Why People Might Be Leaving Honduras

Much to the anger of U.S. President Trump, a migrant caravan that originated in Honduras is now making its way through Mexico having amassed an estimated 7,000 people looking to make their way to the United States. While the fate awaiting them at the U.S. border, should they reach it, isn't completely clear, some of the reasons they have left their home country are.

As our chart shows, some of the factors which may have led to this mass migration could be a combination of the steep increase in the population density of the country - 44.3 people per square kilometer in 1990 to 82.8 in 2017 - and the high poverty rate. 64.3 percent are classified as living below national poverty lines according to the World Bank. The murder rate is also very high, with 59 homicides per 100,000 people in 2016. This compares to 5.3 in the United States over the same period.