Honduras Facts

Capital
Tegucigalpa

Government
Republic. Suffrage 18 years of age universal and compulsory

Currency
18.42 Lempiras (L) = 1 US$ (17 September 2004)

Languages
Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Religions
Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant minority

Geography
111,890 sq km. Mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains. Urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa. Natural resourses: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish.

Economy
Prior to Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998, Honduras had been pursuing a moderate economic reform program and had posted strong annual growth numbers. The storm has dramatically changed economic forecasts for Honduras, one of the poorest countries in Central America and the hardest hit by Mitch. Honduras sustained approximately $3 billion in damages. Hardest hit was the agricultural sector, which is responsible for the majority of exports. As a result, the trade deficit is likely to balloon. Aid has helped to stabilize the country, but additional financing will be needed to restore the economy to pre-Mitch level.

GDP
US$ 14.4 billion, real growth rate 3%, per capita US$ 2,400 (1998 est.).

Labor Force
1.3 million. Agriculture 37%, services 39%, industry 24% (1997 est.).

Average Income
$650 per year

Exports
US$ 1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996). Bananas, coffee, shrimp, sugar cane, tobacco, lobster, minerals, meat, lumber.

27% of pop. are illiterate, 38% of pop. have no health services, 26% do not have sanitation systems