Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
became as independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades
of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to
power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan government and
an ally to Salvadoran government forces fighting against leftist
guerrillas.