Can Free Zones in the Middle of the Jungle Save the Developing World? WATCH: How To Grow a City in Honduras

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Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. It has the highest murder rate in the world, almost double the next closest contender. It's a place ravaged by the illegal drug trade and political instability. As recently as 2009 the military ousted a president pushing to modify the constitution in order to extend his own term. It may seem like the last place on earth where businesses would want to invest, or where people would want to move. 

But there's a new idea about to be tried in Honduras.

Some call it a Startup City or Free City, others a LEAP Zone, and in Honduran law it's known as a ZEDE. They are politically autonomous, privately run zones that supporters believe could transform not only Honduras, but the entire developing world.

Check out Reason TV and Moving Picture Institute's four-part video series on this project to see what's happening on the ground, what the major obstacles might prove to be, and what entrepreneurs with money on the line have in mind for the future.

Watch the entire series above, or click the link below for the full text and links associated with each video. Produced by Zach Weissmueller and Ross Kenyon. Edited by Weissmueller. Music by Chris Zabriskie and Podington Bear.