Page last updated on January 31, 2014
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. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage. Since then, the economy has slowly rebounded.
Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Central America and the Caribbean
total: 112,090 sq km
country comparison to the world: 103
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km
slightly larger than Tennessee
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km
Caribbean Sea 669 km; Gulf of Fonseca 163 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower
arable land: 9.07%
permanent crops: 3.91%
other: 87.02% (2011)
total: 2.12 cu km/yr (16%/23%/61%)
per capita: 295.6 cu m/yr (2006)
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast
noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%
Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%
Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and has the world's highest murder rate. More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. Poverty rates are higher among rural and indigenous people and in the south, west, and along the eastern border than in the north and central areas where most of Honduras' industries and infrastructure are concentrated. The increased productivity needed to break Honduras' persistent high poverty rate depends, in part, on further improvements in educational attainment. Although primary-school enrollment is near 100%, educational quality is poor, the drop-out rate and grade repetition remain high, and teacher and school accountability is low.
8,448,465 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
0-14 years: 35.5% (male 1,530,385/female 1,466,136)
15-24 years: 21.2% (male 913,818/female 878,340)
25-54 years: 34.8% (male 1,482,548/female 1,459,341)
55-64 years: 4.6% (male 178,514/female 208,243)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 145,626/female 185,514) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 65.8 %
youth dependency ratio: 58.4 %
elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 %
potential support ratio: 13.6 (2013)
total: 21.6 years
male: 21.3 years
female: 22 years (2013 est.)
1.79% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
24.16 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
-1.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
urban population: 52% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
TEGUCIGALPA (capital) 1 million (2009)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
21.1
note: median age a first birth among women 25-29 (2011-12)
100 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 72
total: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 96
male: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 70.81 years
country comparison to the world: 148
male: 69.14 years
female: 72.56 years (2013 est.)
2.94 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
9.1% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 40
0.37 physicians/1,000 population (2005)
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)
0.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
39,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
2,500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2013)
18.4% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 106
8.6% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 71
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.1%
male: 85.3%
female: 84.9% (2011 est.)
total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 12 years (2010)
total number: 280,809
percentage: 16 % (2002 est.)
total: 8%
country comparison to the world: 122
male: 5.5%
female: 13.8% (2011)
conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
conventional short form: Honduras
local long form: Republica de Honduras
local short form: Honduras
democratic constitutional republic
name: Tegucigalpa
geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: none scheduled for 2013
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
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
several previous; latest approved 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended many times, last in 2012 (2013)
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
chief of state: President Porfirio LOBO Sosa (since 27 January 2010); Vice President Maria Antonieta GUILLEN de Bogran (since 27 January 2010); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Porfirio LOBO Sosa (since 27 January 2010); Vice President Maria Antonieta GUILLEN de Bogran (since 27 January 2010)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2013)
election results: Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado elected president; percent of vote - Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado 36.8%, Xiomara CASTRO 28.8%, Mauricio VILLEDA 20.3%, Salvador NASRALLA 13.5%; note - HERNANDEZ is expected to take office 27 January 2014
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats; members elected proportionally by department to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNH 71, PL 45, DC 5, UD 4, PINU 3
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (9 principal judges - including the court president - and 7 alternates; court organized into civil, criminal, and labor chambers); note - the court has both judicial and constitutional jurisdiction
judge selection and term of office: court president elected by his peers; judges elected by the National Congress from candidates proposed by the Nominating Board, a diverse 7-member group of judicial officials, other government and non-government officials selected by each of their organizations; judges elected by Congress for renewable, 7-year terms
subordinate courts: courts of appeal; courts of first instance; peace courts
Anti-Corruption Party or PAC [Salvador NASRALLA]
Beverage and Related Industries Syndicate or STIBYS
BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC (suspended), IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (suspended), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO (suspended), WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge Ramon HERNANDEZ-Alcerro (since 9 June 2010)
chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-2604
FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Belmont (MA), Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco
chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa J. KUBISKE (since 26 July 2011)
embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone: [504] 2236-9320, 2238-5114
FAX: [504] 2236-9037
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; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea; the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water and the peace and prosperity of its people
note: 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 words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band
scarlet macaw; white-tailed deer
name: "Himno Nacional de Honduras" (National Anthem of Honduras)
lyrics/music: Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING
note: adopted 1915; the anthem's seven verses chronicle Honduran history; on official occasions, only the chorus and last verse are sung
Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, suffers from extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high underemployment. While historically dependent on the export of bananas and coffee, Honduras has diversified its export base to include apparel and automobile wire harnessing. Nearly half of Honduras's economic activity is directly tied to the US, with exports to the US accounting for 30% of GDP and remittances for another 20%. The US-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) came into force in 2006 and has helped foster foreign direct investment, but physical and political insecurity, as well as crime and perceptions of corruption, may deter potential investors; about 70% of FDI is from US firms. The economy registered modest economic growth of 3.0%-4.0% from 2010 to 2012, insufficient to improve living standards for the nearly 65% of the population in poverty. An 18-month IMF Standby Arrangement expired in March 2012 and was not renewed, due to the country's growing budget deficit and weak current account performance. Public sector workers complained of not receiving their salaries in November and December 2012, and government suppliers are owed at least several hundred million dollars in unpaid contracts. The government announced in January 2013 that loss-making public enterprises will be forced to submit financial rescue plans before receiving their budget allotments for 2013.
$37.64 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$18.25 billion (2012 est.)
3.9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
$4,700 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
16.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
household consumption: 77.8%
government consumption: 16.1%
investment in fixed capital: 24.3%
investment in inventories: 1.6%
exports of goods and services: 50.4%
imports of goods and services: -70.2%
agriculture: 13.9%
industry: 27.7%
services: 58.4% (2012 est.)
bananas, coffee, citrus, corn, African palm; beef; timber; shrimp, tilapia, lobster
sugar, coffee, woven and knit apparel, wood products, cigars
1.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
3.437 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
agriculture: 39.2%
industry: 20.9%
services: 39.8% (2005 est.)
4.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
note: about one-third of the people are underemployed
lowest 10%: 0.4%
highest 10%: 42.4% (2009 est.)
57.7 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 9
revenues: $3.074 billion
expenditures: $4.169 billion (2012 est.)
16.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
-6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
35.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
5.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
6.25% (31 December 2010 est.)
18.45% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
$1.913 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
$9.112 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
$10.43 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
$-1.744 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
$7.931 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
apparel, coffee, shrimp, automobile wire harnesses, cigars, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber
US 34.5%, Germany 11.6%, Belgium 6.8%, El Salvador 6.6%, Guatemala 4.9%, Nicaragua 4.6% (2012)
$11.18 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs
US 44.3%, Guatemala 8.5%, El Salvador 5.7%, Mexico 5.6%, China 4.7%, Costa Rica 4.1% (2012)
$2.533 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
$5.233 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
lempiras (HNL) per US dollar -
6.486 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
4.85 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
22 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
22 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
1.701 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
63.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
30.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
5.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
20 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 144
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
58,150 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
46,370 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 150
7.975 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
610,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 91
7.37 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 93
general assessment: fixed-line connections are increasing but still limited; competition among multiple providers of mobile-cellular services is contributing to a sharp increase in subscribership
domestic: beginning in 2003, private sub-operators allowed to provide fixed-lines in order to expand telephone coverage contributing to a small increase in fixed-line teledensity; mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 504; landing point for both the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the MAYA-1 fiber-optic submarine cable system that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2011)
multiple privately owned terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by multiple cable TV networks; Radio Honduras is the lone government-owned radio network; roughly 300 privately owned radio stations (2007)
30,955 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 107
731,700 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 108
103 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 54
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (2013)
total: 90
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m:
total: 44 km
country comparison to the world: 131
narrow gauge: 44 km 1.067-m gauge
note: (4 km are in use) (2012)
total: 14,742 km
country comparison to the world: 123
paved: 3,367 km
unpaved: 11,375 km (1,543 km summer only)
note: there are another 8,951 km of non-offical roads used by the coffee industry (2012)
465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 85
total: 88
country comparison to the world: 55
by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 39, carrier 2, chemical tanker 5, container 1, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 47 (Bahrain 5, Canada 1, Chile 1, China 2, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Israel 1, Japan 4, Lebanon 2, Montenegro 1, Panama 1, Singapore 11, South Korea 6, Taiwan 1, Thailand 2, UAE 1, UK 1, US 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela
Honduran Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, FFAA): Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2012)
18 years of age for voluntary 2- to 3-year military service; no conscription (2012)
males age 16-49: 2,045,914
females age 16-49: 1,991,418 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 1,525,578
females age 16-49: 1,539,688 (2010 est.)
male: 95,895
female: 92,087 (2010 est.)
1.05% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 277
International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border in 1992 with final settlement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims the Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize in its constitution, but agreed to a joint ecological park around the cays should Guatemala consent to a maritime corridor in the Caribbean under the OAS-sponsored 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum
current situation: Honduras is a source and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Honduran women and girls, and, to a lesser extent, women and girls from neighboring countries, are forced into prostitution in urban and tourist centers; Honduran women and girls are also exploited in sex trafficking in other countries in the region, including Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and the US; Honduran adults and children are subjected to forced labor in Guatemala, Mexico, and the US and domestically in agriculture and domestic service; gangs coerce some young men to transport drugs or be hit men
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Honduras does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government maintains limited law enforcement efforts against child sex trafficking offenders but has held no offenders accountable for the forced labor or forced prostitution of adults; most trafficking offenders are prosecuted under non-trafficking statutes that prescribe lower penalties; government efforts to identify, refer, and assist trafficking victims are inadequate, and most services for victims are provided by NGOs without government funding (2013)
