2007 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 39.9% (male 1,491,170/female 1,429,816) 15-64 years: 56.7% (male 2,076,727/female 2,077,975) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 113,747/female 137,061) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Airports

116 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

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

under 914 m

3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

105 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19

under 914 m

84 (2006)

Area

land

111,890 sq km

total

112,090 sq km

water

200 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

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. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage. Geography Honduras

Birth rate

28.24 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$2.028 billion; including capital expenditures of $106 million (2006 est.)

revenues

$2.002 billion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note - these new dates become effective in 2007

geographic coordinates

14 06 N, 87 13 W

name

Tegucigalpa

time difference

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

Climate

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Coastline

820 km

Constitution

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Honduras

conventional short form

Honduras

local long form

Republica de Honduras

local short form

Honduras

Currency (code)

lempira (HNL)

Currency code

HNL

Current account balance

$-160 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

5.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$5.587 billion (2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Charles A. FORD

embassy

Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa

mailing address

American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa

telephone

[504] 236-9320, 238-5114

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez

telephone

[1] (202) 966-7702

Disputes - international

in 1992, International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, but despite Organization of American States (OAS) intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full demarcation of the border remains stalled; 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 Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize, but agreed to creation of a joint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum, which the OAS is attempting to revive; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex dispute over islands and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea

Distribution of family income - Gini index

55 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$557.8 million (1999)

Economy - overview

Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America and one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country has met most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program in February 2004. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports, notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural disasters and shifts in commodity prices, but in recent years has experienced a rapid rise in exports of light manufacturers. Growth remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest trading partner, and on reduction of the high crime rate, as a means of attracting and maintaining investment.

Electricity - consumption

4.824 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

356 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

4.805 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

50.2%

hydro

49.8%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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

Environment - international agreements

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

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

lempiras per US dollar - 18.9278 (2006), 18.92 (2005), 18.206 (2004), 17.345 (2003), 16.433 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by president

chief of state

President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January 2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27 January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (PL) elected president - 49.8%, Porfirio "Pepe" LOBO Sosa (PN) 46.1%, other 4.1%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

head of government

President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January 2006); First Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27 January 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); Third Vice President (vacant)

Exports

$1.947 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber

Exports - partners

US 73.3%, Guatemala 2.9%, El Salvador 2.9% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 966-9751

[504] 236-9037

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco

honorary consulate(s)

Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Honduras

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 Honduras

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

13.6%

industry

31.4%

services

55% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,000 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.2% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.414 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$22.13 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Geography - note

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

Government type

democratic constitutional republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

63,000 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

42.7% (1998)

lowest 10%

0.6%

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering activity This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$4.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Imports - partners

US 52.6%, Guatemala 6.4%, El Salvador 4.1% (2005)

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

7.7% (2003 est.)

Industries

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Infant mortality rate

female

22.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

29 deaths/1,000 live births

total

25.82 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.7% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.hn

Internet hosts

3,973 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

8 (2000)

Internet users

223,000 (2005) Transportation Honduras

Investment (gross fixed)

23.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

800 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Labor force

2.589 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

34%

industry

23%

services

43% (2003 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

total

1,520 km

Land use

arable land

9.53%

other

87.26% (2005)

permanent crops

3.21%

Languages

Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Legal system

rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats; members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2

elections

last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

Life expectancy at birth

female

70.98 years (2006 est.)

male

67.75 years

total population

69.33 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

76.3% (2003 est.) Government Honduras

male

76.1%

total population

76.2%

Location

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

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

1,515,120 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

1,537,232

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

1,121,649 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

1,100,991

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

78,971 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

82,105

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

19.8 years (2006 est.)

male

19.1 years

total

19.5 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 11, cargo 61, chemical tanker 5, container 1, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned

43 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 4, Greece 3, Hong Kong 2, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Qatar 1, Singapore 11, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, US 1, Vietnam 1) (2006)

total

136 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,984 GRT/557,179 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2006)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$52.8 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.55% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Honduras

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary two-three year military service (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Nationality

adjective

Honduran

noun

Honduran(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

37,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Arturo CORRALES]; Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or PL [Patricia RODAS]; National Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Olban F. VALLADARES]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio LOBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Population

7,326,496

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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

53% (1993 est.)

Population growth rate

2.16% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela Military Honduras

Public debt

67.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios

2.45 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2005)

total

699 km

Religions

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.778 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

2,775 km

total

13,603 km

unpaved

10,828 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

inadequate system

international

country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Telephones - main lines in use

494,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.282 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

570,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Total fertility rate

3.59 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

27.9% (2006 est.)

Waterways

465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2005)