Map of Honduras | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | 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: 15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 112,090 km²
Land: 111,890 km²
Water: 200 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries
Total: 1,520 km
Border countries: (3) 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
Extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

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

Land use
Arable land: 15%
Permanent crops: 3%
Permanent pastures: 14%
Forests and woodland: 54%
Other: 14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 740 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast

Geography


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Population: 5,861,955 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.33% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Honduran(s)
Adjective: Honduran

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

Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 42% (male 1,248,291; female 1,204,574)
15-64 years: 55% (male 1,591,995; female 1,615,449)
65 years and over: 3% (male 96,017; female 105,629) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.33% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 31.79 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 7.02 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.48 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 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 fresh water) as well as several rivers and streams with heavy metals
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 41.88 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.01 years
Male: 63.31 years
Female: 66.8 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.12 children born/woman (1998 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
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 72.7%
Male: 72.6%
Female: 72.7% (1995 est.)

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) plus probable Central District (Tegucigalpa; 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: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); First Vice President William HANDAL; Second Vice President Gladys CABALLERO de Arevalo; Third Vice President Hector Vidal CERRATO Hernandez; note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government: ead of
Government: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); First Vice President William HANDAL; Second Vice President Gladys CABALLERO de Arevalo; Third Vice President Hector Vidal CERRATO Hernandez; note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 30 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)
Election results: Carlos FLORES Facusse elected president; percent of vote_Carlos FLORES Facusse (PLH) 53%, Nora de MELGAR (PNH) 42%, other 5%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (128 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 30 November 1997 (next to be held November 2001)
Election results: percent of vote by party_PLH 50%, PNH 42%, PINU-SD 4%, PDCH 2%, other 2%; seats by party_PLH 70, PNH 55, PINU-SD 3

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica), judges are elected for four-year terms by the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, 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, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Edgardo DUMAS Rodriguez
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 James Francis CREAGAN (29 July 1996)
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: In 1994 the REINA administration inherited an economy in the grips of stagflation due to an unprecedented energy crisis, declining agricultural output, and extravagant public expenditures. In response the REINA administration cut the fiscal deficit and enacted a number of structural reforms including passage of a modern financial sector reform law in 1995 and a central bank reform law in 1996. As a result, Honduras finished 1997 with improved GDP growth and a decreasing rate of inflation. The newly elected FLORES administration faces pressure from the international financial community and the IMF to further decrease the fiscal deficit and implement key reforms, including the privatization of state enterprises such as Hondutel. Tegucigalpa will probably implement tighter fiscal and monetary policies to keep inflation low and meet commitments to the IMF. This may slow GDP growth to 3.5% in 1998. Moreover, wage increases for public-sector employees, agreed to in 1997, will make it difficult for FLORES to make headway on the fiscal deficit and inflation.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.5% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 20%
Industry: 19%
Services: 61% (1997)

Agriculture products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp;

Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1992 est.)

Labor force
Total: 1.3 million (1997 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 62%
By occupation services: 20%
By occupation manufacturing: 9%
By occupation construction: 3%
By occupation other: 6% (1985)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% (1997; underemployed 30% (1997 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $655 million
Expenditures: $850 million, including capital expenditures of $150 million (1997 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

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: total value:$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber
Partners: US 54%, Germany 7%, Belgium 5%, Japan 4%, Spain 3% (1995)

Imports: total value:$1.8 billion (c.i.f. 1996)
Commodoties: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs
Partners: US 43%, Guatemala 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 4%, Mexico 3%, El Salvador 3% (1995)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $4.1 billion (1995)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: lempiras (L) per US$1 (end of period)_13.1332 (January 1998), 13.0942 (1997), 12.8694 (1996), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994), 7.2600 (1993)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 2.8 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 516 kWh (1995)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: inadequate system
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $42.5 million (1997)
Percent of gdp: about 1.5% (1997)

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: 122 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 12
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 110
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 20
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 87 (1997 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 12
2438 to 3047 m: 3
15-24 to 2437 m: 2
914 to 1523 m: 5
Under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 110
2438 to 3047 m: 1
15-24 to 2437 m: 2
914 to 1523 m: 20
Under 914 m: 87 (1997 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 595 km
Narrow gauge: 190 km 1.067-m gauge; 128 km 1.057-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge
Note: in 1993, there was a total of 988 km of track

Roadways

Waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft

Merchant marine
Total: 219 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 545,829 GRT/801,456 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 25, cargo 131, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 2, oil tanker 19, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 5, short-sea passenger 3, vehicle carrier 1
Note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 7 ships, Vietnam 2, Singapore 2, North Korea 1, Brazil 1, Japan 1, Iran 1 (1997 est.)

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; the presidents of El Salvador and Honduras signed in January 1998 an agreement allowing citizens in the 1992 demarcated areas to choose Salvadoran or Honduran citizenship; the two countries also agreed to a final demarcation of the border within one year; the agreement awaits ratification by the legislative assemblies of both countries; 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; maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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