Honduras

Republic of HondurasRepublica de Honduras

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Honduras as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 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
1999

Every edition of Honduras

Populationas each edition published it
6 million July 1999 est. · 5.26m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.24% 1999 est. · 2.8% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
64.68 years 1999 est. · 67.17 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.97 children per woman 1999 est. · 4.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
40.84 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 62 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,400 1998 est. · $1,090 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3% 1998 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

17 fields

Land useshare of 112,090 sq km

arable land 15%permanent crops 3%permanent pastures 14%forests and woodland 54%other 14% (1993 est.)irrigated 740 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
112,090sq km
land: 111,890 sq kmwater: 200 sq kmslightly 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
Highest point
2,870m
Cerro Las Minaslowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
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

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Climate

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Natural resources

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

Natural hazards

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

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;
  • severe Hurricane Mitch damage

Environment--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
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

People

15 fields
Population
5,997,327
(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.24% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth
30.98Death
7.14Net migration
-1.46

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)64.68
63.16 · 66.27
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)72.7%
72.6% · 72.7%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years:
41% (male 1,262,190; female 1,217,752)
15-64 years:
55% (male 1,643,550; female 1,665,666)
65 years and over:
4% (male 98,715; female 109,454) (1999 est.)

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:
0.9 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

40.84 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.97 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Honduran(s)
adjective:
Honduran

Religions

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Languages

Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Government

Republic; President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

53%
-Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (PLH) 53%Nora de MELGAR (PNH) 42%other 5%election last held 30 November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)

Legislature, 128 seats, elected 30 November 1997one dot, one seat

-PLH 70PNH 55PINU-SD 3

Percent of vote

-PLH 50%PNH 42%PINU-SD 4%PDCH 2%other 2%

Country name

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

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

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27 January 1998); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by president
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 Roberto FLORES Facusse elected president; percent of vote--Carlos Roberto 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

Liberal Party or PLH [Raphael MELGAR, president]; National Innovation and Unity Party-Social

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH;
  • Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP;
  • Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH;
  • National Union of Campesinos or UNC;
  • General Workers Confederation or CGT;
  • United Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH;
  • Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;
  • Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations or 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, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)
chancery:
3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador James Francis CREAGAN
embassy:
Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address:
American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa

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

Economy

Prior to Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998, | Honduras had been pursuing a moderate economic reform program and | had posted strong annual growth numbers.

31 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,400
purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)
Real growth rate
3%
(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 10% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
6.3%
(1997); underemployed 30% (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 20%industry 19%services 61% (1997)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

54%
US
43%
7%
Germany
4%
5%
Belgium
4%
Japan
5%
Guatemala
5%
3%
Spain
Mexico
3%
El Salvador
3%
Exports $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)Imports $1.8 billion (c.i.f. 1996)(1995)

Budget

Revenues
$655 millionExpenditures
$850 million (1997 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $150 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 12.09%hydro 87.91%nuclear 0% · other 0%
Electricity production
2.73 billion (1996)Electricity consumption
2.734 billion (1996)Electricity imports
4 million (1996)

Economy--overview

Prior to Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998, Honduras had been pursuing a moderate economic reform program and had posted strong annual growth numbers. The storm has dramatically changed economic forecasts for Honduras, one of the poorest countries in Central America and the hardest hit by Mitch.

Honduras sustained approximately $3 billion in damages and will probably see GDP shrink by 2% in 1999 and unemployment rise. Hardest hit was the all-important agricultural sector, which is responsible for the majority of exports. As a result, the trade deficit is likely to balloon in 1999 to $445 million.

However, significant aid has helped to stabilize the country. In addition, the Paris Club and bilateral creditors have offered substantial debt relief, and Tegucigalpa is currently under consideration for inclusion in the IMF-World Bank Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC). Additional financing will be needed to restore the economy to its pre-Mitch level.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$14.4 billion (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
1.2%
highest 10%:
42.1% (1996)

Labor force

1.3 million (1997 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 37%, services 39%, industry 24% (1996)

Industries

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities

bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber

Imports

$1.8 billion (c.i.f. 1996)

Imports--commodities

machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs

Debt--external

$4.1 billion (1995)

Economic aid--recipient

$418.7 million (1995)

Currency

1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

lempiras (L) per US$1 (end of period)--13.8076 (December 1998), 13.8076 (1998), 13.0942 (1997), 12.8694 (1996), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7

Radios

2.115 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

11 (in addition, there are 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

400,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 247 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 555,534 GRT/730,602 DWT

bulk 21cargo 157chemical tanker 4container 7livestock carrier 1oil tanker 25passenger 1passenger-cargo 4refrigerated cargo 15roll-on/roll-off cargo 6short-sea passenger 5vehicle carrier 1note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 6 ships, Vietnam 1, Singapore 3, North Korea 1 (1998 est.)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
2
total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
87
total: 111 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 21

Networkskm

Highways
14,173Railways
595Waterways
465
Highways: paved: 3,126 km · unpaved: 11,047 km (1998 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 190 km 1.067-m gauge; 128 km 1.057-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge

Railways

total:
595 km
narrow gauge:
  • 190 km 1.067-m gauge;
  • 128 km 1.057-m gauge;
  • 277 km 0.914-m gauge

Highways

total:
14,173 km
paved:
3,126 km
unpaved:
11,047 km (1998 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Airports

122 (1998 est.)

Military

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military manpower--availability

males age 15-49: 1,455,053 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service

males age 15-49: 866,492 (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes--international

  • demarcation of boundary with El Salvador defined by 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision has not been completed;
  • small boundary section left unresolved by ICJ decision not yet reported to have been settled;
  • 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

Illicit drugs

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Honduras.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/honduras/1999.

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