Homer was a poet in ancient Greece.
Many people believe that he created the
classic stories of the Iliad and the Odyssey.
These long poems tell of historic
events and heroic deeds during and after
the TrojanWar in ancient Greece. They
have been translated into many languages.
People all over the world still
read them today.
Very little is known about Homer.
Scholars think that he lived in the 800s
or 700s BC in the region called Ionia
(now in Turkey).
Homer was a poet in the oral tradition.
This means that he traveled from place
to place and recited poems aloud. The
stories of the Iliad and the Odyssey were
probably not written down until centuries
after they were first recited.
Many scholars today also believe that
the stories were written by more than
one person. However, Homer is
traditionally given credit for these
works.
#More to explore
Greece, Ancient • Mythology • Poetry
Homeopathic
remedies are
believed to
help the body
heal itself.
Many artists made sculptures of
Homer long after his death.
However, no one knows for certain
what he looked like.
76 Homer BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Honduras
In 1502 Christopher Columbus became
the first European to see what is now the
Central American country of Honduras.
Columbus named the land Honduras,
meaning “depths,” because of the deep
waters off its coast. The capital of Honduras
is Tegucigalpa.
Geography
Honduras has a long northern coast on
the Caribbean Sea and a short southern
coast on the Pacific Ocean. It borders
Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.
Most of the land is mountainous. In the
northeast is a swampy area called the
Mosquito Coast. Honduras’ weather is
warm year-round.
Plants and Animals
Evergreen forests of mahogany, balsa,
and Spanish cedar trees grow in the
lower mountains. Pines and oaks grow
on the higher slopes. Mangrove and
palm trees grow near the coast. Honduras’
wildlife includes crocodiles, snakes,
peccaries (piglike mammals), pumas,
and toucans.
People
Nearly 90 percent of Hondurans are
mestizos, or people with mixed Spanish
and American Indian roots. There are
smaller groups of Indians, blacks, and
whites. The main language is Spanish.
Roman Catholicism is the main religion.
Most people in Honduras live in the
west.
Economy
The economy of Honduras is based on
manufacturing and farming. Factories
make mainly food products and clothing.
Major crops include bananas and
coffee. Tourism is a growing industry.
History
American Indians, including the Maya,
lived in what is now Honduras when
Spanish colonists arrived in the early
1500s. Honduras gained independence
from Spain in 1821. It was part of a
political union called the United Provinces
of Central America until 1838,
when it became fully independent.
The Honduran military played a strong
role in the country during the 1900s. In
1982 an elected, nonmilitary government
came to power. Since then leaders
have struggled to improve Honduras’
economy.
..More to explore
Central America • Tegucigalpa
Facts About
HONDURAS
Population
(2008 estimate)
7,639,000
Area
43,433 sq mi
(112,492 sq km)
Capital
Tegucigalpa
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Tegucigalpa, San
Pedro Sula, La
Ceiba, El Progreso,
Choluteca
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Honduras 77
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a region on the southeastern
coast of China. It juts out into the
South China Sea. Hong Kong’s deep
harbor makes it valuable for shipping.
Hong Kong covers an area of 425 square
miles (1,102 square kilometers). It is
made up of the main island called Hong
Kong, Lantau Island, the Kowloon Peninsula,
and some 200 small islands.
Hong Kong also includes a region called
the New Territories, to the north of
Kowloon Peninsula. Victoria, on Hong
Kong Island, is the center of business
and government.
Hong Kong has a mixed culture. The
people celebrate holidays of both the
East and theWest, such as the Lunar
(Chinese) New Year and Christmas.
Many people speak English as well as
Chinese.
Hong Kong’s economy is based on
banking, investment, and international
trade. Tourism and fishing are also
important to the economy. In addition,
Hong Kong is a major producer of
motion pictures.
People have been living in the region of
Hong Kong for more than 3,000 years.
In 1821 British merchants began to use
Hong Kong’s harbor. Great Britain and
China fought several wars in the mid-
1800s. Britain won those wars, and it
received control over Hong Kong for 99
years.
In 1984 Britain agreed to return Hong
Kong to China. The Chinese agreed to
make Hong Kong a special administrative
region of China. This means that
Hong Kong does not follow all the policies,
or rules, that the rest of China does.
Control of Hong Kong went back to
China in 1997.
#More to explore
China
Honiara
Honiara is the capital of the Solomon
Islands, a country in the Pacific Ocean.
The town is located on the coast of
Guadalcanal, the country’s largest
Hong Kong is home to many businesses
and banks. It is one of the world’s major
trade and financial centers.
78 Hong Kong BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
island. It sits at the mouth of the
Mataniko River.
Businesses in Honiara prepare and ship
the country’s goods for sale around the
