Honduras

Republic of Honduras

Central America and Caribbean Tegucigalpa

Population

9.53M

Area

112,090 km²

GDP

$37.09B

GDP Per Capita

$6,600

Pop. Density

85/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

LHonduran lempira(HNL)

Calling Code

+504

Timezone

UTC-06:00

Languages

Spanish

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Honduran

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. Hurricane Mitch devastated the country in 1998, killing about 5,600 people and causing approximately $2 billion in damage. Since then, the economy has slowly rebounded, despite COVID-19 and severe storm-related setbacks in 2020 and 2021.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑239.8% since 2006

$11B (2006)$37B (2024)

Population

↑41.4% since 2006

7.7M (2006)10.8M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 72.9 years

2006: 69.4 years2023: 72.9 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography18

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
land: 111,890 sq km
water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries

total: 1,575 km
border countries: Guatemala 244 km; El Salvador 391 km; Nicaragua 940 km

Coastline

823 km (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

highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 684 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

agricultural land

32% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.)

forest

53.3% (2023 est.)

other

14.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

900 sq km (2012)

Major lakes (area sq km)

salt water lake(s): Laguna de Caratasca - 1,110 sq km

Population distribution

most residents live in the mountainous western half of the country; Honduras is the only Central American nation 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

frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Geography - note

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

People & Society36

Population

total: 9,529,188 (2024 est.)
male: 4,591,247
female: 4,937,941

Nationality

noun: Honduran(s)
adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups

Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and European) 90%, Indigenous 7%, African descent 2%, White 1%

Languages

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects
major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, none 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.7% (male 1,378,026/female 1,353,238)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,980,393/female 3,282,159)
65 years and over: 5.6% (2024 est.) (male 232,828/female 302,544)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.2 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 43.6 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 8.5 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 11.7 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 26.1 years (2025 est.)
male: 24.8 years
female: 26.6 years

Population growth rate

1.28% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

19.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 60.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.568 million TEGUCIGALPA (capital), 982,000 San Pedro Sula (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.3 years (2011/12 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

47 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 69.6 years
female: 76.8 years

Total fertility rate

2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.13 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 90.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 9.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 9.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 14.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.49 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 88.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 93.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 11.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 6.8% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.4% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 11.9% (2025 est.)
male: 22.2% (2025 est.)
female: 1.6% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

7.1% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.4% (2019 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 9.2% (2019)
women married by age 18: 34% (2019)
men married by age 18: 10% (2019)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 23.2% national budget (2018 est.)

Literacy

total population: 88.2% (2024 est.)
male: 87.6% (2024 est.)
female: 88.8% (2024 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years (2019 est.)
male: 9 years (2019 est.)
female: 10 years (2019 est.)

Government23

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
conventional short form: Honduras
local long form: República de Honduras
local short form: Honduras
etymology: the name means "depths" in Spanish and refers to the deep anchorage in the northern Bay of Trujillo

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Tegucigalpa
geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
etymology: the name is a Nahuatl word meaning "silver mountain," probably referring to nearby silver mines

Administrative divisions

18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlántida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazán, Gracias a Dios, Intibucá, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Legal system

civil law system

Constitution

history: several previous; latest approved 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982
amendment process: 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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 1 to 3 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state

President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)

head of government

President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by president

election/appointment process

president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term

most recent election date

30 November 2025

election results

2025: Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah elected president; percent of vote - Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah (PNH) 40.3%, Salvador NASRALLA (PL) 39.5%, Rixi Ramona MONCADA Godoy (LIBRE) 19.2%; note - ASFURA will take office 27 January 2026

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%

expected date of next election

25 November 2029

Legislative branch

legislature name

National Congress (Congreso Nacional)

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

128 (all directly elected)

electoral system

proportional representation

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

most recent election date

11/30/2025

parties elected and seats per party

Liberty and Refoundation Party (LIBRE) (50); National Party (PN) (44); Liberal Party (PL) (22); Salvador de Honduras Party (PSH) (10); Other (2)

percentage of women in chamber

27.3%

expected date of next election

November 2029

Judicial branch

highest court(s): 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)
judge selection and term of office: 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: courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace

Political parties

Anti-Corruption Party or PAC
Christian Democratic Party or DC
Democratic Liberation of Honduras or Liderh
Democratic Unification Party or UD
The Front or El Frente
Honduran Patriotic Alliance or AP
Innovation and Unity Party or PINU
Liberal Party or PL
Liberty and Refoundation Party or LIBRE
National Party of Honduras or PNH
New Route or NR
Opposition Alliance against the Dictatorship or Alianza de Oposicion contra la Dictadura (electoral coalition)
Savior Party of Honduras or PSH
Vamos or Let’s Go
We Are All Honduras (Todos Somos Honduras) or TSH

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Leonardo VALENZUELA NEDA (since 10 June 2025)

chancery

1220 19th Street NW, Suite #320, Washington, DC 20036

telephone

[1] (202) 966-7702

FAX

[1] (202) 966-9751

email address and website

[email protected]

https://hondurasembusa.org/

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Colleen Anne HOEY (since 23 June 2025)

embassy

Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa M.D.C.

mailing address

3480 Tegucigalpa Place, Washington DC  20521-3480

telephone

[504] 2236-9320,

FAX

[504] 2236-9037

email address and website

[email protected]

https://hn.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ACS, 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

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of cerulean blue (top), white, and cerulean blue, with five five-pointed cerulean stars arranged in an "X" pattern and centered in the white band

meaning: the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and white for the land and the people's peace and prosperity

National symbol(s)

scarlet macaw, white-tailed deer

National color(s)

blue, white

National anthem(s)

title: "Himno Nacional de Honduras" (National Anthem of Honduras)
lyrics/music: Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING
history: 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: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Maya Site of Copan (c); Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (n)

Economy32

Economic overview

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) 2024: $71.297 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $68.85 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $66.473 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 3.6% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 4.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $6,600 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $6,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $6,400 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$37.094 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 4.6% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 6.7% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 9.1% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 11.2% (2024 est.)
industry: 26.1% (2024 est.)
services: 58.4% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

86% (2024 est.)

government consumption

15.5% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.9% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.4% (2024 est.)

exports of goods and services

33.5% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-57.6% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

sugarcane, oil palm fruit, maize, milk, bananas, coffee, cantaloupes/melons, oranges, chicken, beans (2023)

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

0.8% (2024 est.)

Labor force

4.296 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 6.1% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 8.8% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 10.5% (2024 est.)
male: 7.9% (2024 est.)
female: 15.9% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

64.1% (2023 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023: 46.8 (2023 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 31.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 4.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.1% (2023 est.)
highest 10%: 33% (2023 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2024: 25.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 26.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 27% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget

revenues: $5.333 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $6.391 billion (2020 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 38.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: -$1.711 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$1.368 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$2.157 billion (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2024: $9.352 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $9.805 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $9.51 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

USA 49%, Nicaragua 8%, El Salvador 7%, Guatemala 5%, Mexico 5% (2023)

Exports - commodities

garments, coffee, insulated wire, palm oil, shellfish (2023)

Imports

Imports 2024: $18.235 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $17.926 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $18.101 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

USA 36%, China 14%, Guatemala 8%, Mexico 6%, El Salvador 6% (2023)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cotton yarn, garments, trucks, packaged medicine (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $8.036 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $7.543 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $8.41 billion (2022 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $7.785 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

lempiras (HNL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

24.799 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

24.602 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

24.486 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

24.017 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

24.582 (2020 est.)

Energy6

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 94.4% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 86.8%

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 3.334 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 8.303 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 4 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 214.601 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.617 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

38.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

33.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

geothermal

3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste

10.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

consumption: 144,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 148,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 20 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 71,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 16.642 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 444,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 7.92 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 76 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

multiple privately owned terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by multiple cable TV networks; Radio Honduras is the state-owned radio network; roughly 300 privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.hn

Internet users

percent of population: 58% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 476,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)

Transportation6

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

129 (2025)

Heliports

6 (2025)

Railways

total: 699 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 164 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Merchant marine

total: 489 (2023)
by type: general cargo 233, oil tanker 82, other 174

Ports

total ports

8 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Coxen Hole, La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, Puerto de Hencan, Puerto Este, Tela, Trujillo

Military & Security6

Military and security forces

Honduran Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, FFAA): Army (Ejercito), Honduran Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Hondurena, FNH; includes marines), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH), Honduran Military Police of Public Order (Policía Militar del Orden Público or PMOP) (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2024: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 15,000 active Honduran Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FFAA's inventory is comprised of a mix of older or secondhand and limited amounts of more modern equipment; its main supplier is the US; other suppliers include Colombia, Israel, the Netherlands, and the UK (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 24–36 month service obligation; no conscription (2026)

Military - note

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 (PNH); the FFAA’s primary focus is internal and border security, and since 2011 a considerable portion of it has been deployed to support the PNH 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 FFAA, including the PMOP, cooperates with the militaries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua on border security

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 (2025)

Transnational Issues2

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 341 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 100,637 (2024 est.)

Illicit drugs

USG identification:
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country

major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

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