Honduras

National name:
República de Honduras

Government
Democratic constitutional republic.

Geography
Honduras, in the north central part of Central America, has a Caribbean as well as a Pacific coastline. The second-largest country in Central America, Generally mountainous, the country is marked by fertile plateaus, river valleys, and narrow coastal plains.

Historical Background
Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage.

Facts & Figures

Name

Honduras

Capital

Tegucigalpa

Government

Constitutional republic

Language

Spanish

National Holiday

15 September Independence Day

Race/Ethnicity

90% Mestizo mixture of European & American Indian, 7% Amerindian,  2% Black, 1% White

Religion

47% (Catholic) 36% (Protestant)

Area

112,492 km2

Population

8,249,574 

Currency

Lempira (HNL)