2000 Edition

Background

Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became as independent nation in 1821. After two and one-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 against leftist guerrillas.

Area

land

111,890 sq km

total

112,090 sq km

water

200 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

Climate

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Coastline

820 km

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; 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

border countries

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

total

1,520 km

Land use

arable land

15%

forests and woodland

54%

other

14% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

3%

permanent pastures

14%

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, hydropower

Terrain

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (male 1,361,259; female 1,303,041) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,665,406; female 1,699,680) 65 years and over: 3% (male 104,469; female 115,743) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

32.65 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

5.31 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

31.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.06 years (2000 est.)

male

67.91 years

total population

69.93 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

72.7% (1995 est.)

male

72.6%

total population

72.7%

Nationality

adjective

Honduran

noun

Honduran(s)

Net migration rate

-2.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

6,249,598

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 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.52% (2000 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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.26 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Capital

Tegucigalpa

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

Data code

HO

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Frank ALMAGUER

embassy

Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa

mailing address

American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa

telephone

238-5114, 326-9320

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Hugo NOE PINO

telephone

(202) 966-7702

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by president

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

election results

Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse elected president; percent of vote - Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (PL) 50%, Nora de MELGAR (PNH) 40%, other 10%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 30 November 1997 (next to be held 30 November 2001)

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

FAX

(202) 966-9751

236-9037

consulate(s)

Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

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

democratic constitutional 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

Judicial branch

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

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 by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PL 46%, PN 38%, PINU-SD 4%, PDC 2%, PUD 2%; seats by party - PL 67, PN 55, PINU-SD 3, PDC 2, PUD 1

elections

last held on 30 November 1997 (next to be held 30 November 2001)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC ; Democratic Unification Party or PUD ; Honduran National Party or PNH ; Liberal Party or PL ; National Innovation and Unity Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban VALLADARES, president]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio LOBO Sega, president]

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; United Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Budget

expenditures

$1.15 billion including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

revenues

$980 million

Currency

1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos

Debt - external

$4.4 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$557.8 million (1999)

Economy - overview

Honduras spent 1999 primarily recovering from Hurricane Mitch, which killed more than 5,000 people and caused about $3 billion in damage. Although it is slated to receive about $2.76 billion in international aid, the economy shrank 3% with widening current account and fiscal deficits in 1999. It nevertheless met most of its macroeconomic targets, and 2000 should see economic recovery as reconstruction projects make progress and the agricultural sector recovers. Honduras may also get relief from its $4.4 billion external debt under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.

Electricity - consumption

2.742 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

16 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

57 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

2.904 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

34.44%

hydro

65.56%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

lempiras (L) per US$1 - 14.5744 (January 2000), 14.5039 (1999), 13.8076 (1998), 13.0942 (1997), 12.8694 (1996), 10.3432 (1995)

Exports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, bananas, shrimp, lobster, meat; zinc, lumber

Exports - partners

US 73%, Japan 4%, Germany 4%, Belgium, Spain (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $14.1 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

20%

industry

25%

services

55% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,050 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-3% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 42.1% (1996)

Imports

$2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 60%, Guatemala 5%, Netherlands Antilles, Japan, Germany, Mexico, El Salvador (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

9% (1992 est.)

Industries

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14% (1999 est.)

Labor force

2.3 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 29%, industry 21%, services 60% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

50% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

12% (1999); underemployed 30% (1997 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

14 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios

2.45 million (1997)

Telephone system

inadequate system

domestic

NA

international

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

Telephones - main lines in use

190,200 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

570,000 (1997)

Airports

119 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

107 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 84 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

3,126 km

total

15,400 km

unpaved

12,274 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

note

a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 6 ships, Vietnam 1, Singapore 3, North Korea 1 (1998 est.)

ships by type

bulk 26, cargo 187, chemical tanker 5, container 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 43, refrigerated cargo 15, roll-on/roll-off 9, short-sea passenger 5, vehicle carrier 2 (1999 est.)

total

306 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 848,150 GRT/980,995 DWT

Ports and harbors

La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela, Puerto Lempira

Railways

narrow gauge

349 km 1.067-m gauge; 246 km 0.914-m gauge (1999)

total

595 km

Waterways

465 km navigable by small craft

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$33 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.6% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,467,615 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 874,053 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

70,636 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

the Honduras-El Salvador Border Protocol ratified by Honduras in May 1999 established a framework for a long-delayed border demarcation, which is currently underway; with respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua in the Caribbean Sea

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

HONG KONG