Gulf of Honduras

gulf, Caribbean Sea

Also known as: Bay of Honduras

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Also called:: Bay of Honduras

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Gulf of Honduras, wide inlet of the Caribbean Sea, indenting the coasts of Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize. It extends from Dangriga (formerly Stann Creek), Belize, southeastward to La Ceiba, Hond., a straight-line distance between the two localities of about 115 miles (185 km). The gulf receives many rivers, including the Ulúa and the Motagua, and it contains the reefs known as the Pelican Cays of Belize to the north and the Bay Islands of Honduras to the east. Its coastal recess, Amatique Bay, holds the cities of Santo Tomás de Castilla and Puerto Barrios, the chief ports of Guatemala. The port of Belize City north of Dangriga is sometimes considered the northern limit of the Gulf of Honduras.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.