Background: Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a 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 leftist guerrillas. Hurricane Mitch devastated the country in 1998, killing about 5,600 people and causing approximately $2 billion in damage. Since then, the economy has slowly rebounded, despite COVID-19 and severe storm-related setbacks in 2020 and 2021.

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

Land boundaries
Total: 1,575 km
Border countries (3): (3) Guatemala 244 km; El Salvador 391 km; Nicaragua 940 km

Coastline: 823 km (Caribbean Sea 669 km; Gulf of Fonseca 163 km)

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

Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation
Highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 684 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 32% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 53.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 14.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 900 km² (2012)

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

Geography
Note: has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

Population
Total: 9,529,188 (2024 est.)
Male: 4,591,247
Female: 4,937,941
Distribution: most residents live in the mountainous western half of the country; Honduras is the only Central American nation with an urban population that is distributed between two large centers, the capital of Tegucigalpa and the city of San Pedro Sula; the Rio Ulua valley in the north is the only densely populated lowland area
Growth rate: 1.29% (2024 est.)

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects
Major-language sample(s): ; La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, none 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 28.7% (male 1,378,026/female 1,353,238)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,980,393/female 3,282,159)
65 years and over: 5.6% (2024 est.) (male 232,828/female 302,544)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 52.2 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 43.6 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 8.5 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 11.7 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 25.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 24.8 years
Female: 26.6 years

Population growth rate: 1.29% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 19.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: most residents live in the mountainous western half of the country; Honduras is the only Central American nation with an urban population that is distributed between two large centers, the capital of Tegucigalpa and the city of San Pedro Sula; the Rio Ulua valley in the north is the only densely populated lowland area

Urbanization
Urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.568 million TEGUCIGALPA (capital), 982,000 San Pedro Sula (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 47 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 69.6 years
Female: 76.8 years

Total fertility rate: 2.33 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 9.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 11.9% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 6.8% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 7.1% (2019 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.1% (2024 est.); 6.1% (2023 est.); 8.8% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Tegucigalpa
Geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W
Time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name is a Nahuatl word meaning 'silver mountain,' probably referring to nearby silver mines
Note: the Honduran constitution states that Tegucigalpa and Comayaguela jointly constitute the capital of Honduras, but virtually all governmental institutions are on the Tegucigalpa side

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

Legal system: civil law system

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)
Head of government: President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term
Most recent election date: 28 November 2021
2021: Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya elected president; percent of vote - Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (LIBRE) 51.1%, Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah (PNH) 36.9%, Yani Benjamin ROSENTHAL Hidalgo (PL) 10%, other 2%
2017: Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado (PNH) 43%, Salvador NASRALLA (Alianza de Oposicion contra la Dictadura) 41.4%, Luis Orlando ZELAYA Medrano (PL) 14.7%, other 0.9%
Expected date of next election: 30 November 2025
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 128 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 11/30/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: Liberty and Refoundation Party (LIBRE) (50); National Party (PN) (44); Liberal Party (PL) (22); Salvador de Honduras Party (PSH) (10); Other (2)
Percentage of women in chamber: 27.3%
Expected date of next election: November 2,029

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of cerulean blue (top), white, and cerulean blue, with five five-pointed cerulean stars arranged in an 'X' pattern and centered in the white band

National anthem
Title: 'Himno Nacional de Honduras' (National Anthem of Honduras)
Lyrics/music: Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING
History: adopted 1915; the anthem's seven verses chronicle Honduran history; on official occasions, only the chorus and last verse are sung

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 3.6% (2024 est.); 3.6% (2023 est.); 4.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3.6% (2024 est.); 3.6% (2023 est.); 4.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 86% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 15.5% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.9% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: -1.4% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 33.5% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -57.6% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 11.2% (2024 est.)
Industry: 26.1% (2024 est.)
Services: 58.4% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: sugar processing, coffee, woven and knit apparel, wood products, cigars

Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 4.296 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 6.1% (2024 est.); 6.1% (2023 est.); 8.8% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.1% (2024 est.); 6.1% (2023 est.); 8.8% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $5.333 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $6.391 billion (2020 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 15.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $9.352 billion (2024 est.); $9.805 billion (2023 est.); $9.51 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: garments, coffee, insulated wire, palm oil, shellfish (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $18.235 billion (2024 est.); $17.926 billion (2023 est.); $18.101 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, cotton yarn, garments, trucks, packaged medicine (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 3.334 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 8.303 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 4 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 214.601 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.617 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 94.4% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 100%
Access electrification - rural areas: 86.8%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 38.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 33.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 10.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 144,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 148,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 20 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 71,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 10.534 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 324,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 10.21 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 16.642 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 444,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 7.92 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 76 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 58% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 476,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 129 (2025)

Heliports: 6 (2025)

Railways
Total: 699 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 164 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge; 115 km 1.057-mm gauge; 420 km 0.914-mm gauge

Merchant marine
Total: 489 (2023)
By type: general cargo 233, oil tanker 82, other 174