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honduras

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honduras


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Honduras 
  n  :  a  republic  in  Central  America  [syn:  {Honduras}] 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Honduras 
 
  Honduras:Geography 
 
  Location:  Middle  America,  bordering  the  Caribbean  Sea,  between 
  Guatemala  and  Nicaragua  and  bordering  the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  between 
  El  Salvador  and  Nicaragua 
 
  Map  references:  Central  America  and  the  Caribbean 
 
  Area: 
  total  area:  112,090  sq  km 
  land  area:  111,890  sq  km 
  comparative  area:  slightly  larger  than  Tennessee 
 
  Land  boundaries:  total  1,520  km  Guatemala  256  km  El  Salvador  342  km 
  Nicaragua  922  km 
 
  Coastline:  820  km 
 
  Maritime  claims: 
  contiguous  zone:  24  nm 
  continental  shelf:  natural  extension  of  territory  or  to  200  nm 
  exclusive  economic  zone:  200  nm 
  territorial  sea:  12  nm 
 
  International  disputes:  land  boundary  dispute  with  El  Salvador  mostly 
  resolved  by  11  September  1992  International  Court  of  Justice  (ICJ) 
  decision;  with  respect  to  the  maritime  boundary  in  the  Golfo  de 
  Fonseca  ICJ  referred  to  an  earlier  agreement  in  this  century  and 
  advised  that  some  tripartite  resolution  among  El  Salvador,  Honduras 
  and  Nicaragua  likely  would  be  required 
 
  Climate:  subtropical  in  lowlands,  temperate  in  mountains 
 
  Terrain:  mostly  mountains  in  interior,  narrow  coastal  plains 
 
  Natural  resources:  timber,  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  zinc,  iron  ore, 
  antimony,  coal,  fish 
 
  Land  use: 
  arable  land:  14% 
  permanent  crops:  2% 
  meadows  and  pastures:  30% 
  forest  and  woodland:  34% 
  other:  20% 
 
  Irrigated  land:  900  sq  km  (1989  est.) 
 
  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  freshwater)  with  heavy  metals  as  well  as  several  rivers  and 
  streams 
  natural  hazards:  frequent,  but  generally  mild,  earthquakes;  damaging 
  hurricanes  and  floods  along  Caribbean  coast 
  international  agreements:  party  to  -  Endangered  Species,  Law  of  the 
  Sea,  Marine  Dumping,  Nuclear  Test  Ban,  Ozone  Layer  Protection, 
  Tropical  Timber  83,  Wetlands;  signed,  but  not  ratified  -  Biodiversity, 
  Climate  Change 
 
  Honduras:People 
 
  Population:  5,459,743  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  43%  (female  1,159,846;  male  1,201,927) 
  15-64  years:  53%  (female  1,468,950;  male  1,444,959) 
  65  years  and  over:  4%  (female  95,361;  male  88,700)  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  2.66%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  34.12  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  6  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  -1.56  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  43.4  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  68.04  years 
  male:  65.64  years 
  female:  70.55  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  4.55  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Honduran(s) 
  adjective:  Honduran 
 
  Ethnic  divisions:  mestizo  (mixed  Indian  and  European)  90%,  Indian  7%, 
  black  2%,  white  1% 
 
  Religions:  Roman  Catholic  97%,  Protestant  minority 
 
  Languages:  Spanish,  Indian  dialects 
 
  Literacy:  age  15  and  over  can  read  and  write  (1990  est.) 
  total  population:  73% 
  male:  76% 
  female:  71% 
 
  Labor  force:  1.3  million 
  by  occupation:  agriculture  62%,  services  20%,  manufacturing  9%, 
  construction  3%,  other  6%  (1985) 
 
  Honduras:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  Republic  of  Honduras 
  conventional  short  form:  Honduras 
  local  long  form:  Republica  de  Honduras 
  local  short  form:  Honduras 
 
  Digraph:  HO 
 
  Type:  republic 
 
  Capital:  Tegucigalpa 
 
  Administrative  divisions:  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:  15  September  1821  (from  Spain) 
 
  National  holiday:  Independence  Day  15  September  (1821) 
 
  Constitution:  11  January  1982,  effective  20  January  1982 
 
  Legal  system:  rooted  in  Roman  and  Spanish  civil  law;  some  influence  of 
  English  common  law;  accepts  ICJ  jurisdiction,  with  reservations 
 
  Suffrage:  18  years  of  age;  universal  and  compulsory 
 
  Executive  branch: 
  chief  of  state  and  head  of  government:  President  Carlos  Roberto  REINA 
  Idiaquez  (since  27  January  1994);  election  last  held  28  November  1993 
  (next  to  be  held  November  1997);  results  -  Carlos  Roberto  REINA 
  Idiaquez  (PLH)  53%,  Oswaldo  RAMOS  Soto  (PNH)  41%,  other  6% 
  cabinet:  Cabinet 
 
  Legislative  branch:  unicameral 
  National  Congress  (Congreso  Nacional):  elections  last  held  on  27 
  November  1993  (next  to  be  held  November  1997);  results  -  PNH  53%,  PLH 
  41%,  PDCH  1.0%,  PINU-SD  2.5%,  other  2.5%;  seats  -  (134  total)  PNH  55, 
  PLH  77,  PINU-SD  2 
 
  Judicial  branch:  Supreme  Court  of  Justice  (Corte  Suprema  de  Justica) 
 
  Political  parties  and  leaders:  Liberal  Party  (PLH),  Rafael  PINEDA 
  Ponce,  president;  National  Party  of  Honduras  (PNH),  Oswaldo  RAMOS 
  Soto,  president;  National  Innovation  and  Unity  Party  (PINU),  Olban 
  VALLADARES  president;  Christian  Democratic  Party  (PDCH),  Efrain  DIAZ 
  Arrivillaga  president 
 
  Other  political  or  pressure  groups:  National  Association  of  Honduran 
  Campesinos  (ANACH);  Honduran  Council  of  Private  Enterprise  (COHEP); 
  Confederation  of  Honduran  Workers  (CTH);  National  Union  of  Campesinos 
  (UNC);  General  Workers  Confederation  (CGT);  United  Federation  of 
  Honduran  Workers  (FUTH);  Committee  for  the  Defense  of  Human  Rights  in 
  Honduras  (CODEH);  Coordinating  Committee  of  Popular  Organizations 
  (CCOP) 
 
  Member  of:  BCIE,  CACM,  ECLAC  FAO,  G-77,  GATT,  IADB,  IBRD,  ICAO, 
  ICFTU  ICRM,  IDA,  IFAD,  IFC,  IFRCS  ILO,  IMF,  IMO,  INTELSAT,  INTERPOL, 
  IOC,  IOM,  ITU,  LAES,  LAIA  (observer),  MINURSO  NAM,  OAS,  OPANAL  PCA, 
  UN  UNCTAD  UNESCO,  UNIDO  UPU,  WCL,  WFTU  WHO  WIPO,  WMO 
 
  Diplomatic  representation  in  US: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  Roberto  FLORES  Bermudez 
  chancery:  3007  Tilden  Street  NW  Washington,  DC  20008 
  telephone:  [1]  (202)  966-7702,  2604,  5008,  4596 
  FAX:  [1]  (202)  966-9751 
  consulate(s)  general:  Chicago,  Houston,  Los  Angeles,  Miami,  New 
  Orleans,  New  York,  San  Francisco,  and  San  Juan  (Puerto  Rico) 
  consulate(s):  Boston,  Detroit,  and  Jacksonville 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  William  T.  PRYCE 
  embassy:  Avenida  La  Paz,  Apartado  Postal  No  3453,  Tegucigalpa 
  mailing  address:  American  Embassy,  APO  AA  34022,  Tegucigalpa 
  telephone:  [504]  36-9320,  38-5114 
  FAX:  [504]  36-9037 
 
  Flag:  three  equal  horizontal  bands  of  blue  (top),  white,  and  blue  with 
  five  blue  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;  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  word  REPUBLICA  DE  NICARAGUA  on  top  and  AMERICA  CENTRAL  on  the 
  bottom,  centered  in  the  white  band 
 
  Economy 
 
  Overview:  Honduras  is  one  of  the  poorest  countries  in  the  Western 
  Hemisphere.  Agriculture,  the  most  important  sector  of  the  economy, 
  accounts  for  28%  of  GDP,  employs  62%  of  the  labor  force,  and  produces 
  two-thirds  of  exports.  Productivity  remains  low  Manufacturing,  still 
  in  its  early  stages,  employs  9%  of  the  labor  force,  accounts  for  15% 
  of  GDP,  and  generates  20%  of  exports.  The  service  sectors,  including 
  public  administration,  account  for  50%  of  GDP  and  employ  20%  of  the 
  labor  force.  Many  basic  problems  face  the  economy,  including  rapid 
  population  growth,  high  unemployment,  inflation,  a  lack  of  basic 
  services,  a  large  and  inefficient  public  sector,  and  the  dependence  of 
  the  export  sector  mostly  on  coffee  and  bananas,  which  are  subject  to 
  sharp  price  fluctuations.  A  far-reaching  reform  program,  initiated  by 
  former  President  CALLEJAS  in  1990  and  scaled  back  by  President  REINA, 
  is  beginning  to  take  hold 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $9.7  billion  (1994 
  est.) 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  -1.9%  (1994  est.) 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $1,820  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  30%  (1994  est.) 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  10%;  underemployed  30%-40%  (1992) 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $527  million 
  expenditures:  $668  million,  including  capital  expenditures  of  $166 
  million  (1993  est.) 
 
  Exports:  $850  million  (f.o.b.,  1993  est) 
  commodities:  bananas,  coffee,  shrimp,  lobster,  minerals,  meat,  lumber 
  partners:  US  53%,  Germany  11%,  Belgium  8%,  UK  5% 
 
  Imports:  $990  million  (c.i.f.  1994  est) 
  commodities:  machinery  and  transport  equipment,  chemical  products, 
  manufactured  goods,  fuel  and  oil,  foodstuffs 
  partners:  US  50%,  Mexico  8%,  Guatemala  6% 
 
  External  debt:  $4  billion  (1994  est.) 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  10%  (1992  est.);  accounts  for  22% 
  of  GDP 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  290,000  kW 
  production:  2.3  billion  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  445  kWh  (1993) 
 
  Industries:  agricultural  processing  (sugar  and  coffee),  textiles, 
  clothing,  wood  products 
 
  Agriculture:  most  important  sector,  accounting  for  28%  of  GDP,  more 
  than  60%  of  the  labor  force,  and  two-thirds  of  exports;  principal 
  products  include  bananas,  coffee,  timber,  beef,  citrus  fruit,  shrimp; 
  importer  of  wheat 
 
  Illicit  drugs:  transshipment  point  for  narcotics;  illicit  producer  of 
  cannabis,  cultivated  on  small  plots  and  used  principally  for  local 
  consumption 
 
  Economic  aid: 
  recipient:  US  commitments,  including  Ex-Im  (FY70-89),  $1.4  billion; 
  Western  (non-US)  countries,  ODA  and  OOF  bilateral  commitments 
  (1970-89),  $1.1  billion 
 
  Currency:  1  lempira  L  =  100  centavos 
 
  Exchange  rates:  lempiras  L  per  US$1  -  9.1283  (October  1994),  7.2600 
  (1993),  5.8300  (1992),  5.4000  (1991);  2.0000  (fixed  rate  until  1991) 
  5.70  parallel  black-market  rate  (November  1990);  the  lempira  was 
  allowed  to  float  in  1992 
 
  Fiscal  year:  calendar  year 
 
  Honduras:Transportation 
 
  Railroads: 
  total:  785  km 
  narrow  gauge:  508  km  1.067-m  gauge;  277  km  0.914-m  gauge 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  8,950  km 
  paved:  1,700  km 
  unpaved:  otherwise  improved  5,000  km  unimproved  earth  2,250  km 
 
  Inland  waterways:  465  km  navigable  by  small  craft 
 
  Ports:  La  Ceiba,  Puerto  Castilla,  Puerto  Cortes,  San  Lorenzo,  Tela, 
  Puerto  Lempira 
 
  Merchant  marine: 
  total:  271  ships  (1,000  GRT  or  over)  totaling  802,990  GRT/1,210,553 
  DWT 
  ships  by  type:  bulk  31,  cargo  171,  chemical  tanker  1,  combination  bulk 
  1,  container  6,  liquefied  gas  tanker  2,  livestock  carrier  3,  oil 
  tanker  21,  passenger  2,  passenger-cargo  3,  refrigerated  cargo  19, 
  roll-on/roll-off  cargo  7,  short-sea  passenger  2,  specialized  tanker  1, 
  vehicle  carrier  1 
  note:  a  flag  of  convenience  registry;  Russia  owns  14  ships,  Vietnam  7, 
  North  Korea  4,  US  3,  Hong  Kong  2,  South  Korea  2,  Greece  1 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  159 
  with  paved  runways  2,438  to  3,047  m:  3 
  with  paved  runways  1,524  to  2,437  m:  2 
  with  paved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  4 
  with  paved  runways  under  914  m:  118 
  with  unpaved  runways  2,438  to  3,047  m:  1 
  with  unpaved  runways  1,524  to  2,438  m:  4 
  with  unpaved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  27 
 
  Honduras:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  NA  telephones;  7  telephones/1,000  persons; 
  inadequate  system 
  local:  NA 
  intercity:  NA 
  international:  2  INTELSAT  (Atlantic  Ocean)  earth  stations  and  the 
  Central  American  microwave  radio  relay  system 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  176,  FM  0,  shortwave  7 
  radios:  NA 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  28 
  televisions:  NA 
 
  Honduras:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  Army,  Navy  (includes  Marines),  Air  Force,  Public  Security 
  Forces  (FUSEP) 
 
  Manpower  availability:  males  age  15-49  1,275,670;  males  fit  for 
  military  service  760,113;  males  reach  military  age  (18)  annually 
  62,405  (1995  est.) 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  exchange  rate  conversion  -  $41  million,  about 
  0.4%  of  GDP  (1994) 
 
 
 




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