2023 Edition

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. Since then, the economy has slowly rebounded, despite COVID and severe storm-related setbacks in 2020 and 2021.

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

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

Elevation

highest point

Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation

684 m

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

Irrigated land

900 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

1,575 km

Land use

agricultural land

28.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 15.7% (2018 est.)

forest

45.3% (2018 est.)

other

25.9% (2018 est.)

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Laguna de Caratasca - 1,110 sq km

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; 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

Population distribution

most residents live in the mountainous western half of the country; unlike other Central American nations, Honduras is the only one 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

Terrain

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Age structure

0-14 years

27.92% (male 1,352,581/female 1,319,338)

15-64 years

66.18% (male 3,050,008/female 3,283,949)

65 years and over

5.91% (2023 est.) (male 249,241/female 316,235)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

20.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

10% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

9.2%

women married by age 18

34%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

7.1% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

69.4% (2019)

Current health expenditure

9% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.5% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and has one of the world's highest murder rates. More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. Poverty rates are higher among rural and indigenous people and in the south, west, and along the eastern border than in the north and central areas where most of Honduras' industries and infrastructure are concentrated. The increased productivity needed to break Honduras' persistent high poverty rate depends, in part, on further improvements in educational attainment. Although primary-school enrollment is near 100%, educational quality is poor, the drop-out rate and grade repetition remain high, and teacher and school accountability is low. Honduras' population growth rate has slowed since the 1990s and is now 1.2% annually with a birth rate that averages 2.1 children per woman and more among rural, indigenous, and poor women. Honduras' young adult population - ages 15 to 29 - is projected to continue growing rapidly for the next three decades and then stabilize or slowly shrink. Population growth and limited job prospects outside of agriculture will continue to drive emigration. Remittances represent about a fifth of GDP.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.4

potential support ratio

15.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

53.3

youth dependency ratio

46.9

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 90.7% of population

improved: total

total: 96.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 9.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

6.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.17 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

13.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

17.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects

major-language sample(s)

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.5 years

male

68.4 years

total population

71.9 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

88.7% (2019)

male

88.2%

total population

88.5%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

Major urban areas - population

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

Maternal mortality ratio

72 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

26.2 years

male

24.4 years

total

25.3 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.3 years (2011/12 est.)

note

note: data represents median age a first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Honduran

noun

Honduran(s)

Net migration rate

-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.4% (2016)

Physicians density

0.5 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

9,571,352 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

most residents live in the mountainous western half of the country; unlike other Central American nations, Honduras is the only one 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

Population growth rate

1.28% (2023 est.)

Religions

Evangelical/Protestant 48%, Roman Catholic 34%, other 1%, none 17% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 87.9% of population

improved: total

total: 93% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 12.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 7% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.3% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2019)

male

10 years

total

10 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.37 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

60.2% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

24.6%

male

11.4%

total

15.5% (2021 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

etymology

while most sources agree that Tegucigalpa is of Nahuatl derivation, there is no consensus on its original meaning

geographic coordinates

14 06 N, 87 13 W

name

Tegucigalpa; note - article eight of the Honduran constitution states that the twin cities of Tegucigalpa and Comayaguela, jointly, constitute the capital of the Republic of Honduras; however, virtually all governmental institutions are on the Tegucigalpa side, which in practical terms makes Tegucigalpa the capital

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

1 to 3 years

Constitution

amendments

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; amended several times, last in 2021

history

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

Country name

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

local long form

República de Honduras

local short form

Honduras

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Laura F. DOGU (since 12 April 2022)

email address and website

usahonduras@state.govhttps://hn.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa M.D.C.

FAX

[504] 2236-9037

mailing address

3480 Tegucigalpa Place, Washington DC  20521-3480

telephone

[504] 2236-9320,

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Javier Efrain BU SOTO (since 12 December 2022)

consulate(s)

Dallas, McAllen (TX)

consulate(s) general

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

email address and website

https://hondurasembusa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 966-9751

telephone

[1] (202) 966-7702

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by president

chief of state

President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022); Vice Presidents Salvador NASRALLA, Doris GUTIÉRREZ, and Renato FLORENTINO (since 27 January 2022); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; CASTRO is Honduras' first female president

election results

2021: 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%2017: 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%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term; election last held on 28 November 2021 (next to be held on 30 November 2025); note - in 2015, the Constitutional Chamber of the Honduran Supreme Court struck down the constitutional provisions on presidential term limits

head of government

President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022); Vice Presidents Salvador NASRALLA, Doris GUTIÉRREZ, and Renato FLORENTINO (since 27 January 2022)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of cerulean blue (top), white, and cerulean blue, with five cerulean, 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; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea; the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water and the peace and prosperity of its people

note

note: 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 words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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); note - the court has both judicial and constitutional jurisdiction

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

subordinate courts

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

Legal system

civil law system

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats; members directly elected in 18 multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - LIBRE 39.8%, PNH 31.3%, PL 16.4%, PSH 10.9%, DC 0.8%, PAC 0.8%; seats by bloc or party - LIBRE 51, PNH 40, PL 21, PSH 14, DC 1, PAC 1; composition - men 93, women 35, percent of women 27.3%

elections

last held on 28 November 2021 (next to be held on 30 November 2025)

note

note: seats by bloc or party as of 1 May 2022 - LIBRE 50, PNH 44, PL 22, PSH 10, DC 1, PAC 1

National anthem

lyrics/music

Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING

name

"Himno Nacional de Honduras" (National Anthem of Honduras)

note

note: adopted 1915; the anthem's seven verses chronicle Honduran history; on official occasions, only the chorus and last verse are sung

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

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

total World Heritage Sites

2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

National symbol(s)

scarlet macaw, white-tailed deer; national colors: blue, white

Political parties and leaders

Anti-Corruption Party or PAC [Marlene ALVARENGA] Christian Democratic Party or DC [Carlos PORTILLO] Democratic Liberation of Honduras or Liderh [Lempira VIANA]Democratic Unification Party or UD [Alfonso DIAZ Narvaez] The Front or El Frente [Kelin PEREZ]Honduran Patriotic Alliance or AP [Romeo VASQUEZ Velasquez] Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Guillermo VALLE]Liberal Party or PL [Yani Benjamin ROSENTHAL Hidalgo] Liberty and Refoundation Party or LIBRE [Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales]National Party of Honduras or PNH [Juan Nasry ASFURA] New Route or NR [Esdras Amado LOPEZ] Opposition Alliance against the Dictatorship or Alianza de Oposicion contra la Dictadura [Salvador NASRALLA] (electoral coalition)Savior Party of Honduras or PSH [Salvador Alejandro Cesar NASRALLA Salum]Vamos or Let’s Go [Jose COTO]We Are All Honduras (Todos Somos Honduras) or TSH [Marlon Oniel ESCOTO Valerio]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

sugarcane, oil palm fruit, milk, bananas, maize, coffee, melons, oranges, poultry, beans

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

4.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

32.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$6.454 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$6.476 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B1 (2017)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2017)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$661.552 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$676.895 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.222 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$8.722 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$9.137 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

lempiras (HNL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

23.487 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

23.903 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

24.509 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

24.582 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

24.017 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$7.243 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$6.269 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$7.941 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

clothing and apparel, coffee, insulated wiring, palm oil, shrimp, gold, bananas (2021)

Exports - partners

United States 53%, El Salvador 8%, Guatemala 5%, Nicaragua 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

43.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

13.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

77.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-58.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.7% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

14.2% (2017 est.)

industry

28.8% (2017 est.)

services

57% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$25.145 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

48.2 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

38.4% (2014)

lowest 10%

1.2%

Imports

Imports 2019

$11.825 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$9.928 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$14.495 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, clothing and apparel, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, insulated wiring (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 42%, China 10%, Guatemala 8%, El Salvador 8%, Mexico 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

20.05% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

4.37% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

3.47% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.48% (2021 est.)

Labor force

4.314 million (2021 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

39.2%

industry

20.9%

services

39.8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

48.3% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

38.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$55.905 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$50.894 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$57.273 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.65% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-8.96% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

12.53% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$5,600 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$5,000 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$5,600 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018

$4.769 billion (31 December 2018 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$5.744 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$8.138 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.77% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: about one-third of the people are underemployed

Unemployment rate 2019

5.7% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

8.37% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

8.51% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

24.6%

male

11.4%

total

15.5% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

61,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

8.462 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

8.523 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

25,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

25,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

8,140,480,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

540 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports

787 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

3.991 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.16 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

85.6% (2021)

electrification - total population

94.1% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2021)

population without electricity

1 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

8.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

46.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

2.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

24.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

10.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

7.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

19.8 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

66,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

12,870 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

56,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2020 est.)

total

396,916 (2020)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.hn

Internet users

percent of population

48% (2021 est.)

total

4.8 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity of 5 per 100; mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 74 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Honduras is among the poorest countries in Central America and has long been plagued by an unstable political framework which has rendered telecom sector reform difficult; this has created real difficulties for telcos as well as consumers; fixed-line teledensity, at only 4.9%, is significantly lower than the Latin American and Caribbean average; poor fixed-line infrastructure has been exacerbated by low investment and topographical difficulties which have made investment in rural areas unattractive or uneconomical; the internet has been slow to develop; DSL and cable modem technologies are available but are relatively expensive, while higher speed services are largely restricted to the major urban centers; the demand for broadband is steadily increasing and there has been some investment in network upgrades to fiber-based infrastructure   (2022)

international

country code - 504; landing points for both the ARCOS and the MAYA-1 fiber-optic submarine cable systems that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

465,521 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

74 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

7,560,710 (2021 est.)

Airports

103 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

13

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

90

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HR

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 246, oil tanker 82, other 177

total

505 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

450,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

251,149 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

26

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Railways

narrow gauge

164 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

note

115 km 1.057-mm gauge420 km 0.914-mm gauge

total

699 km (2014)

Roadways

note

note: an additional 8,951 km of non-official roads used by the coffee industry

paved

3,367 km (2012)

total

14,742 km (2012)

unpaved

11,375 km (2012) (1,543 km summer only)

Waterways

465 km (2012) (most navigable only by small craft)

Military - note

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 (HNP); the FFAA’s primary focus is internal and border security, and since 2011 a considerable portion of it has been deployed to support the HNP 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 PMOP also has sent personnel to reinforce security operations along the country’s border as part of a tri-national security task force with El Salvador and Guatemala; 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 Basethe Army’s combat forces include 5 infantry brigades, a special operations group, and approximately 8 military police battalions; the Navy is a small force focused on coastal and riverine security that operates an ocean-going patrol vessel acquired in 2019 and supported by flotillas of small coastal and riverine patrol boats, as well as a small naval infantry force; the Air Force has a handful of older US-made jet fighters and light ground attack aircraft (2023)

Military and security forces

Honduran Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, FFAA): Army (Ejercito), Honduran Naval Force (FNH; includes marines), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH), Honduran Military Police of Public Order (Policía Militar del Orden Público or PMOP) (2023)

note

note 1: the Honduran National Police (HNP) 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 note 2: the PMOP supports the HNP 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 note 3: 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

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 16,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,500 Navy, including about 1,000 marines; 2,000 Air Force; 5,000 Military Police of Public Order); approximately 18,000 National Police (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FFAA's inventory is comprised of mostly older imported equipment from Israel, the UK, and the US; in recent years, it has received limited amounts of military equipment from several countries, including Colombia and Israel (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

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 service age and obligation

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 24-36 month service obligation; no conscription (2023)

note

note: as of 2023, women made up about 9% of the active duty military

Disputes - international

Honduras-El Salvador: International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border in 1992 with final settlement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; 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-Belize: Honduras claims the Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize in its constitution; in 2022, Belize instituted proceedings against Honduras concerning sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes 

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the United States and precursor chemicals used to produce illicit drugs; some small-scale coca cultivation  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

247,000 (violence, extortion, threats, forced recruitment by urban gangs between 2004 and 2018) (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

9.81 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

7.72 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

18.93 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

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, 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

Land use

agricultural land

28.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 15.7% (2018 est.)

forest

45.3% (2018 est.)

other

25.9% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s)

Laguna de Caratasca - 1,110 sq km

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.91% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

92.16 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

111 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

60.2% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,162,028 tons (2016 est.)