ropical 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 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
subject to frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes
and floods along Caribbean coast; deforestation; soil erosion

*Honduras, People

Population:
5,170,108 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.8% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
35.82 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
6.44 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
47.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
67.17 years
male:
64.82 years
female: 69.62 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.87 children born/woman (1993 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)
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)
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
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Political parties and leaders:
Liberal Party (PL