Data at glance of Honduras - average on period

variable 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-2007 2008-2009 2010-2019 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
real gdp growth 2.86 3.24 5.04 0.65 2.37 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.3 3.7
CPI % 7.93 18.47 8.24 5.1 4.53 6.7 4.6 4.6 4.4 4.5
Unemployment rate 6.5 3.67 4.25 3.5 6.08 6.4 5.2 5.9 6.8 6.8
Debt/GDP % 236.5 86.56 49.67 22.8 38.24 41.7 41.5 41.2 43.8 40.1
Current account balance/GDP % -3.87 -4.35 -6.91 -4.45 -4.82 -4.0 -4.4 2.4 -2.6 -2.9

Data derived from World Economic Outlook Database. To see main macroeconomic indicator in graphs click here

History

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. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist guerrillas. Hurricane Mitch devastated the country in 1998, killing about 5,600 people and causing approximately $2 billion in damage. Since then, the economy has slowly rebounded, despite COVID-19 and severe storm-related setbacks in 2020 and 2021.

Environment

Area: 112,090 sq km km2

Climate: subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Ethnic characteristics

Groups: Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and European) 90%, Indigenous 7%, African descent 2%, White 1%

Languages: Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects

Religions: Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, none 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 est.)

Government

Capital: Tegucigalpa

Government type: presidential republic

Executive branch

Chief of state: President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)

Head of government: President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)

Legislative branch

Description: National Congress (Congreso Nacional) - unicameral

Economic Overview

second-fastest-growing Central American economy; COVID-19 and two hurricanes crippled activity; high poverty and inequality; declining-but-still-high violent crime disruption; systemic corruption; coffee and banana exporter; enormous remittances

Industries

sugar processing, coffee, woven and knit apparel, wood products, cigars

GDP by sector: Agriculture: 11.2% (2024 est.), Industry: 26.1% (2024 est.), Services: 58.4% (2024 est.)

Trade

Export partners: USA 49%, Nicaragua 8%, El Salvador 7%, Guatemala 5%, Mexico 5% (2023)

Export commodities: garments, coffee, insulated wire, palm oil, shellfish (2023)

Import partners: USA 36%, China 14%, Guatemala 8%, Mexico 6%, El Salvador 6% (2023)

Import commodities: refined petroleum, cotton yarn, garments, trucks, packaged medicine (2023)

Geography

Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Defence

Military expenditure: 2024: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Information derived from worldfactbook.io (Lupon Media), open successor to the CIA World Factbook. Data sourced from World Bank, IMF, UN and other international organizations.