Geography
Area: 112,090 sq. km. (43,278 sq. mi.); about the size of Louisiana.
Cities: Capital--Tegucigalpa (1,150,000); San Pedro Sula
(800,000-900,000).
Terrain: Mountainous.
Climate: Tropical to subtropical, depending on elevation.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Honduran(s).
Population (2004 est.): 6.8 million.
Growth rate (2004 est.): 2.24%.
Ethnic groups: 90% mestizo (mixed Indian and European); others of
European, Arab, African, or Asian ancestry; and indigenous Indians.
Christian singles note-Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant minority.
Language: Spanish.
Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--88% overall,
31% at junior high level. Literacy--76.2%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--29.64/1,000. Life expectancy--66.2
yrs.
Work force: Services--42.2%; natural resources/agriculture--35.9%;
manufacturing--16.3%; construction/housing--5.6%.
Government
Type: Democratic constitutional republic.
Independence: September 15, 1821.
Constitution: 1982; amended 1999.
Branches: Executive--president, directly elected to 4-year
term. Legislative--unicameral National Congress, elected for
4-year term. Judicial--Supreme Court of Justice (appointed by
Congress and confirmed by the president); several lower courts.
Political parties: National Party, Liberal Party, Innovation and
National Unity Party, Christian Democratic Party, and the Democratic
Unification Party.
Suffrage: Universal and compulsory at age 18.
Administrative subdivisions: 18 departments.
Economy (2003)
GDP: $17.46 billion.
Growth rate: 2.5%.
Per capita GDP: $2,600.
Natural resources: Arable land, forests, minerals, and fisheries.
Agriculture (11% of GDP): Products--coffee, bananas, shrimp and
lobster, sugar, fruits, basic grains, and livestock.
Manufacturing (18% of GDP): Types--textiles and apparel,
cement, wood products, cigars, and foodstuffs.
Trade: Exports--$1.37 billion: apparel, coffee, shrimp,
bananas, palm oil, gold, zinc/lead concentrates, soap/detergents,
melons, lobster, pineapple, lumber, sugar, and tobacco. Major
market--U.S. (69%). Imports--$3.11 billion: fabrics, yarn,
machinery, chemicals, petroleum, vehicles, processed foods, metals,
agricultural products, plastic articles, and paper articles. Major
source--U.S. (53%).
PEOPLE
Christian singles note-About 90% of the population is mestizo. There
also are small minorities of European, African, Asian, Arab, and
indigenous Indian descent. Most Hondurans are Roman Catholic, but
Protestant churches are growing in number. While Spanish is the
predominant language, some English is spoken along the northern coast
and is prevalent on the Caribbean Bay Islands. Several indigenous
Indian languages and Garífuna (a mixture of Afro-indigenous
languages) are also spoken. The restored Mayan ruins near the
Guatemalan border in Copan reflect the great Mayan culture that
flourished there for hundreds of years until the early 9th century.
Columbus landed at mainland Honduras (Trujillo) in 1502. He named the
area "Honduras" (meaning "depths") for the deep
water off the coast. Spaniard Hernan Cortes arrived in 1524. The
Spanish founded several settlements along the coast, and Honduras
formed part of the colonial era Captaincy General of Guatemala. The
cities of Comayagua and Tegucigalpa developed as early mining centers.
