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HONDURAS
Honduras is a nation
of northern Central America, bordered to the west by Guatemala and El
Salvador, to the south by Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean and to the north
by the Gulf of Honduras and the Caribbean Sea. The nation of Belize (formerly
"British Honduras") is some 75 km away across the Bay of Honduras at the two
nation's closest points.
History
Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became a state in the
United Provinces of Central America in 1821, and became an independent
republic at the demise of the union in 1840.
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 Nicaraguan government and an ally to Salvadoran government
forces fighting against leftist guerrillas.
Hurricane Mitch devastated the country and wrecked its economy in 1998.
Departments
Honduras is divided into 18 departments:
Atlántida
Choluteca
Colón
Comayagua
Copán
Cortés
El Paraíso
Francisco Morazán
Gracias a Dios
Intibucá
Islas de la Bahía
La Paz
Lempira
Ocotepeque
Olancho
Santa Bárbara
Valle
Yoro
Geography
Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea and North Pacific Ocean. The climate
varies from subtropical in lowlands to temperate in mountains.
Honduran terrain consists mainly of mountains, but there are narrow plains
along the coasts.
Natural resources include timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron
ore, antimony, coal, fish, and hydropower.
Economy
Honduras spent 1999 primarily recovering from Hurricane Mitch, which killed
more than 5,000 people and caused about $3 billion in damage. Although it is
slated to receive about $2.76 billion in international aid, the economy
shrank 3% with widening current account and fiscal deficits in 1999. It
nevertheless met most of its macroeconomic targets. Honduras may also get
relief from its $4.4 billion external debt under the Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) initiative.
Demographics
The population of Honduras is predominantly of Mestizo descent and Roman
Catholic faith.
List of places in Honduras
Cities and important towns
Tegucigalpa (Capital)
Choluteca
Comayagua
Juticalpa
La Ceiba
Omoa
Puerto Castilla
Puerto Cortés
Puerto Lempira
Roatan
San Pedro Sula
Santa Rosa de Copán
Siguatepeque
Tela
Trujillo
Ancient cities and important ruins
Copán
Travesia
Other geographic features
Bay Islands
Caribbean Sea
Gulf of Fonseca
Gulf of Honduras
Lake Yojoa
Pacific Ocean
Administrative subdivisions
Atlántida department
Choluteca department
Colón department
Comayagua department
Copán department
Cortés department
El Paraíso department
Francisco Morazán department
Gracias a Dios department
Intibucá department
Islas de la Bahía department
La Paz department
Lempira department
Ocotepeque department
Olancho department
Santa Bárbara department
Valle department
Yoro department
Transportation in Honduras
Railways:
total: 595 km
narrow gauge: 349 km
1.067-m gauge: 246 km
0.914-m gauge (1999)
Highways:
total: 15,400 km
paved: 3,126 km
unpaved: 12,274 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 465 km navigable by small craft
Ports and harbors:
La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo,
Tela, Puerto Lempira
Merchant marine:
total: 306 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 848,150 GRT/980,995 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 26, cargo 187, chemical tanker 5, container 7, livestock carrier 1,
passenger 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 43, refrigerated cargo 15,
roll-on/roll-off 9, short-sea passenger 5, vehicle carrier 2 (1999 est.)
Airports:
119 (1999 est.)
Principle International airports:
San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 107
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 84 (1999 est.)
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