{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "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." } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "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": { "text": "15 00 N, 86 30 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "Central America and the Caribbean" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "112,090 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "111,890 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "200 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly larger than Tennessee" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "1,575 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Guatemala 244 km; El Salvador 391 km; Nicaragua 940 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "823 km (Caribbean Sea 669 km, Gulf of Fonseca 163 km)" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "24 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "continental shelf": { "text": "natural extension of territory or to 200 nm" } }, "Climate": { "text": "subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains" }, "Terrain": { "text": "mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Caribbean Sea 0 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "684 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "28.8% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 15.7% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "45.3% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "25.9% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "900 sq km (2012)" }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "salt water lake(s)": { "text": "Laguna de Caratasca - 1,110 sq km" } }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "9,571,352 (2023 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Honduran(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Honduran" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, African descent 2%, White 1%" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information." } }, "Religions": { "text": "Evangelical/Protestant 48%, Roman Catholic 34%, other 1%, none 17% (2020 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { "text": "

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.

" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "27.92% (male 1,352,581/female 1,319,338)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "66.18% (male 3,050,008/female 3,283,949)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "5.91% (2023 est.) (male 249,241/female 316,235)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "53.3" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "46.9" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "6.4" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "15.5 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "24.4 years" }, "male": { "text": "23.5 years" }, "female": { "text": "25.2 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "1.16% (2023 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "17.64 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "60.2% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "1.568 million TEGUCIGALPA (capital), 982,000 San Pedro Sula (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "0.93 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.79 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "20.3 years (2011/12 est.)", "note": "note: data represents median age a first birth among women 25-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "72 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "14.77 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "16.88 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "12.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "75.43 years" }, "male": { "text": "71.91 years" }, "female": { "text": "79.06 years (2023 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "1.98 children born/woman (2023 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "0.97 (2023 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "69.4% (2019)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 100% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 90.7% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 96.1% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 0% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 9.3% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 3.9% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "9% of GDP (2020)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "0.5 physicians/1,000 population (2020)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "0.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 96.7% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 87.9% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 93% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 3.3% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 12.1% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 7% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Major infectious diseases": { "degree of risk": { "text": "high (2023)" }, "food or waterborne diseases": { "text": "bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever" }, "vectorborne diseases": { "text": "dengue fever" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "21.4% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "7.1% (2011/12)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "53.5% (2023 est.)" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "6.4% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "88.5%" }, "male": { "text": "88.2%" }, "female": { "text": "88.7% (2019)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "10 years" }, "male": { "text": "10 years" }, "female": { "text": "11 years (2019)" } }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "15.5%" }, "male": { "text": "11.4%" }, "female": { "text": "24.6% (2021 est.)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Climate": { "text": "subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "28.8% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 15.7% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "45.3% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "25.9% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "60.2% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "0.91% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "20.12 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "9.81 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "7.72 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "2,162,028 tons (2016 est.)" } }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "salt water lake(s)": { "text": "Laguna de Caratasca - 1,110 sq km" } }, "Total water withdrawal": { "municipal": { "text": "320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "industrial": { "text": "111 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "agricultural": { "text": "1.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Total renewable water resources": { "text": "92.16 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Republic of Honduras" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Honduras" }, "local long form": { "text": "República de Honduras" }, "local short form": { "text": "Honduras" }, "etymology": { "text": "the name means \"depths\" in Spanish and refers to the deep anchorage in the northern Bay of Trujillo" } }, "Government type": { "text": "presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "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" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "14 06 N, 87 13 W" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)" }, "etymology": { "text": "while most sources agree that Tegucigalpa is of Nahuatl derivation, there is no consensus on its original meaning" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "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": { "text": "15 September 1821 (from Spain)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Independence Day, 15 September (1821)" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "several previous; latest approved 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982" }, "amendments": { "text": "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" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "civil law system" }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "yes" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "yes" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "yes" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "1 to 3 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal and compulsory" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "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" }, "head of government": { "text": "President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022); Vice Presidents Salvador NASRALLA, Doris GUTIÉRREZ, and Renato FLORENTINO (since 27 January 2022)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by president" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term; election last held on 28 November 2021 (next to be held in 30 November 2025); note - in 2015, the Constitutional Chamber of the Honduran Supreme Court struck down the constitutional provisions on presidential term limits" }, "election results": { "text": "
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%" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "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)" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 28 November 2021 (next to be held on 30 November 2025)" }, "election results": { "text": "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%" }, "note": "
note: seats by bloc or party as of 1 May 2022 - LIBRE 50, PNH 44, PL 22, PSH 10, DC 1, PAC 1" }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace" } }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "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]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "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" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Javier Efrain BU SOTO (since 12 December 2022)" }, "chancery": { "text": "1220 19th Street NW, Suite #320, Washington, DC 20036" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 966-7702" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 966-9751" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
https://hondurasembusa.org/" }, "consulate(s) general": { "text": "Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco" }, "consulate(s)": { "text": "Dallas, McAllen (TX)" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Laura F. DOGU (since 12 April 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa M.D.C." }, "mailing address": { "text": "3480 Tegucigalpa Place, Washington DC  20521-3480" }, "telephone": { "text": "[504] 2236-9320," }, "FAX": { "text": "[504] 2236-9037" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
usahonduras@state.gov

https://hn.usembassy.gov/" } }, "Flag description": { "text": "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" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "scarlet macaw, white-tailed deer; national colors: blue, white" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Himno Nacional de Honduras\" (National Anthem of Honduras)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING" }, "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": { "total World Heritage Sites": { "text": "2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)" }, "selected World Heritage Site locales": { "text": "Maya Site of Copan (c); Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (n)" } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "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" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$57.273 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { "text": "$50.894 billion (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$55.905 billion (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "12.53% (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2020": { "text": "-8.96% (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2019": { "text": "2.65% (2019 est.)" } }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$5,600 (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2020": { "text": "$5,000 (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$5,600 (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$25.145 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": { "text": "4.48% (2021 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": { "text": "3.47% (2020 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "4.37% (2019 est.)" } }, "Credit ratings": { "Moody's rating": { "text": "B1 (2017)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "BB- (2017)" }, "note": "note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained." }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "14.2% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "28.8% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "57% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "77.7% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "13.8% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "23.1% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "0.7% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "43.6% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-58.9% (2017 est.)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "sugarcane, oil palm fruit, milk, bananas, maize, coffee, melons, oranges, poultry, beans" }, "Industries": { "text": "sugar processing, coffee, woven and knit apparel, wood products, cigars" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "20.05% (2021 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "4.314 million (2021 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "39.2%" }, "industry": { "text": "20.9%" }, "services": { "text": "39.8% (2005 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "8.51% (2021 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2020": { "text": "8.37% (2020 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2019": { "text": "5.7% (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: about one-third of the people are underemployed" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "15.5%" }, "male": { "text": "11.4%" }, "female": { "text": "24.6% (2021 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "48.3% (2018 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019": { "text": "48.2 (2019 est.)" } }, "Average household expenditures": { "on food": { "text": "32.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)" }, "on alcohol and tobacco": { "text": "4.7% of household expenditures (2018 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "1.2%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "38.4% (2014)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$6.476 billion (2019 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$6.454 billion (2019 est.)" } }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "38.5% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "14.77% (of GDP) (2020 est.)" }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$1.222 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2020": { "text": "$676.895 million (2020 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2019": { "text": "-$661.552 million (2019 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2021": { "text": "$7.941 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2020": { "text": "$6.269 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2019": { "text": "$7.243 billion (2019 est.)" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "United States 53%, El Salvador 8%, Guatemala 5%, Nicaragua 5% (2019)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "clothing and apparel, coffee, insulated wiring, palm oil, shrimp, gold, bananas (2021)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2021": { "text": "$14.495 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2020": { "text": "$9.928 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2019": { "text": "$11.825 billion (2019 est.)" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "United States 42%, China 10%, Guatemala 8%, El Salvador 8%, Mexico 6% (2019)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, clothing and apparel, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, insulated wiring (2019)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020": { "text": "$8.138 billion (31 December 2020 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019": { "text": "$5.744 billion (31 December 2019 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018": { "text": "$4.769 billion (31 December 2018 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2019": { "text": "$9.137 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Debt - external 2018": { "text": "$8.722 billion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "lempiras (HNL) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "24.017 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "24.582 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "24.509 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "23.903 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "23.487 (2017 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "population without electricity": { "text": "(2020) 1 million" }, "electrification - total population": { "text": "94.1% (2021)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "100% (2021)" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "85.6% (2021)" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "3.991 million kW (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "8,140,480,000 kWh (2019 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "540 million kWh (2019 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "787 million kWh (2019 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "3.16 billion kWh (2019 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "46.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "nuclear": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "10.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "7.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "24.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "tide and wave": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "geothermal": { "text": "2.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "8.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "production": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "25,000 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "25,000 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 metric tons (2019 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2021 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "66,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "0 barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "12,870 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "56,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "8.523 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "61,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "8.462 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": { "text": "19.8 million Btu/person (2019 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "465,521 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "5 (2021 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "7,560,710 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "74 (2021 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "

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)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity of 5 per 100; mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 74 per 100 persons (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "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)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "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": { "text": ".hn" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "4.8 million (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "48% (2021 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "396,916 (2020)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "4 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "4 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "26" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "251,149 (2018)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "450,000 (2018) mt-km" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "HR" }, "Airports": { "text": "103 (2021)" }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "text": "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": { "text": "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" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "699 km (2014)" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "164 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge" }, "note": "115 km 1.057-mm gauge
420 km 0.914-mm gauge" }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "14,742 km (2012)" }, "paved": { "text": "3,367 km (2012)" }, "unpaved": { "text": "11,375 km (2012) (1,543 km summer only)" }, "note": "note: an additional 8,951 km of non-official roads used by the coffee industry" }, "Waterways": { "text": "465 km (2012) (most navigable only by small craft)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "505" }, "by type": { "text": "general cargo 246, oil tanker 82, other 177 (2022)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "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 expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2022": { "text": "1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "1.6% of GDP (2019 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "1.6% of GDP (2018 est.)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "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 (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "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 service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary 2- to 3-year military service (men and women); no conscription (2022)", "note": "note: as of 2017, women made up over 4% of the active duty military" }, "Military - note": { "text": "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 Base

the 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)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "

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, 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

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { "text": "247,000 (violence, extortion, threats, forced recruitment by urban gangs between 2004 and 2018) (2023)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

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

 

" } } }