Hondo River (Belize)
River of Central America
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hondo River or Río Hondo ([ˈri.o ˈondo]) is a river of Central America, 145 kilometres (90 mi) long, which flows in a northeasterly direction into Chetumal Bay on the Caribbean Sea.[1] Most of the border between Mexico and Belize is defined by the Hondo or its tributary, Blue Creek, the latter also known as the Río Azul.[2]
| Hondo River | |
|---|---|
The Rio Hondo, border between Mexico and Belize | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Countries | Belize and Mexico |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Belize |
| Mouth | |
• location | Chetumal Bay |
• coordinates | 18.48791°N 88.31841°W |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 145 km (90 mi) |
Geography
The Hondo River originates in the Petén Department of Guatemala,[3] enters Mexico and forms most of the border with Belize to the south before entering Chetumal Bay.[4] It is the bay's primary inflow, supplying 1.5×109 cubic metres (5.3×1010 cu ft) of freshwater.[5] It has an average width of 50 metres (160 ft) and an average depth of 10 metres (33 ft).[1] The river generally follows the Bravo Escarpment to its north, meandering in a southwestly to northeastly direction.[6] The floodplain usually ranges from 1 to 3 kilometres (0.62 to 1.86 mi) wide.[6] The watershed occupies 15,075.5 square kilometres (5,820.7 sq mi).[4] The Hondo has a number of tributaries, including Blue Creek.[7]
The surrounding vegetation consists of "medium subdeciduous forest, low evergreen forest, low flood forest, savanna, cultivated grasslands, sugar cane cultivation, and riverbank mangrove".[1]
Climate
History
Archaeologists Thomas Guderjan and Samantha Krause determined that "the Rio Hondo was a major transportation route for goods to and from the Caribbean sea" for the pre-Columbian Maya civilization.[8] A "dock and dam complex" has been discovered on the Hondo near Blue Creek.[8][9] What are likely traces of Maya farming systems were found in the upper reaches of the Hondo.[8] Maya rectangular raised fields "occur with great abundance along the Hondo River flood plain."[10] Three major Maya sites, Aventura, Nomul and El Posito, lie on the high ridge between the Hondo and New River rivers.[11]
Following the Spanish defeat in September 1798 in the Battle of St. George's Caye off the coast of what is now Belize, the Spanish and British agreed in a series of treaties to establish the Hondo as the boundary between their lands.[12] Raids and attacks against British mahogany cutters were reported crossing over the Hondo River in 1846 and March 1847, supposedly by Native Americans, but possibly by Mayans.[13] A treaty was signed in 1893 between Britain and Mexico which set the border between the latter and what was then British Honduras; one of the treaty's provisions stipulated Britain's help in suppressing Native American raids in the river's vicinity.[14]
Anthem
The river is mentioned in a stanza of Belize's national anthem, "Land of the Free":[15]
- ...
- Our fathers, the Baymen, valiant and bold
- Drove back the invader; this heritage hold
- From proud Rio Hondo to old Sarstoon,
- Through coral isle, over blue lagoon;
- ...
