The Bay Islands (; ) is a group of islands off the Caribbean coast of Honduras. Collectively, the islands form one of the 18 departments of Honduras. The departmental capital is Coxen Hole, on the island of Roatán.

Geography

The Bay Islands consist of eight islands and 53 small cays lying to off the northern coast of Honduras. These islands have been administered as a department of the Republic of Honduras since 1872. Located on the Caribbean Sea, not far east of the entrance to the Gulf of Honduras, they are clearly visible from the mountainous mainland.

Islands

The total surface area of the islands is . In 2013, they had an estimated population of 71,500 people. The islands comprise three separate groups:

  1. Swan Islands are the northernmost island group of the three.
  2. Islas de la Bahía (with the main islands Roatán, Guanaja and Utila, and numerous satellite islands) are to the south.
  3. Cayos Cochinos are the southernmost island group of the three.

Roatán is the largest island, with a length of about and a maximum width of at its widest point. Roatán is characterized by its mountainous backbone, composed of hilltops that run west-to-east across the entire island. These hilltops are often crowned by outcrops of exposed metamorphic rocks such as marble, amphibolite, and serpentine. The island's southern coast has an abundance of deep ports and wide inlets, or 'bights', protected by reefs, while its northern coast is, save for a few narrow passages, largely inaccessible, due to extensive coral reef growth.

The island of Saint Helena has been described as a virtual extension of Roatán,

History

Pre-Columbian era

It is unknown exactly when human presence arrived on the islands, but archaeological studies find an organized presence on the islands long before European colonization. Archaeological sites such as Plan Grande in Guanaja show a level of sophistication and hierarchical organization of these towns throughout the archipelago. The islands served as a bridge between the intermediate area and the Mesoamerican world, since in addition to the presence of Intermediate peoples such as the Pech, evidence of Mayan presence and native Nahua speaking has been found.

European arrival and early history

thumb|Columbus’ fourth voyage 1502–1504

The islands were anciently known as Las Guanajas, from Guanaja, first seen by Christopher Columbus in his fourth and last voyage to the New World, on July 30, 1502. The Admiral named it 'Isle of Pines', and claimed it for Spain. It was from this island that he then encountered the coast of the American continent, on which he landed on the 14th of August following, at the point now called Punta Castilla de Trujillo.

Pech Indians inhabited the islands, and they used boats to trade with Honduras, Yucatán, and (allegedly) Jamaica.

thumb|upright|[[Black Caribs]]

Colony of the Bay Islands

thumb|Historic Bay Islands flag, still used as an unofficial symbol of the Islands. The flag was also used by the Governor of British Honduras.The English seem to have made no other demonstration on the islands during the 18th century. They remained in the undisturbed occupation of Spain.

A small party in the island favourable to British interests, was active in their efforts to secure English protection. "When visited by Capt. Mitchell, E. N., in 1850, he describes them as "electing their own magistrates, by universal suffrage," and "quite ignorant under what government they are placed." A Mr. William Fitzgibbon was chief justice, and acting chief magistrate. Some time in this year, a petition was drawn up by the British party, addressed to the governor of Jamaica, asking him to name magistrates and assume supreme authority in the island.

At present, the black inhabitants of the Bay Islands are not a genetically homogeneous group. Some black caribs with European ancestry and lighter skin refer to themselves as "browns" while referring to those with less European ancestry and darker skin as "colored".

Economy

thumb|Carnival Legend in Roatan

thumb|Divers and a large brain coral, Roatan

The economy of the Bay Islands depends directly on two sectors – tourism and fisheries, representing approximately 50% of gross island product and both closely linked to the archipelago’s environment. All other activities provide services to these sectors, either directly as in the case of transportation or indirectly such as real estate and construction. The dynamic character of these sectors has led to accelerated growth over the last two decades, a phenomenon that has induced population growth rates approaching 8% annually, largely as a result of migration from various parts of Honduras and elsewhere. In 1990, an estimated 15,000 tourists came to the islands; by 1996 it was 60,000. Total tourism receipts are estimated in the neighborhood of US$55 million annually.