1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 112,090 sq km land: 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly larger than Tennessee
Climate
subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Coastline
820 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 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; 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
Geographic coordinates
15 00 N, 86 30 W
Irrigated land
740 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 1,520 km border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km
Land use
arable land: 15% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 14% forests and woodland: 54% other: 14% (1993 est.)
Location
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua
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
Natural hazards
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast
Natural resources
timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish
Terrain
mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
30.98 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
7.14 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%
Infant mortality rate
40.84 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 64.68 years male: 63.16 years female: 66.27 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.7% male: 72.6% female: 72.7% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran
Net migration rate
-1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
5,997,327 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.24% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority
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.)
Total fertility rate
3.97 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Tegucigalpa
Constitution
11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras
Data code
HO
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%
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
Government type
republic
Independence
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
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
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
Legal system
rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Economy
Agriculture--products
bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp
Budget
revenues: $655 million expenditures: $850 million, including capital expenditures of $150 million (1997 est.)
Currency
1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos
Debt--external
$4.1 billion (1995)
Economic aid--recipient
$418.7 million (1995)
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.
Electricity--consumption
2.734 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
4 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
2.73 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 12.09% hydro: 87.91% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
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)
Exports
$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports--commodities
bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber
Exports--partners
US 54%, Germany 7%, Belgium 5%, Japan 4%, Spain 3% (1995)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$14.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 20% industry: 19% services: 61% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,400 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
3% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 42.1% (1996)
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
Imports--partners
US 43%, Guatemala 5%, Japan 5%, Germany 4%, Mexico 3%, El Salvador 3% (1995)
Industrial production growth rate
10% (1992 est.)
Industries
sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
14.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force
1.3 million (1997 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 37%, services 39%, industry 24% (1996)
Population below poverty line
50% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
6.3% (1997); underemployed 30% (1997 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7
Radios
2.115 million (1992 est.)
Telephone system
inadequate system domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Telephones
105,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations
11 (in addition, there are 17 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
400,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
122 (1998 est.) 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: 4 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 111 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 87 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 14,173 km paved: 3,126 km unpaved: 11,047 km (1998 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 247 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 555,534 GRT/730,602 DWT ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 157, chemical tanker 4, container 7, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 25, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 5, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 6 ships, Vietnam 1, Singapore 3, North Korea 1 (1998 est.)
Railways
total: 595 km narrow gauge: 190 km 1.067-m gauge; 128 km 1.057-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge
Waterways
465 km navigable by small craft Ports and harbors: La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$33 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
0.6% (1998)
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.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 69,646 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
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