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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

NA telephones; 7 telephones/1,000 persons; inadequate system local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth stations and the Central American microwave radio relay system

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 28 televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, Public Security Forces (FUSEP)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $41 million, about 0.4% of GDP (1994) HONG KONG (dependent territory of the UK)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,275,670; males fit for military service 760,113; males reach military age (18) annually 62,405 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

most important sector, accounting for 28% of GDP, more than 60% of the labor force, and two-thirds of exports; principal products include bananas, coffee, timber, beef, citrus fruit, shrimp; importer of wheat

Budget [time series]

revenues: $527 million expenditures: $668 million, including capital expenditures of $166 million (1993 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $1.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.1 billion

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 290,000 kW production: 2.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 445 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

lempiras (L) per US$1 - 9.1283 (October 1994), 7.2600 (1993), 5.8300 (1992), 5.4000 (1991); 2.0000 (fixed rate until 1991) 5.70 parallel black-market rate (November 1990); the lempira was allowed to float in 1992

Exports [time series]

$850 million (f.o.b., 1993 est) commodities: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber partners: US 53%, Germany 11%, Belgium 8%, UK 5%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$4 billion (1994 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption

Imports [time series]

$990 million (c.i.f. 1994 est) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs partners: US 50%, Mexico 8%, Guatemala 6%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 10% (1992 est.); accounts for 22% of GDP

Industries [time series]

agricultural processing (sugar and coffee), textiles, clothing, wood products

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

30% (1994 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$1,820 (1994 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-1.9% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Agriculture, the most important sector of the economy, accounts for 28% of GDP, employs 62% of the labor force, and produces two-thirds of exports. Productivity remains low. Manufacturing, still in its early stages, employs 9% of the labor force, accounts for 15% of GDP, and generates 20% of exports. The service sectors, including public administration, account for 50% of GDP and employ 20% of the labor force. Many basic problems face the economy, including rapid population growth, high unemployment, inflation, a lack of basic services, a large and inefficient public sector, and the dependence of the export sector mostly on coffee and bananas, which are subject to sharp price fluctuations. A far-reaching reform program, initiated by former President CALLEJAS in 1990 and scaled back by President REINA, is beginning to take hold.

Unemployment rate [time series]

10%; underemployed 30%-40% (1992)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 112,090 sq km land area: 111,890 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee

Climate [time series]

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Coastline [time series]

820 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 freshwater) with heavy metals as well as several rivers and streams natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

land boundary dispute with El Salvador mostly resolved by 11 September 1992 International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision; 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

Irrigated land [time series]

900 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 1,520 km, Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 14% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 30% forest and woodland: 34% other: 20%

Location [time series]

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Tegucigalpa

Constitution [time series]

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez chancery: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702, 2604, 5008, 4596

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994); election last held 28 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997); results - Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (PLH) 53%, Oswaldo RAMOS Soto (PNH) 41%, other 6% cabinet: Cabinet

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[1] (202) 966-9751 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 in the US (FAX) [time series]

[504] 36-9037

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica)

Legal system [time series]

rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras

Legislative branch (National Congress (Congreso Nacional)) [time series]

elections last held on 27 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997); results - PNH 53%, PLH 41%, PDCH 1.0%, PINU-SD 2.5%, other 2.5%; seats - (134 total) PNH 55, PLH 77, PINU-SD 2

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

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); Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH); Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations (CCOP)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Liberal Party (PLH), Rafael PINEDA Ponce, president; National Party of Honduras (PNH), Oswaldo RAMOS Soto, president; National Innovation and Unity Party (PINU), Olban VALLADARES, president; Christian Democratic Party (PDCH), Efrain DIAZ Arrivillaga, president

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador William T. PRYCE embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 36-9320, 38-5114

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (female 1,159,846; male 1,201,927) 15-64 years: 53% (female 1,468,950; male 1,444,959) 65 years and over: 4% (female 95,361; male 88,700) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

34.12 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

43.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.3 million by occupation: agriculture 62%, services 20%, manufacturing 9%, construction 3%, other 6% (1985)

Languages [time series]

Spanish, Indian dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.04 years male: 65.64 years female: 70.55 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 73% male: 76% female: 71%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

5,459,743 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.66% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.55 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 159 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4 with paved runways under 914 m: 118 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 4 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 27

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

465 km navigable by small craft

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 271 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 802,990 GRT/1,210,553 DWT ships by type: bulk 31, cargo 171, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 6, liquefied gas tanker 2, livestock carrier 3, oil tanker 21, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 19, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 14 ships, Vietnam 7, North Korea 4, US 3, Hong Kong 2, South Korea 2, Greece 1

Ports [time series]

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

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 785 km narrow gauge: 508 km 1.067-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge