Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and NicaraguaPopulation: 6,975,204 (estimates explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS)
Total Area: 112,090 sq km - slightly larger than Tennessee
Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains
Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower
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 National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September
Economy - brief overview: Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
Budget: revenues: $1.467 billion expenditures: $1.722 billion, including capital expenditures of $106 million (2004 est.)Labor force: 2.47 million
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45%
Agriculture - products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp
Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA
Oil - exports: NA
Exports: $1.457 billion f.o.b.
Exports - commodities: scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine
Exports - partners: US 54.4%, El Salvador 8.1%, Germany 5.9%, Guatemala 5.4%
Imports: $1.806 billion (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: US 37.5%, Guatemala 6.9%, Mexico 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.3%, El Salvador 4%
Government departments:
Congreso Nacional [National Congress]
Secretaría de Cultura, Artes y Deportes [Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports]
Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores [Ministry of External Relations]
Secretaría de Gobernación y Justicia [Ministry of Interior and Justice]
Secretaría de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente (SERNA) [Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment]
Instituto Nacional de Jubilaciones y Pensiones de los Empleados y Funcionarios del Poder Ejecutivo (INJUPEMP)
Policía Preventiva Dirección de Relaciones Públicas [Directorate of Public Relations]
Consejo Nacional de Desarrollo Sostenible (CONADES) [National Council of Sustainable Development]
Fondo Hondureño de Inversión Social (FHIS)
Fondo Nacional para la Producción y la Vivienda (FONAPROVI)
Banco Central de Honduras [Central Bank of Honduras]
Comisionado Nacional de Derechos Humanos de Honduras (CONADEH) (National Commissioner of Human Rights of Honduras)
Media:
Diario La Prensa
El Heraldo
Honduras News
Honduras This Week Online
La Tribuna
Tiempo
Utila East Wind (Bay Islands, Utila) [In English]
Travel Information: Honduras Travel Information Lonely Planet Destination Guide
Other useful links:
Honduras - Information
News headlines
Press Release: IMF to Extend 100 Percent Debt Relief to Honduras
CAFTA-DR seen as a milestone for international business
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