Deadly storms ravaged fruit crops in Central America’s original banana republic

The term “banana republic” was coined in 1904 by American writer O. Henry to describe the fictional country of Anchuria, a politically chaotic state which relied on exports of a single commodity — in this case, bananas. While Anchuria never existed, it is believed O. Henry took his inspiration for the term from the Central American nation of Honduras, where he lived briefly at the end of the 19th century.

And the theory holds weight. 

After bananas were first introduced to the U.S. in the 1870s, American corporations — such as the United Fruit Company and Standard Fruit Company — saw Central America as an ideal opportunity to expand their production and wealth.

Over the years, countries such as Honduras saw their entire trade infrastructure dominated by these fruit firms, which incessantly bought up land and interfered with domestic politics. In 1911, American banana barons recruited mercenaries and staged a coup d’etat, ousting Honduras’ civil government and...