Map of Honduras | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World Honduras became as independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades of mostly military rule a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. During the 1980s Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan government and an ally to Salvadoran government forces fighting against leftist guerrillas.


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Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total area total: 112,090 km²
Land: 111,890 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries: total 1,520 km, Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

Coastline: 820 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation

Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish

Land use
Arable land: 14%
Permanent crops: 2%
Meadows and pastures: 30%
Forest and woodland: 34%
Other: 20%

Irrigated land: 900 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 5,459,743 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.66% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Honduran(s)
Adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Indian and European) 90%, Indian 7%, black 2%, white 1%

Languages: Spanish, Indian dialects

Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (female 1,159,846; male 1,201,927)
15-64 years: 53% (female 1,468,950; male 1,444,959)
65 years and over: 4% (female 95,361; male 88,700) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.66% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 34.12 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.56 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of freshwater) with heavy metals as well as several rivers and streams
Current issues natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
Current issues international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 43.4 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.04 years
Male: 65.64 years
Female: 70.55 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.55 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 73%
Male: 76%
Female: 71%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
Conventional short form: Honduras
Local long form: Republica de Honduras
Local short form: Honduras

Government type: republic

Capital: Tegucigalpa

Administrative divisions: 18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento; Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Dependent areas

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982

Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994); election last held 28 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997); results - Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (PLH) 53%, Oswaldo RAMOS Soto (PNH) 41%, other 6%
Cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Congress Congreso Nacional: elections last held on 27 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997); results - PNH 53%, PLH 41%, PDCH 1.0%, PINU-SD 2.5%, other 2.5%; seats - (134 total) PNH 55, PLH 77, PINU-SD 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez
In the us chancery: 3,007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 966-7,702, 2,604, 5,008, 4,596
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 966-9,751
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
In the us consulates: Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador William T. PRYCE
From the us embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No 3,453, Tegucigalpa
From the us mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34,022, Tegucigalpa
From the us telephone: [504] 36-9,320, 38-5,114
From the us FAX: [504] 36-9,037

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Agriculture, the most important sector of the economy, accounts for 28% of GDP, employs 62% of the labor force, and produces two-thirds of exports. Productivity remains low. Manufacturing, still in its early stages, employs 9% of the labor force, accounts for 15% of GDP, and generates 20% of exports. The service sectors, including public administration, account for 50% of GDP and employ 20% of the labor force. Many basic problems face the economy, including rapid population growth, high unemployment, inflation, a lack of basic services, a large and inefficient public sector, and the dependence of the export sector mostly on coffee and bananas, which are subject to sharp price fluctuations. A far-reaching reform program, initiated by former President CALLEJAS in 1990 and scaled back by President REINA, is beginning to take hold.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -1.9% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,820 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: most important sector, accounting for 28% of GDP, more than 60% of the labor force, and two-thirds of exports; principal products include bananas, coffee, timber, beef, citrus fruit, shrimp; importer of wheat

Industries: agricultural processing (sugar and coffee), textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1992 est.), accounts for 22% of GDP

Labor force: 1.3 million
By occupation agriculture: 62%
By occupation services: 20%
By occupation manufacturing: 9%
By occupation construction: 3%
By occupation other: 6% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 10%; underemployed 30%-40% (1992)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $527 million
Expenditures: $668 million, including capital expenditures of $166 million (1993 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $850 million (f.o.b., 1993 est)
Commodoties: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber
Partners: US 53%, Germany 11%, Belgium 8%, UK 5%

Imports: $990 million (c.i.f. 1994 est)
Commodoties: machinery and transport equipment, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs
Partners: US 50%, Mexico 8%, Guatemala 6%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $4 billion (1994 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: lempiras (L) per US$1 - 9.1283 (October 1994), 7.2600 (1993), 5.8300 (1992), 5.4000 (1991; 2.0000 (fixed rate until 1991) 5.70 parallel black-market rate (November 1990; the lempira was allowed to float in 1992


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Electricity
Capacity: 290,000 kW
Production: 2.3 billion kWh
Production consumption per capita: 445 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: NA telephones; 7 telephones/1000 persons; inadequate system
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations and the Central American microwave radio relay system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $41 million, about 0.4% of GDP (1994)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 159
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 118
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 27

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft

Merchant marine
Total: 271 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 802,990 GRT/1,210,553 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 31, cargo 171, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 2, livestock carrier 3, oil tanker 21, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 19, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1
Note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 14 ships, Vietnam 7, North Korea 4, US 3, Hong Kong 2, South Korea 2, Greece 1

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: land boundary dispute with El Salvador mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, ICJ referred to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption