Honduras

Republic of HondurasRepublica de Honduras

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Honduras as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 87 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalTegucigalpa

Position15 00 N, 86 30 W

Area112,090 sq km

LocationMiddle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between

Populationas each edition published it

5.61 million July 1996 est. · 5.26m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.6% 1996 est. · 2.8% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

68.42 years 1996 est. · 67.17 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.41 children per woman 1996 est. · 4.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

41.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 62 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,980 1995 est. · $1,090 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4% 1995 est. · 3.6% in 1993

Geography

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

14 fields

Land useshare of 112,090 sq km

arable land 14%permanent crops 2%meadows and pastures 30%forest and woodland 34%other 20%irrigated 900 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

112,090sq km

land area: 111,890 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee

Coastline

820km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

1,520km

border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

Location

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

International disputes

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;
maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua

Climate

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

lowest point:: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources

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

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
natural hazards:: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Tropical Timber 94

People

15 fields

Population

5,605,193

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 2.6% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

33.38Death

5.83Net migration

-1.53

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years68.42

66.01 · 70.96

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy72.7%

72.6% · 72.7%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

mestizo (mixed Indian and European) 90%Indian 7%black 2%white 1%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 43% (male 1,220,188; female 1,177,725)
15-64 years:: 54% (male 1,496,625; female 1,520,918)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 91,126; female 98,611) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.92 male(s)/female
all ages:: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

41.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Honduran(s)
adjective:: Honduran

Government

Republic

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

53%

Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (PLH) 53%Oswaldo RAMOS Soto (PNH) 41%other 6%

Legislature, 134 seatsone dot, one seat

PNH 55PLH 77PINU-SD 2

Name of country

conventional long form:: Republic of Honduras
conventional short form:: Honduras
local long form:: Republica de Honduras
local short form:: Honduras

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

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

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) was elected for a four-year term by a simple majority of the people;
First Vice President General (Ret.) Walter LOPEZ;
Second Vice President Juan DE LA CRUZ Avelar;
Third Vice President Guadeloupe JEREZANO;
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

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), judges are elected for four-year terms by the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders

Liberal Party (PLH), Rafael PINEDA Ponce, president;
National Party of Honduras (PNH), Oswaldo RAMOS Soto, president;
National Innovation and Unity Party (PINU), Olban VALLADARES, president;
Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Efrain DIAZ Arrivillaga, president

Other political or pressure groups

National Association of Honduran Campesinos (ANACH);
Honduran Council of Private Enterprise (COHEP);
Confederation of Honduran Workers (CTH);
National Union of Campesinos (UNC);
General Workers Confederation (CGT);
United Federation of Honduran Workers (FUTH);
Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH);
Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations (CCOP)

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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez
chancery:: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 966-7702, 2604, 5008, 4596

FAX

[1] (202) 966-9751

consulate(s) general:: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s):: Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador William T. PRYCE
embassy:: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address:: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone:: [504] 36-9320, 38-5114

FAX

[504] 36-9037

Flag

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

Economy

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the | Western Hemisphere.

21 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,980

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 10% (1992 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

30%

(1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

10%

underemployed 30%-40% (1992)

GDP composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 30%industry 20%services 50% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$527 millionExpenditures

$668 million (1993 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $166 million

Installed generating capacity, 290,000 kW

Electricity production

2.3 billionElectricity consumption per capita

445 (1993)

Economic overview

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Agriculture, the most important sector of the economy, employs nearly two-thirds of the labor force and produces two-thirds of exports. Productivity remains low. Manufacturing, still in its early stages, employs about 9% of the labor force, and generates 20% of exports.

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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $10.8 billion (1995 est.)

Labor force

1.3 million; by occupation: agriculture 62%, services 20%, manufacturing 9%, construction 3%, other 6% (1985)

Industries

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Agriculture

bananas, coffee, citrus;
beef;
timber;
shrimp;

Illicit drugs

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

Exports

$843 million (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber
partners:: US 53%, Germany 11%, Belgium 8%, UK 5%

Imports

$1.1 billion (c.i.f. 1994)

commodities:: machinery and transport equipment, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs
partners:: US 50%, Mexico 8%, Guatemala 6%

External debt

$3.7 billion (1994)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

lempiras (L) per US$1 - 10.3432 (December 1994), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994), 7.2600 (1993), 5.8300 (1992), 5.4000 (1991);
the lempira was allowed to float in 1992

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 111 in all

2 438 to 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

14,203Railways

595Waterways

465

Highways: paved: 2,533 km · unpaved: 11,670 km (1993 est.) · Railways: 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 (1995)

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 (1995)

Highways

total:: 14,203 km
paved:: 2,533 km
unpaved:: 11,670 km (1993 est.)

Ports

La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira

Merchant marine

total:: 257 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 769,518 GRT/1,148,423 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 29, cargo 165, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 3, oil tanker 19, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 16, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 2, vehicle carrier 1

note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 8 ships, Vietnam 4, North Korea 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, US 1, Iran 1 (1995 est.)

Communications

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Public | Security Forces (FUSEP)

9 fields

Fixed lines

105,000

(1992 est.)

Telephone system

inadequate system

domestic:: NA
international:: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

males age 15-49:: 1,322,525
males fit for military service:: 787,889
males reach military age (18) annually:: 64,378 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $41 million, about 0.4% of GDP (1994)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Honduras.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/honduras/1996.

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