1985 Edition

Agriculture

main crops — bananas, coffee, corn, beans, sugarcane, rice, tobacco

Aid

economic commitments — US, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $485 million loans; other Western (non-US) countries, ODA and ODF (1970-82), $333 million; military— assistance from US (FY79-83), $112 million

Airfields

200 total, 182 usable; 7 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,2202,439 m

Branches

constitution provides for elected President, unicamera! legislature (82-member National Congress), and national judicial branch

Armed Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force

Budget

(1983) revenues, $389 million; expenditures, $605 million

Capital

Tegucigalpa

Civil air

9 major transport aircraft

Communists

up to 1,500; Honduranleftist groups — Communist Party of Honduras (PCH), Communist Party of Honduras/ Marxist-Leninist (PCH/ML), Morazanist Front for the Liberation of Honduras (FMLH), People's Revolutionary Union/ Popular Liberation Movement (URP/MPL), Popular Revolutionary Forces-Lorenzo Zelaya (FPR), Socialist Party of Honduras (PASO), and Central American Workers Revolutionary Party (PRTC)

Elections

national election for president and legislature held every four years; next election scheduled for 25 November 1985; legislature chosen by proportional representation; 282 county councils Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party (PLH) — party president, Romualdo Bueso Penalba; faction leaders, Roberto Suazo Cordova (Rodista faction), Jose Azcona del Hoyo (Azconista subfaction), Jorge Bueso Arias (ALIPO faction), Jorge Arturo Reina (MLider faction); National Party (PNH) — party president, Juan Pablo Urrutia (leader of MUC faction); leaders are Ricardo Ziifiiga Augustinus (Officialista faction), Mario Rivera Lopez (Riverista subfaction), and Rafael Leonardo Callejas (MONARCA faction); National Innovation and Unity Party (PINU) — Miguel Andonie Fernandez; Christian Democratic Party (PDCH)— Ef rain Diaz Arivillaga

Electric power

255,000 kW capacity (1984); 1.1 billion kWh produced (1984), 250 kWh per capita

Exports

$675 million (f.o.b., 1983); bananas, coffee, lumber, meat, petroleum products

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Fishing

catch 5,023 metric tons (1982)

GDP

$3.2 billion (1984), $753 per capita; real growth rate average —3.1% (1980-83); real growth rate 2.8% (1984)

Government leader

Dr. Roberto SUAZO Cordova, President (since January 1982)

Highways

8,950 km total; 1,700 km paved, 5,000 km otherwise improved, 2,250 km unimproved earth

Imports

$705 million (f.o.b., 1983); manufactured products, machinery, transportation equipment, chemicals, petroleum

Inland waterways

730 km navigable by small craft

Legal system

rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; new constitution became effective in January 1982; the nine Supreme Court justices are appointed by Congress; legal education at University of Honduras in Tegucigalpa; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Major industries

agricultural processing, textiles, clothing, wood products

Major trade partners

exports — 54% US, 8% CACM, 6% Japan, 5% FRG (1983); imports— 47% US, 11% CACM, 6% Japan, 5% Trinidad and Tobago (1983)

Member of

FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB— Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, OAS, PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPEB, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO Economy

Military manpower

males 15-49, 965,000; 575,000 fit for military service; about 48,000 reach military age (18) annually J> Shan South China Sea StercgionilmipVIII

Monetary conversion rate

2 lempiras=US$l (4 January 1984)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September

Official name

Republic of Honduras

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)

Political subdivisions

18 departments

Ports

1 major (Puerto Cortes), 4 minor

Railroads

1,207 km total; 444 km 1.067meter gauge, 763 km 0.914-meter gauge

Suffrage

universal and compulsory over age

Telecommunications

improved, but still inadequate; connection into Central American microwave net; 33,700 telephones (1.0 per 100 popl.); 129 AM, 32 FM, 7 TV stations; 2 Atlantic Ocean satellite ground stations Hong Kong Defense Forces

Type

republic

Voting strength

(1981 election) 1.2 million out of 1.5 million eligible voters cast ballots; PLH 52%, PNH 41%, PINU 2.4%, PDCH 1.6%, legislative seats— PLH 44, PNH 34, PINU 3, PDCH 1 *