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Honduras Fact Sheet |
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Land
Capital: Tegucigalpa
Divisions: 18 Departments
Relative Size: Slightly larger than Tennessee or England
Terrain: Mostly mountainous with narrow coastal plains
Climate: Moderate in the mountains and subtropical in the lowlands
People
Population: 7,000,000 (est.)
Language: Spanish
Religion: Catholicism
Life Expectancy: 69 years
Literacy Rate: 76% (est.)
Infant Mortality: 29% (est.)
Economy
Currency: Lempira (18.5 Lps. to $1 USD)
Main Exports: Bananas, Citrus Fruit, Clothing, Coffee, Sugar, Textiles, Wood Products, Lobster, Shrimp, Tilapia, Tobacco, Flowers
Population below Poverty Line: 53% (est.)
Unemployment Rate: 28% (est.)
Housing Deficit: 700,000 (est.)
History
10,000 B.C.: The first inhabitants arrive in Honduras
426 A.D.: The Mayan ruler moves his throne to Copan, where it remained for four centuries
1502: Christopher Columbus arrives in present-day Honduras and holds the first Mass on mainland America
1524: The first permanent settlement is established at Trujillo
1821: Honduras gains independence from Spain without war
1899: The first foreign-controlled fruit plantation is established by the Standard Fruit Company
1954: 'The Great Banana Strike' forces the establishment and recognition of labor unions in Honduras
1980: Current constitution signed into effect, ending military rule
Government
Type of Government: Democratic Constitutional Republic
Date of Independence: September 15, 1821
Transportation
International Airports: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro, La Ceiba, Roatan
Roadways: Well maintained highways run between all major cities, secondary roads outside of major cities are often unpaved
Main Sea Ports: Puerto Cortes, Puerto Castilla |
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