Honduras

Radio broadcast stations

AM 176, FM 0, shortwave 7

Radios

2.115 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

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

Telephones

105,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

28

Televisions

400,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $655 million expenditures: $850 million, including capital expenditures of $150 million (1997 est.)

Currency

1 lempira (L) = 100 centavos

Debt - external

$4.6 billion (1995)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Agriculture employs nearly two-thirds of the labor force and produces two-thirds of exports. Productivity remains low. Manufacturing, mining, and construction account for 30 % of GDP and generate 20% of exports. Basic problems include rapid population growth, high underemployment, 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.

Electricity - capacity

605,900 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

361 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

2.742 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

lempiras (L) per US$1 (end of period) - 13.0330 (January 1997), 12.8694 (1996), 10.3432 (1995), 9.4001 (1994), 7.2600 (1993), 5.8300 (1992)

Exports

total value: $2.401 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: bananas, coffee, shrimp, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber partners : US 65%, Germany 7%, Japan 7%, Spain 3%, Belgium 2%

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $11.5 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture : 28% industry: 30% services: 42% (1995)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $3.133 billion (c.i.f. 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, manufactured goods, fuel and oil, foodstuffs partners : US 50%, Guatemala 5%, Japan 5%, Mexico 3%, El Salvador 3%

Industrial production growth rate

10% (1992 est.)

Industries

sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Inflation rate - consumer price index

25.4% (1996)

Labor force

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

Unemployment rate

15%; underemployed about 40% (1996 est.)

Area

total: 112,090 sq km land : 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

Climate

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Coastline

820 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 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 freshwater) with heavy metals as well as several rivers and streams

Environment - international agreements

party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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: Desertification

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Irrigated land

740 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land : 15% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 14% forests and woodland: 54% other: 14% (1993 est.)

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

Terrain

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Administrative divisions

18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) plus probable Central District (Tegucigalpa); 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

Constitution

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982

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 James Francis CREAGAN (29 July 1996) embassy : Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 36-9320, 38-5114

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

chief of state: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994); First Vice President General (Ret.) Walter LOPEZ; Second Vice President Juan DE LA CRUZ Avelar; Third Vice President Guadeloupe JEREZANO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994) First Vice President General (Ret.) Walter LOPEZ; Second Vice President Juan DE LA CRUZ Avelar; Third Vice President Guadeloupe JEREZANO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 28 November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1997) election results: Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez elected president; percent of vote - Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (PLH) 53%, Oswaldo RAMOS Soto (PNH) 41%, other 6%

FAX

[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

FAX

[504] 36-9037

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

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, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (128 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : last held on 27 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997) election results: percent of vote by party - PNH 53%, PLH 41%, PDCH 1.0%, PINU-SD 2.5%, other 2.5%; seats by party - PLH 71, PNH 55, PINU-SD 2

National capital

Tegucigalpa

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Political parties and leaders

Liberal Party (PLH), Carlos FLORES Facusse, 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

Political pressure groups and leaders

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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$42.5 million (1997)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

about 1.5% (1997)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,370,116 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 816,054 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males : 66,304 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years : 42% (male 1,237,549; female 1,194,598) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,549,400; female 1,574,075) 65 years and over: 4% (male 93,695; female 102,067) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

32.63 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

5.66 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

40.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 68.81 years male: 66.38 years female: 71.37 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran

Net migration rate

-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

5,751,384 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.55% (1997 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: 0.92 male(s)/female total population : 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.26 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption HONG KONG (dependent territory of the UK)

Airports

107 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 88 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m : 5 under 914 m: 78 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 19 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 15,100 km paved: 3,050 km unpaved: 12,050 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 251 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 714,755 GRT/1,066,043 DWT ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 153, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 3, oil tanker 21, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 22, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; Russia owns 8 ships, Vietnam 3, North Korea 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Singapore 1, Iran 1 (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Railways

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

465 km navigable by small craft