e Environment
and Heritage

Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia)

Flag description: the flag of Australia is used

Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview: No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian
Government allows limited fishing around the islands.

Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code: .hm

Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia
conducts fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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Honduras

Introduction

Honduras

Background: Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
became an independent nation in 1821. After two and one-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 against leftist guerrillas.

Geography Honduras

Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala
and Nicaragua and bordering the 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: 1,520 km border countries: Guatemala 256 km,
El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

Coastline: 820 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 NM exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM

Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:
Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zin