Honduras

Honduras

Introduction

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.

Geography

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

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total: 112,090 sq km
country comparison to the world: 103 land:111,890 sq km
water:200 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries

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

Coastline

Caribbean Sea 669 km

Gulf of Fonseca 163 km

Maritime claims

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

Climate

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land: 9.53%
permanent crops:3.21%
other:87.26% (2005)

Irrigated land

800 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

95.9 cu km (2000)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.86cu km/yr (8%/12%/80%)
per capita:119cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes

extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements

Geography – note

has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Honduran(s)
adjective:Honduran

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects

Religions

Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Population

8,143,564 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.7% (male 1,528,271/female 1,464,428)
15-64 years:59.5% (male 2,431,607/female 2,412,951)
65 years and over:3.8% (male 136,035/female 170,272) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 21 years
male:20.6 years
female:21.4 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.888% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61

Birth rate

25.14 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61

Death rate

5.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183

Net migration rate

-1.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156

Urbanization

urban population: 52% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:3.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

TEGUCIGALPA (capital) 1 million (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.81 male(s)/female
total population:1.01 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

110 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 64

Infant mortality rate

total: 20.44 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 96 male:23.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female:17.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.61 years
country comparison to the world: 144 male:68.93 years
female:72.37 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.09 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60

Health expenditures

7.3% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 70

Physicians density

0.57 physicians/1,000 population (2000)
country comparison to the world: 120

Hospital bed density

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 157

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 95% of population
rural: 77% of population
total: 86% of population
unimproved:
urban: 5% of population
rural: 23% of population
total: 14% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 80% of population
rural: 62% of population
total: 71% of population
unimproved:
urban: 20% of population
rural: 38% of population
total: 29% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

39,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

HIV/AIDS – deaths

2,500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease:leptospirosis (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

8.6% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 70

Education expenditures

NA

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:80%
male:79.8%
female:80.2% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years
male:11 years
female:12 years (2008)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 7%
country comparison to the world: 117 male:5.2%
female:11.2% (2005)

Government

Country name

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

Government type

democratic constitutional republic

Capital

name: Tegucigalpa
geographic coordinates:14 06 N, 87 13 W
time difference:UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:none scheduled for 2011

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

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982

amended many times

Legal system

civil law system

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state: President Porfirio LOBO Sosa (since 27 January 2010)

Vice President Maria Antonieta Guillen de BOGRAN (since 27 January 2010)

note – the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:President Porfirio LOBO Sosa (since 27 January 2010)

Vice President Maria Antonieta Guillen de BOGRAN (since 27 January 2010)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president elected by popular vote for a four-year term

election last held on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2013)
election results:Porfirio “Pepe” LOBO Sosa elected president

percent of vote – Porfirio “Pepe” LOBO Sosa 56.3%, Elvin SANTOS Lozano 38.1%, other 5.6%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats

members elected proportionally by department to serve four-year terms)
elections:last held on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2013)
election results:percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – PNH 71, PL 45, PDC 5, PUD 4, PINU 3

Judicial branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (15 judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Felicito AVILA Ordonez]

Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Cesar HAM]

Liberal Party or PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]

National Party or PN [Antonio ALVAREZ Arias]

Social Democratic Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Jorge Rafael AGUILAR Paredes]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Beverage and Related Industries Syndicate or STIBYS

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

Popular Bloc or BP

United Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH

United Farm Workers’ Movement of the Aguan (MUCA)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC (suspended), IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (suspended), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG (suspended), SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO (suspended), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jorge Ramon HERNANDEZ Alcerro
chancery:Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:[1] (202) 966-2604
FAX:[1] (202) 966-9751
consulate(s) general:Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco
honorary consulate(s):Jacksonville

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo LLORENS
embassy:Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address:American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone:[504] 236-9320, 238-5114
FAX:[504] 238-4357

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

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: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

National symbol(s)

scarlet macaw

white-tailed deer

National anthem

name: “Himno Nacional de Honduras” (National Anthem of Honduras)
lyrics/music:Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING
note:adopted 1915

the anthem’s seven verses chronicle Honduran history

on official occasions, only the chorus and last verse are sung

Economy

Economy – overview

Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, suffers from extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high underemployment. While historically dependent on the export of bananas and coffee, Honduras has diversified its export base to include apparel and automobile wire harnessing. Nearly half of Honduras’s economic activity is directly tied to the US, with exports to the US accounting for 30% of GDP and remittances for another 20%. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) came into force in 2006 and has helped foster foreign direct investment, but physical and political insecurity, as well as crime and perceptions of corruption, may deter potential investors

about 70% of FDI is from US firms. The economy registered sluggish economic growth in 2010, insufficient to improve living standards for the nearly 60% of the population in poverty. The LOBO administration inherited a difficult fiscal position with off-budget debts accrued in previous administrations and government salaries nearly equivalent to tax collections. His government has displayed a commitment to improving tax collection and cutting expenditures, and attracting foreign investment. This enabled Tegucigalpa to secure an IMF Precautionary Stand-By agreement in October 2010. The IMF agreement has helped renew multilateral and bilateral donor confidence in Honduras following the ZELAYA administration’s economic mismanagement and the 2009 coup.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$33.63 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104 $32.72 billion (2009 est.)
$33.44 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$15.35 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

2.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129 -2.1% (2009 est.)
4.1% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$4,200 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156 $4,200 (2009 est.)
$4,400 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 12.5%
industry:26.5%
services:60.9% (2010 est.)

Labor force

3.394 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 39.2%
industry:20.9%
services:39.8% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46 3.2% (2009 est.)
note:about one-third of the people are underemployed

Population below poverty line

65% (2010)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.6%
highest 10%:43.8% (2007)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

57.7 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 11 53.8 (2003)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73

Budget

revenues: $2.672 billion
expenditures:$3.412 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Public debt

29.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93 25.9% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143 5.5% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6.25% (31 December 2010)
NA% (31 December 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

18.87% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27 19.45% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.917 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120 $1.681 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$8.125 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108 $7.401 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$7.592 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103 $7.338 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Agriculture – products

bananas, coffee, citrus, corn, African palm

beef

timber

shrimp, tilapia, lobster

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

2.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127

Electricity – production

6.58 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104

Electricity – consumption

6.54 billion kWh
country comparison to the world: 103 note:approximately 1.5 billion kWh in transmission and distribution losses (2009 est.)

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182

Oil – consumption

51,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

Oil – exports

5,114 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104

Oil – imports

53,630 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148

Current account balance

-$1.002 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135 -$515.6 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$5.742 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106 $4.825 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

apparel, coffee, shrimp, wire harnesses, cigars, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber

Exports – partners

US 65%, El Salvador 4.4%, Germany 4% (2010)

Imports

$8.55 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95 $7.299 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

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

Imports – partners

US 50.7%, Guatemala 8.2%, Mexico 5.3%, El Salvador 4.8% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.702 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104 $2.111 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$3.748 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124 $3.675 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

lempiras (HNL) per US dollar -
18.9 (2010)
18.9 (2009)
18.983 (2008)
18.9 (2007)
18.895 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

104 (2010)
country comparison to the world:57

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 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 92
1,524 to 2,437 m:2
914 to 1,523 m:16
under 914 m:74 (2010)

Railways

total: 75 km
country comparison to the world: 128 narrow gauge:75 km 1.067-m gauge (2009)

Roadways

total: 14,239 km
country comparison to the world: 122 paved:3,159 km
unpaved:11,080 km (1,420 km summer only) (2009)

Waterways

465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 85

Merchant marine

total: 104
country comparison to the world: 49 by type:bulk carrier 8, cargo 50, carrier 2, chemical tanker 7, container 1, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned:49 (Bahrain 5, Canada 1, China 2, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Hong Kong 1, Israel 1, Japan 4, Lebanon 2, Mexico 1, Montenegro 2, Panama 1, Singapore 12, South Korea 6, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, UK 1, Vietnam 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals

La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Military

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2008)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary 2 to 3 year military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,045,914
females age 16-49:1,991,418 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,525,578
females age 16-49:1,539,688 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 95,895
female:92,087 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

0.6% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

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 (OAS) 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 claims the Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize in its constitution, but agreed to a joint ecological park around the cays should Guatemala consent to a maritime corridor in the Caribbean under the OAS-sponsored 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum

memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua’s 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea – final public hearings are scheduled for 2007

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

some money-laundering activity