A vibrant forest products industry and the desire to clear lands for pasture often produce conflicts over the best policy for forestry developments. A government agency has the responsibility of overseeing the exploitation and conservation of this major renewable resource. As might be expected in such a lush tropical environment, variation in habitats, as well as plant and animal communities, is enormous. People Among themselves Hondurans are known affectionately as catrachos. Generally they live concentrated in the central and western upland valleys and along La Costa Norte.
Population decreases to the south and east.
Almost two thirds of the people live in rural settlements. While many remnants of the native cultures still exist, very few Honduran Indians retain their original languages. The largest component of this community are the Garifuna, or Black Caribs, who live in 44 coastal villages. Very small groups of German and Middle Eastern ancestry are also prominent in the business activities of the north coast. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion of Honduras.