Honduras

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.

Land

111,890 sq km

Total

112,090 sq km

Water

200 sq km

slightly larger than Tennessee

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

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

North America

Highest point

Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

684 m

15 00 N, 86 30 W

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

900 sq km (2012)

Border countries

Guatemala 244 km; El Salvador 391 km; Nicaragua 940 km

number of neighbors

3

Total

1,575 km

Agricultural land

32% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.)

arable land

9.1%

Forest

53.3% (2023 est.)

Other

14.8% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

5.36%

No

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Salt water lake(s)

Laguna de Caratasca - 1,110 sq km

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/BbeJK8Sk2VkMHbdF8

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/287670

Central America and the Caribbean

Contiguous zone

24 nm

Continental shelf

natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

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

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

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

Central America

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

UTC-06:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Beer

1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

19.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Men married by age 18

10% (2019)

Women married by age 15

9.2% (2019)

Women married by age 18

34% (2019)

7.1% (2019 est.)

54.4% (2019 est.)

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

112 per 1,000

adult male

175 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

8.5 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio

11.7 (2024 est.)

Total dependency ratio

52.2 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

43.6 (2024 est.)

improved total

65.52%

Improved: rural

rural: 90.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 9.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

23.2% national budget (2018 est.)

5 % of GDP

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and European) 90%, Indigenous 7%, African descent 2%, White 1%

1.13 (2025 est.)

8 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

9.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

14.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.1%

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Female

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

17.5 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

9 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects

Major-language sample(s)

<br>La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

1

Female

76.8 years

Male

69.6 years

Total population

73.1 years (2024 est.)

Female

88.8% (2024 est.)

Male

87.6% (2024 est.)

Total population

88.2% (2024 est.)

1.568 million TEGUCIGALPA (capital), 982,000 San Pedro Sula (2023)

47 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

26.6 years

Male

24.8 years

Total

26.1 years (2025 est.)

20.3 years (2011/12 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age a first birth among women 25-49

Adjective

Honduran

Noun

Honduran(s)

-2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

21.4% (2016)

0.49 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Female

4,937,941

Male

4,591,247

Total

9,529,188 (2024 est.)

1.28% (2025 est.)

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

Improved: rural

rural: 88.1% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 93.2% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 11.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 6.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)

Female

10 years (2019 est.)

Male

9 years (2019 est.)

Total

10 years (2019 est.)

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

At birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

1.6% (2025 est.)

Male

22.2% (2025 est.)

Total

11.9% (2025 est.)

2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

60.2% of total population (2023)

measles

79%

18 departments (<em>departamentos</em>, singular - <em>departamento</em>); 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

Etymology

the name is a Nahuatl word meaning "silver mountain," probably referring to nearby silver mines

Geographic coordinates

14 06 N, 87 13 W

Name

Tegucigalpa

Note

<strong>note:</strong> the Honduran constitution states that Tegucigalpa and Comayaguela jointly constitute the capital of Honduras, but virtually all governmental institutions are on the Tegucigalpa side

Time difference

UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Citizenship by birth

yes

Citizenship by descent only

yes

Dual citizenship recognized

yes

Residency requirement for naturalization

1 to 3 years

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/hn.svg

Amendment process

proposed by the National Congress with at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Congress in its next annual session; constitutional articles, such as the form of government, national sovereignty, the presidential term, and the procedure for amending the constitution, cannot be amended

History

several previous; latest approved 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982

alternative spellings

HN, Republic of Honduras, República de Honduras

Conventional long form

Republic of Honduras

Conventional short form

Honduras

Etymology

the name means "depths" in Spanish and refers to the deep anchorage in the northern Bay of Trujillo

FIFA code

HON

Local long form

Rep&uacute;blica de Honduras

local long form (spa)

República de Honduras

Local short form

Honduras

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires Colleen Anne HOEY (since 23 June 2025)

Email address and website

<br>usahonduras@state.gov<br><br>https://hn.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa M.D.C.

FAX

[504] 2236-9037

Mailing address

3480 Tegucigalpa Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-3480

Telephone

[504] 2236-9320,

Chancery

1220 19th Street NW, Suite #320, Washington, DC 20036

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires Leonardo VALENZUELA NEDA (since 10 June 2025)

Consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Email address and website

<br>info@wadchn.com<br><br>https://hondurasembusa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 966-9751

Telephone

[1] (202) 966-7702

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by president

Chief of state

President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)

Election results

<br><em>2025: </em>Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah elected president; percent of vote - Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah (PNH) 40.3%, Salvador NASRALLA (PL) 39.5%, Rixi Ramona MONCADA Godoy (LIBRE) 19.2%; note - ASFURA will take office 27 January 2026<em><br><br>2021: </em>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%<em><br><br>2017:</em> 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%

Election/appointment process

president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term

Expected date of next election

25 November 2029

Head of government

President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)

Most recent election date

30 November 2025

Note

<strong>note:</strong> the president is both chief of state and head of government

<strong>description:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and white for the land and the people's peace and prosperity

note

<strong>note:</strong> similar to the flag of El Salvador, which has a round emblem surrounded by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a triangle with the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA above and AMERICA CENTRAL below

The flag of Honduras is composed of three equal horizontal bands of turquoise, white and turquoise, with five small five-pointed turquoise stars arranged in a quincuncial pattern at the center of the white band.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/hn.svg

presidential republic

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC (suspended), IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNHRC, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO (suspended), WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (15 principal judges, including the court president, and 6 alternates; court organized into civil, criminal, constitutional, and labor chambers)

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 and other government and non-government officials nominated by each of their organizations; judges elected by Congress for renewable, 7-year terms

Note

<strong>note:</strong> the Supreme Court has both judicial and constitutional jurisdiction

Subordinate courts

courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace

civil law system

Electoral system

proportional representation

Expected date of next election

November 2029

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

Most recent election date

11/30/2025

Number of seats

128 (all directly elected)

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%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

blue, white

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Maya Site of Copan (c); Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (n)

Total World Heritage Sites

2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

scarlet macaw, white-tailed deer

Anti-Corruption Party or PAC<br>Christian Democratic Party or DC<br>Democratic Liberation of Honduras or Liderh<br>Democratic Unification Party or UD<br>The Front or El Frente<br>Honduran Patriotic Alliance or AP<br>Innovation and Unity Party or PINU<br>Liberal Party or PL<br>Liberty and Refoundation Party or LIBRE<br>National Party of Honduras or PNH<br>New Route or NR<br>Opposition Alliance against the Dictatorship or Alianza de Oposicion contra la Dictadura (electoral coalition)<br>Savior Party of Honduras or PSH<br>Vamos or Let’s Go<br>We Are All Honduras (Todos Somos Honduras) or TSH

Monday

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Yes

sugarcane, oil palm fruit, maize, milk, bananas, coffee, cantaloupes/melons, oranges, chicken, beans (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

4.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

31.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$6.391 billion (2020 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$5.333 billion (2020 est.)

code

HNL

name

Honduran lempira (HNL) [L]

$-1,649,482,994

Current account balance 2022

-$2.157 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$1.368 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$1.711 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$14.3 billion

Debt - external 2023

$7.785 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

second-fastest-growing Central American economy; COVID-19 and two hurricanes crippled activity; high poverty and inequality; declining-but-still-high violent crime disruption; systemic corruption; coffee and banana exporter; enormous remittances

Currency

lempiras (HNL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

24.582 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

24.017 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

24.486 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

24.602 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

24.799 (2024 est.)

$12.44 billion

Exports 2022

$9.51 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$9.805 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$9.352 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

garments, coffee, insulated wire, palm oil, shellfish (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

USA 49%, Nicaragua 8%, El Salvador 7%, Guatemala 5%, Mexico 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$1.31 billion

Exports of goods and services

33.5% (2024 est.)

Government consumption

15.5% (2024 est.)

Household consumption

86% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-57.6% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

23.9% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories

-1.4% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

11.2% (2024 est.)

Industry

26.1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

58.4% (2024 est.)

$37.094 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$3,426

48.2 (2019)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023

46.8 (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$34.19 billion

$3,020

22 % of GDP

Highest 10%

33% (2023 est.)

Lowest 10%

1.1% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$21.35 billion

Imports 2022

$18.101 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$17.926 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$18.235 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, cotton yarn, garments, trucks, packaged medicine (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

USA 36%, China 14%, Guatemala 8%, Mexico 6%, El Salvador 6% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

0.8% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

4.61%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.1% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.7% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

4.6% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

4.296 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

4.34 million persons

agriculture

22.42%

industry

21.64%

services

55.94%

64.1% (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2016

38.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

$81.04 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$66.473 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$68.85 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$71.297 billion (2024 est.)

3.55%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

3.6% (2024 est.)

$7,486

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$6,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$6,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$6,600 (2024 est.)

$9.53 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

27% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

26.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

25.7% of GDP (2024 est.)

$8.04 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$8.41 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$7.543 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$8.036 billion (2024 est.)

15.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

4.92%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

8.8% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

6.1% (2024 est.)

Female

15.9% (2024 est.)

Male

7.9% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

10.5% (2024 est.)

Consumption

144,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

148,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

8.303 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

752 kWh

Exports

4 million kWh (2023 est.)

Imports

214.601 million kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

3.334 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

3.617 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - rural areas

86.8%

Electrification - total population

94.4% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

100%

Biomass and waste

10.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

38.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Geothermal

3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

26.98%

Hydroelectricity

33.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

64.62%

Solar

8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

594 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

16.642 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

71,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

20 bbl/day (2023 est.)

45.9%

per 100 inhabitants

4 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2023 est.)

Total

476,000 (2023 est.)

multiple privately owned terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by multiple cable TV networks; Radio Honduras is the state-owned radio network; roughly 300 privately owned radio stations (2019)

.hn

Percent of population

58% (2023 est.)

@@####

+504

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

444,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100

74 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

76 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

7.92 million (2023 est.)

passengers carried

428,443 passengers

registered carrier departures

16,565 departures

129 (2025)

HR

Right

6 (2025)

By type

general cargo 233, oil tanker 82, other 174

Total

489 (2023)

Key ports

Coxen Hole, La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, Puerto de Hencan, Puerto Este, Tela, Trujillo

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

3

Small

1

Total ports

8 (2024)

Very small

7

Narrow gauge

164 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Note

115 km 1.057-mm gauge<br>420 km 0.914-mm gauge

Total

699 km (2014)

HN

armored vehicles

tanks

the Honduran Armed Forces (FFAA) are responsible for maintaining the country’s territory, defending its sovereignty, providing emergency/humanitarian assistance, and supporting the National Police (PNH); the FFAA’s primary focus is internal and border security, and since 2011 a considerable portion of it has been deployed to support the PNH in combating narcotics trafficking and organized crime; military support to domestic security included the creation of the Military Police of Public Order (PMOP) in 2013 to provide security in areas controlled by street gangs to combat crime and make arrests; the FFAA, including the PMOP, cooperates with the militaries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua on border security<br><br>the FFAA has received military equipment, training, humanitarian, and technical assistance from the US military; the US military maintains a joint service task force co-located with the FFAA at Soto Cano Air Base (2025)

Honduran Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, FFAA): Army (Ejercito), Honduran Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Hondurena, FNH; includes marines), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH), Honduran Military Police of Public Order (Policía Militar del Orden Público or PMOP) (2025)

active duty personnel

23,000

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> the National Police of Honduras (Policía Nacional de Honduras, PNH) are under the Secretariat of Security and responsible for internal security; some larger cities have police forces that operate independently of the national police and report to municipal authorities <br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the PMOP supports the PNH against narcotics trafficking and organized crime; it is subordinate to the Secretariat of Defense/FFAA, but conducts operations sanctioned by civilian security officials as well as by military leaders <br><br><strong>note 3:</strong> the National Interinstitutional Security Force is an interagency command that coordinates the overlapping responsibilities of the HNP, PMOP, and other security organizations such as the National Intelligence Directorate and the Public Ministry (public prosecutor), but exercises coordination, command, and control responsibilities only during interagency operations involving those forces

percent of total labor force

0.56 %

approximately 15,000 active Honduran Armed Forces (2025)

the FFAA's inventory is comprised of a mix of older or secondhand and limited amounts of more modern equipment; its main supplier is the US; other suppliers include Colombia, Israel, the Netherlands, and the UK (2025)

2 % of GDP

current USD

$581,271,651

Military Expenditures 2020

1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

5.83 %

percent of GDP

1.58 % of GDP

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 24&ndash;36 month service obligation; no conscription (2026)

PowerIndex score

2.2575

USG identification

<br>major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country<br><br>major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

IDPs

100,637 (2024 est.)

Refugees

341 (2024 est.)

La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

From coal and metallurgical coke

324,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

10.21 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

10.534 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

deforestation from logging and agricultural clearing; land degradation and soil erosion from overdevelopment and improper land use practices; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water) and other rivers and streams

Party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

19.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

11 % of total land area

31 % of total

92.164 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

2 % of internal resources

Agricultural

1.178 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

114 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

315 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

2.162 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

10.3% (2022 est.)