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Communications

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)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,322,525 males fit for military service: 787,889 males reach military age (18) annually: 64,378 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7

Radios [time series]

2.115 million (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

inadequate system domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

105,000 (1992 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

400,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp;

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: ODA, $NA

Economic overview [time series]

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Agriculture, the most important sector of the economy, employs nearly two-thirds of the labor force and produces two-thirds of exports. Productivity remains low. Manufacturing, still in its early stages, employs about 9% of the labor force, and generates 20% of exports. 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.

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 - 10.3432 (December 1994), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994), 7.2600 (1993), 5.8300 (1992), 5.4000 (1991); the lempira was allowed to float in 1992

Exports [time series]

$843 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber partners: US 53%, Germany 11%, Belgium 8%, UK 5%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$3.7 billion (1994)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $10.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (1995 est.)

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

$1,980 (1995 est.)

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

4% (1995 est.)

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]

$1.1 billion (c.i.f. 1994) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs partners: US 50%, Mexico 8%, Guatemala 6%

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

10% (1992 est.)

Industries [time series]

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

30% (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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

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 - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic coordinates [time series]

15 00 N, 86 30 W

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; maritime boundary dispute with Nicaragua

Irrigated land [time series]

900 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,520 km border countries: 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 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

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

Data code [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) was elected for a four-year term by a simple majority of the people; First Vice President General (Ret.) Walter LOPEZ; Second Vice President Juan DE LA CRUZ Avelar; Third Vice President Guadeloupe JEREZANO; 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)

International organization participation [time series]

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, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica), judges are elected for four-year terms by the National Assembly

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

Country name (Name of country) [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 of government) [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% (male 1,220,188; female 1,177,725) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,496,625; female 1,520,918) 65 years and over: 3% (male 91,126; female 98,611) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

33.38 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.83 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

41.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Spanish, Indian dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.42 years male: 66.01 years female: 70.96 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 72.7% male: 72.6% female: 72.7%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

5,605,193 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.6% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.92 male(s)/female all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.41 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 111 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: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 79 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 21 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 14,203 km paved: 2,533 km unpaved: 11,670 km (1993 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 257 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 769,518 GRT/1,148,423 DWT ships by type: bulk 29, cargo 165, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 7, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 3, oil tanker 19, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 16, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7, short-sea passenger 2, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 8 ships, Vietnam 4, North Korea 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, US 1, Iran 1 (1995 est.)

Ports [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

total: 595 km narrow gauge: 190 km 1.067-m gauge; 128 km 1.057-m gauge; 277 km 0.914-m gauge note: in 1993, there was a total of 988 km of track (1995)

Waterways [time series]

465 km navigable by small craft