of all agricultural exports from the nation. Despite El Salvador producing more coffee than Honduras, El Salvador’s coffee beans can command a greater price on the international market due to their higher quality.
In conclusion, there is a tiny but considerable Afro-Honduran community in Honduras, and poverty is still a major issue for the entire nation. With hundreds of thousands of jobs, the coffee business is a major contributor to the Honduran economy. However, there are worries about how small-scale farmers’ livelihoods would be impacted by climate change and low coffee prices.
In El Salvador’s numerous mountainous regions, such as Tecapa-Chinameca, Chalatenango, and Apaneca-Ilamatepec, coffee is grown. In El Salvador, coffee is one of the most significant agricultural commodities and is grown on more than 100,000 hectares of land.