Nicaragua vs. Honduras
Introduction
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought a civic-military coalition, spearheaded by the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas led by Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador prompted the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA was elected president in 2006, 2011, and most recently in 2016. Municipal, regional, and national-level elections since 2008 have been marred by widespread irregularities. Democratic institutions have weakened under the ORTEGA administration as the president has garnered full control over all branches of government, especially after cracking down on a nationwide antigovernment protest movement in 2018. | 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. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage. Since then, the economy has slowly rebounded. |
Geography
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras | Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua |
| Geographic coordinates | 13 00 N, 85 00 W | 15 00 N, 86 30 W |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area | total: 130,370 sq km land: 119,990 sq km water: 10,380 sq km | total: 112,090 sq km land: 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than New York state | slightly larger than Tennessee |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,253 km border countries (2): Costa Rica 313 km, Honduras 940 km | total: 1,575 km border countries (3): Guatemala 244 km, El Salvador 391 km, Nicaragua 940 km |
| Coastline | 910 km | 823 km (Caribbean Sea 669 km, Gulf of Fonseca 163 km) |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm |
| Climate | tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands | subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains |
| Terrain | extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes | mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Mogoton 2,085 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 298 m | highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 684 m |
| Natural resources | gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish | timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 42.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 12.5% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 2.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 27.2% (2018 est.) forest: 25.3% (2018 est.) other: 32.5% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 28.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 15.7% (2018 est.) forest: 45.3% (2018 est.) other: 25.9% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 1,990 sq km (2012) | 900 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica | frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast |
| Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; drought | urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with heavy metals |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua | has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast |
| Total renewable water resources | 164.52 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 92.164 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters | most residents live in the mountainous western half of the country; unlike other Central American nations, Honduras is the only one with an urban population that is distributed between two large centers - the capital of Tegucigalpa and the city of San Pedro Sula; the Rio Ulua valley in the north is the only densely populated lowland area |
Demographics
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,243,931 (July 2021 est.) | 9,346,277 (July 2021 est.) note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 25.63% (male 811,731/female 777,984) 15-24 years: 19.51% (male 609,962/female 600,567) 25-54 years: 42.41% (male 1,254,683/female 1,376,052) 55-64 years: 6.63% (male 188,591/female 222,766) 65 years and over: 5.82% (male 159,140/female 201,965) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 30.2% (male 1,411,537/female 1,377,319) 15-24 years: 21.03% (male 969,302/female 972,843) 25-54 years: 37.79% (male 1,657,260/female 1,832,780) 55-64 years: 5.58% (male 233,735/female 281,525) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 221,779/female 277,260) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 27.3 years male: 26.4 years female: 28.2 years (2020 est.) | total: 24.4 years male: 23.5 years female: 25.2 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.93% (2021 est.) | 1.22% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 16.71 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 18.19 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.16 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 4.67 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 17.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.51 years male: 72.28 years female: 76.86 years (2021 est.) | total population: 74.9 years male: 71.34 years female: 78.58 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 1.81 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 2.05 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.2% (2020 est.) | 0.2% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan | noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran |
| Ethnic groups | Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and White) 69%, White 17%, Black 9%, Amerindian 5% | Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, African descent 2%, White 1% |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 12,000 (2020 est.) | 22,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 50%, Evangelical 33.2%, other 2.9%, none 0.7%, unspecified 13.2% (2017 est.) | Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 41%, atheist 1%, other 2%, none 9% (2014 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <500 (2020 est.) | <1000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | Spanish (official) 95.3%, Miskito 2.2%, Mestizo of the Caribbean coast 2%, other 0.5%; note - English and indigenous languages found on the Caribbean coast (2005 est.) major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects major-language sample(s): La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.6% male: 82.4% female: 82.8% (2015) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.2% male: 87.1% female: 87.3% (2016) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria | degree of risk: high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria |
| Education expenditures | 4.4% of GDP (2017) | 6.1% of GDP (2018) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 59.3% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 59% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 97.6% of population rural: 62.6% of population total: 83.1% of population unimproved: urban: 2.4% of population rural: 37.4% of population total: 16.9% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 88.9% of population total: 94.8% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 11.1% of population total: 5.2% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 89.8% of population rural: 66.5% of population total: 80.1% of population unimproved: urban: 10.2% of population rural: 33.5% of population total: 19.9% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 95.4% of population rural: 83.5% of population total: 90.2% of population unimproved: urban: 4.6% of population rural: 16.5% of population total: 9.8% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.073 million MANAGUA (capital) (2021) | 1.485 million TEGUCIGALPA (capital), 929,000 San Pedro Sula (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 198 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 65 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 4.6% (2011/12) | 7.1% (2011/12) |
| Health expenditures | 8.6% (2018) | 7.1% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.98 physicians/1,000 population (2018) | 0.31 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
| Hospital bed density | 0.9 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 0.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 23.7% (2016) | 21.4% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 19.2 years (2011/12 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 | 20.3 years (2011/12 est.) note: median age a first birth among women 25-49 |
| Demographic profile | Despite being one of the poorest countries in Latin America, Nicaragua has improved its access to potable water and sanitation and has ameliorated its life expectancy, infant and child mortality, and immunization rates. However, income distribution is very uneven, and the poor, agriculturalists, and indigenous people continue to have less access to healthcare services. Nicaragua's total fertility rate has fallen from around 6 children per woman in 1980 to below replacement level today, but the high birth rate among adolescents perpetuates a cycle of poverty and low educational attainment. Nicaraguans emigrate primarily to Costa Rica and to a lesser extent the United States. Nicaraguan men have been migrating seasonally to Costa Rica to harvest bananas and coffee since the early 20th century. Political turmoil, civil war, and natural disasters from the 1970s through the 1990s dramatically increased the flow of refugees and permanent migrants seeking jobs, higher wages, and better social and healthcare benefits. Since 2000, Nicaraguan emigration to Costa Rica has slowed and stabilized. Today roughly 300,000 Nicaraguans are permanent residents of Costa Rica - about 75% of the foreign population - and thousands more migrate seasonally for work, many illegally. | Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and has one of the world's highest murder rates. More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. Poverty rates are higher among rural and indigenous people and in the south, west, and along the eastern border than in the north and central areas where most of Honduras' industries and infrastructure are concentrated. The increased productivity needed to break Honduras' persistent high poverty rate depends, in part, on further improvements in educational attainment. Although primary-school enrollment is near 100%, educational quality is poor, the drop-out rate and grade repetition remain high, and teacher and school accountability is low. Honduras' population growth rate has slowed since the 1990s and is now 1.2% annually with a birth rate that averages 2.1 children per woman and more among rural, indigenous, and poor women. Honduras' young adult population - ages 15 to 29 - is projected to continue growing rapidly for the next three decades and then stabilize or slowly shrink. Population growth and limited job prospects outside of agriculture will continue to drive emigration. Remittances represent about a fifth of GDP. |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 80.4% (2011/12) | 73.2% (2011/12) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 54.3 youth dependency ratio: 45.5 elderly dependency ratio: 8.8 potential support ratio: 11.4 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 55.2 youth dependency ratio: 47.5 elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 potential support ratio: 13 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua etymology: Nicarao was the name of the largest indigenous settlement at the time of Spanish arrival; conquistador Gil GONZALEZ Davila, who explored the area (1622-23), combined the name of the community with the Spanish word "agua" (water), referring to the two large lakes in the west of the country (Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua) | conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras etymology: the name means "depths" in Spanish and refers to the deep anchorage in the northern Bay of Trujillo |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Managua geographic coordinates: 12 08 N, 86 15 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: may derive from the indigenous Nahuatl term "mana-ahuac," which translates as "adjacent to the water" or a site "surrounded by water"; the city is situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Managua | name: Tegucigalpa; note - article eight of the Honduran constitution states that the twin cities of Tegucigalpa and Comayaguela, jointly, constitute the capital of the Republic of Honduras; however, virtually all governmental institutions are on the Tegucigalpa side, which in practical terms makes Tegucigalpa the capital geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) etymology: while most sources agree that Tegucigalpa is of Nahuatl derivation, there is no consensus on its original meaning |
| Administrative divisions | 15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Costa Caribe Norte*, Costa Caribe Sur*, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas | 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) | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest adopted 19 November 1986, effective 9 January 1987 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or assent of at least half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires approval by 60% of the membership of the next elected Assembly and promulgation by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2021 | history: several previous; latest approved 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982 amendments: proposed by the National Congress with at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Congress in its next annual session; constitutional articles, such as the form of government, national sovereignty, the presidential term, and the procedure for amending the constitution, cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2021 |
| Legal system | civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts | civil law system |
| Suffrage | 16 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Rosario MURILLO Zambrana (since 10 January 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Rosario MURILLO Zambrana (since 10 January 2017) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified plurality vote for a 5-year term (no term limits as of 2014); election last held on 6 November 2016 (next to be held on 7 November 2021) election results: 2016: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 72.4%, Maximino RODRIGUEZ (PLC) 15%, Jose del Carmen ALVARADO (PLI) 4.5%, Saturnino CERRATO Hodgson (ALN) 4.3%, other 3.7% 2011: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 62.5%, Fabio GADEA Mantilla (PLI) 31%, Arnoldo ALEMAN (PLC) 5.9%, other 0.6% | chief of state: President Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado (since 27 January 2014); Vice Presidents Ricardo ALVAREZ, Maria RIVERA, and Olga ALVARADO (since 26 January 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado (since 27 January 2014); Vice Presidents Ricardo ALVAREZ, Maria RIVERA, and Olga ALVARADO (since 26 January 2018) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term; election last held on 26 November 2017 (next to be held in November 2021); note - in 2015, the Constitutional Chamber of the Honduran Supreme Court struck down the constitutional provisions on presidential term limits election results: 2017: Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado (PNH) 43%, Salvador NASRALLA (Alianza de Oposicion conta la Dictadura) 41.4%, Luis Orlando ZELAYA Medrano (PL) 14.7%, other .9% 2013: Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado elected president; percent of vote - Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado (PNH) 36.9%, Xiomara CASTRO (LIBRE) 28.8%, Mauricio VILLEDA (PL) 20.3%, Salvador NASRALLA (PAC) 13.4%, other 0.6% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 70 members in multi-seat constituencies, representing the country's 15 departments and 2 autonomous regions, and 20 members in a single nationwide constituency directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote; 2 seats reserved for the previous president and the runner-up candidate in the previous presidential election; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 6 November 2016 (next to be held on 7 November 2021) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 71, PLC 14, ALN 2, PLI 2, APRE 1, PC 1, YATAMA 1; composition - men 50, women 42, percent of women 45.7% | description: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats; members directly elected in 18 multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 27 November 2017 (next to be held on 27 November 2021) election results: percent of vote by party - PNH 47.7%, LIBRE 23.4%, PL 20.3%, AP 3.1%, PINU 3.1%, DC 0.8%, PAC 0.8%, UD 0.8%; seats by party - PNH 61, LIBRE 30, PL 26, AP 4, PINU 4, DC 1, PAC 1, UD 1; composition - men 101, women 27, percent of women 21.1% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 16 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and constitutional chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly to serve 5-year staggered terms subordinate courts: Appeals Court; first instance civil, criminal, and labor courts; military courts are independent of the Supreme Court | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (15 principal judges, including the court president, and 7 alternates; court organized into civil, criminal, constitutional, and labor chambers); note - the court has both judicial and constitutional jurisdiction judge selection and term of office: court president elected by his peers; judges elected by the National Congress from candidates proposed by the Nominating Board, a diverse 7-member group of judicial officials and other government and non-government officials nominated by each of their organizations; judges elected by Congress for renewable, 7-year terms subordinate courts: courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Carlos CANALES] Conservative Party or PC [Alfredo CESAR] Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Jose del Carmen ALVARADO] Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Maria Haydee OSUNA] Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Alejandro MEJIA Ferreti] Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra] Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Suyen BARAHONA] Sons of Mother Earth or YATAMA [Brooklyn RIVERA] | Alliance against the Dictatorship or Alianza de Oposicion conta la Dictadura [Salvador NASRALLA] (electoral coalition) Anti-Corruption Party or PAC [Marlene ALVARENGA] Christian Democratic Party or DC [Lucas AGUILERA] Democratic Unification Party or UD [Alfonso DIAZ] Freedom and Refoundation Party or LIBRE [Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales] Honduran Patriotic Alliance or AP [Romeo VASQUEZ Velasquez] Liberal Party or PL [Luis Orlando ZELAYA Medrano] National Party of Honduras or PNH [Reinaldo SANCHEZ Rivera] Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Guillermo VALLE] |
| International organization participation | BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC (suspended), IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO (suspended), WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Obadiah CAMPBELL Hooker (since 28 June 2010) chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570; [1] (202) 939-6573 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco | chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Fernando SUAZO BARAHONA (since 17 September 2020) chancery: 1220 19th Street NW, Suite #320, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 email address and website: https://hondurasembusa.org/ consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco consulate(s): Dallas, McAllen (TX) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Kevin K. SULLIVAN (since 18 December 2018) embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: 3240 Managua Place, Washington DC 20521-3240 telephone: [505] 2252-7100, FAX: [505] 2252-7250 email address and website: ACS.Managua@state.gov https://ni.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Colleen A. HOEY (since August 2019) embassy: Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa M.D.C. mailing address: 3480 Tegucigalpa Place, Washington DC 20521-3480 telephone: [504] 2236-9320, FAX: [504] 2236-9037 email address and website: usahonduras@state.gov https://hn.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water note: similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band | three equal horizontal bands of cerulean blue (top), white, and cerulean blue, with five cerulean, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea; the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water and the peace and prosperity of its people note: similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band |
| National anthem | name: "Salve a ti, Nicaragua" (Hail to Thee, Nicaragua) lyrics/music: Salomon Ibarra MAYORGA/traditional, arranged by Luis Abraham DELGADILLO note: although only officially adopted in 1971, the music was approved in 1918 and the lyrics in 1939; the tune, originally from Spain, was used as an anthem for Nicaragua from the 1830s until 1876 | name: "Himno Nacional de Honduras" (National Anthem of Honduras) lyrics/music: Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING note: adopted 1915; the anthem's seven verses chronicle Honduran history; on official occasions, only the chorus and last verse are sung |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | turquoise-browed motmot (bird); national colors: blue, white | scarlet macaw, white-tailed deer; national colors: blue, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no, except in cases where bilateral agreements exist residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 1 to 3 years |
Economy
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty. GDP growth of 4.5% in 2017 was insufficient to make a significant difference. Textiles and agriculture combined account for nearly 50% of Nicaragua's exports. Beef, coffee, and gold are Nicaragua's top three export commodities. The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many Nicaraguan agricultural and manufactured goods. In 2013, the government granted a 50-year concession with the option for an additional 50 years to a newly formed Chinese-run company to finance and build an inter-oceanic canal and related projects, at an estimated cost of $50 billion. The canal construction has not started. | Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, suffers from extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high underemployment. While historically dependent on the export of bananas and coffee, Honduras has diversified its export base to include apparel and automobile wire harnessing. Honduras's economy depends heavily on US trade and remittances. The US-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in 2006 and has helped foster foreign direct investment, but physical and political insecurity, as well as crime and perceptions of corruption, may deter potential investors; about 15% of foreign direct investment is from US firms. The economy registered modest economic growth of 3.1%-4.0% from 2010 to 2017, insufficient to improve living standards for the nearly 65% of the population in poverty. In 2017, Honduras faced rising public debt, but its economy has performed better than expected due to low oil prices and improved investor confidence. Honduras signed a three-year standby arrangement with the IMF in December 2014, aimed at easing Honduras's poor fiscal position. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $35.392 billion (2019 est.) $36.82 billion (2018 est.) $38.334 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $55.825 billion (2019 est.) $54.382 billion (2018 est.) $52.444 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.9% (2017 est.) 4.7% (2016 est.) 4.8% (2015 est.) | 4.8% (2017 est.) 3.8% (2016 est.) 3.8% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $5,407 (2019 est.) $5,695 (2018 est.) $6,004 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $5,728 (2019 est.) $5,672 (2018 est.) $5,562 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 15.5% (2017 est.) industry: 24.4% (2017 est.) services: 60% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 14.2% (2017 est.) industry: 28.8% (2017 est.) services: 57% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 24.9% (2016 est.) | 48.3% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 47.1% (2014) | lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 38.4% (2014) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.3% (2019 est.) 4.9% (2018 est.) 3.8% (2017 est.) | 4.3% (2019 est.) 4.3% (2018 est.) 3.9% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 3.046 million (2017 est.) | 3.735 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 31% industry: 18% services: 50% (2011 est.) | agriculture: 39.2% industry: 20.9% services: 39.8% (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% (2017 est.) 6.2% (2016 est.) note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008 | 5.6% (2017 est.) 6.3% (2016 est.) note: about one-third of the people are underemployed |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 46.2 (2014 est.) 45.8 (2009) | 52.1 (2018 est.) 45.7 (2009) |
| Budget | revenues: 3.871 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 4.15 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 4.658 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 5.283 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood, electric wire harness manufacturing, mining | sugar processing, coffee, woven and knit apparel, wood products, cigars |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3.5% (2017 est.) | 4.5% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sugar cane, milk, rice, maize, plantains, groundnuts, cassava, beans, coffee, poultry | sugar cane, oil palm fruit, milk, bananas, maize, coffee, melons, oranges, poultry, beans |
| Exports | $3.819 billion (2017 est.) $3.772 billion (2016 est.) | $8.675 billion (2017 est.) $7.841 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | clothing and apparel, gold, insulated wiring, coffee, beef (2019) | clothing and apparel, coffee, insulated wiring, bananas, palm oil (2019) |
| Exports - partners | United States 60%, El Salvador 5%, Mexico 5% (2019) | United States 53%, El Salvador 8%, Guatemala 5%, Nicaragua 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $6.613 billion (2017 est.) $6.384 billion (2016 est.) | $11.32 billion (2017 est.) $10.56 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | refined petroleum, clothing and apparel, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, insulated wiring (2019) | refined petroleum, clothing and apparel, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, insulated wiring (2019) |
| Imports - partners | United States 27%, Mexico 12%, China 11%, Guatemala 9%, Costa Rica 7%, El Salvador 6%, Honduras 6% (2019) | United States 42%, China 10%, Guatemala 8%, El Salvador 8%, Mexico 6% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $11.674 billion (2019 est.) $11.771 billion (2018 est.) | $9.137 billion (2019 est.) $8.722 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 30.11 (2017 est.) 28.678 (2016 est.) 28.678 (2015 est.) 27.257 (2014 est.) 26.01 (2013 est.) | lempiras (HNL) per US dollar - 23.74 (2017 est.) 22.995 (2016 est.) 22.995 (2015 est.) 22.098 (2014 est.) 21.137 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 33.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 31.2% of GDP (2016 est.) note: official data; data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by Government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions; Nicaragua rebased its GDP figures in 2012, which reduced the figures for debt as a percentage of GDP | 39.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 38.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $2.758 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $2.448 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.708 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $3.814 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$694 million (2017 est.) -$989 million (2016 est.) | -$380 million (2017 est.) -$587 million (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $12.57 billion (2019 est.) | $25.145 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: B- (2018) Moody's rating: B3 (2020) Standard & Poors rating: B- (2018) | Moody's rating: B1 (2017) Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2017) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 54.4 (2020) Starting a Business score: 79.6 (2020) Trading score: 77 (2020) Enforcement score: 58.6 (2020) | Overall score: 56.3 (2020) Starting a Business score: 71.4 (2020) Trading score: 64.3 (2020) Enforcement score: 44.2 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 28% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 8.5% male: 6.4% female: 12.9% (2014 est.) | total: 10.9% male: 7.6% female: 17.6% (2019 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 69.9% (2017 est.) government consumption: 15.3% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.1% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.7% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 41.2% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -55.4% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 77.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 13.8% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.1% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.7% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 43.6% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -58.9% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 22.6% of GDP (2019 est.) 21.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 22.4% of GDP (2017 est.) | 22% of GDP (2019 est.) 20.5% of GDP (2018 est.) 23.6% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 4.454 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 8.501 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 3.59 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 7.22 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 17.87 million kWh (2016 est.) | 536 million kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 205 million kWh (2016 est.) | 195 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 16,180 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 0 cu m (1 January 2015 est.) | 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 1.551 million kW (2016 est.) | 2.546 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 56% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 40% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 25% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 35% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 34% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 14,720 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 37,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 59,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 460 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 12,870 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 20,120 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 56,120 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 97% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 99.2% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 92% (2019) | electrification - total population: 81% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 91% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 68% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 228,782 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3.73 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 490,103 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5.38 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 5,788,432 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 94.46 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 7,559,829 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 82.92 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .ni | .hn |
| Internet users | total: 1,695,340 percent of population: 27.86% (July 2018 est.) | total: 2,853,505 percent of population: 31.7% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: with authoritarian government, weak public institutions, and impoverished citizenry, Nicaragua's telecom system is dependent on upgrades through foreign investment, primarily from Russia and China; World Bank funded national fiber broadband network and links to Caribbean submarine cables; Chinese-financed projects, including airport, oil pipeline, and roads in process; nearly all installed telecom capacity now uses financed digital technology; lowest fixed-line tele-density and mobile penetration in Central America; Internet cafes provide access to Internet and email services; rural areas lack access to most basic telecom infrastructure; LTE service in dozens of towns and cities; importer of broadcasting equipment and computers from China (2021) (2020)domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved; fixed-line teledensity roughly 4 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased to 88 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 505; landing point for the ARCOS fiber-optic submarine cable which provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: among the poorest countries in Central America, Honduras has a neglected telecom sector complicated by political stalemate and geographic challenges; mobile subscribership is growing; DSL and cable Internet available in urban areas but expensive; government proposed ICT master plan to boost e-government and business, including free Internet to households; US based network ready to deploy 5G (2021) (2020)domestic: private sub-operators allowed to provide fixed lines in order to expand telephone coverage contributing to a small increase in fixed-line teledensity 5 per 100; mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 73 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 504; landing points for both the ARCOS and the MAYA-1 fiber-optic submarine cable systems that together provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 217,618 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3.55 (2019 est.) | total: 390,377 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4.28 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | multiple terrestrial TV stations, supplemented by cable TV in most urban areas; nearly all are government-owned or affiliated; more than 300 radio stations, both government-affiliated and privately owned (2019) | multiple privately owned terrestrial TV networks, supplemented by multiple cable TV networks; Radio Honduras is the lone government-owned radio network; roughly 300 privately owned radio stations |
Transportation
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Roadways | total: 23,897 km (2014) paved: 3,346 km (2014) unpaved: 20,551 km (2014) | total: 14,742 km (2012) paved: 3,367 km (2012) unpaved: 11,375 km (1,543 km summer only) (2012) note: an additional 8,951 km of non-official roads used by the coffee industry |
| Waterways | 2,220 km (navigable waterways as well as the use of the large Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua; rivers serve only the sparsely populated eastern part of the country) (2011) | 465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2012) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Bluefields, Corinto | major seaport(s): La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela |
| Merchant marine | total: 5 by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 1, other 3 (2020) | total: 514 by type: general cargo 246, oil tanker 83, other 185 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 147 (2013) | total: 103 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 12 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2017) under 914 m: 4 (2017) | total: 13 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2017) under 914 m: 3 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 135 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 15 (2013) under 914 m: 119 (2013) | total: 90 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 16 (2013) under 914 m: 73 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 7 | number of registered air carriers: 4 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 26 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 251,149 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 450,000 mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | YN | HR |
Military
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Army of Nicaragua (Ejercito de Nicaragua, EN): Land Forces (Fuerza Terrestre); Naval Forces (Fuerza Naval); Air Forces (Fuerza Aérea); Special Operations Command (Comando de Operaciones Especiales) (2021) | Honduran Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, FFAA): Army (Ejercito), Honduran Naval Force (FNH; includes marines), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH), Honduran Public Order Military Police (PMOP); Security Secretariat: Public Security Forces (includes Honduran National Police paramilitary units) (2021) note - the PMOP reports to military authorities, but conducts operations sanctioned by civilian security officials as well as by military leaders |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; tour of duty 18-36 months; requires Nicaraguan nationality and 6th-grade education (2019) | 18 years of age for voluntary 2- to 3-year military service; no conscription (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.7% of GDP (2019) 0.6% of GDP (2018) 0.6% of GDP (2017) 0.5% of GDP (2016) 0.8% of GDP (2015) | 1.6% of GDP (2019) 1.6% of GDP (2018) 1.7% of GDP (2017) 1.7% of GDP (2016) 1.7% of GDP (2015) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Army of Nicaragua has approximately 12,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 800 Navy; 1,200 Air Force) (2021) | the Honduran Armed Forces (FFAA) have approximately 16,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,500 Navy, including about 1,000 marines; 2,000 Air Force; 5,000 Public Order Military Police); approximately 18,000 National Police (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Nicaraguan military's inventory includes mostly second-hand Russian/Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, Russia is the leading arms supplier to Nicaragua (2020) | the FFAA's inventory is comprised of mostly older imported equipment from Israel, the UK, and the US; since 2010, Honduras has received limited amounts of military equipment from Colombia, Israel, Netherlands, Taiwan, and the US (2020) |
Transnational Issues
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; Nicaragua and Costa Rica regularly file border dispute cases over the delimitations of the San Juan River and the northern tip of Calero Island to the ICJ; there is an ongoing case in the ICJ to determine Pacific and Atlantic ocean maritime borders as well as land borders; in 2009, the ICJ ruled that Costa Rican vessels carrying out police activities could not use the river, but official Costa Rican vessels providing essential services to riverside inhabitants and Costa Rican tourists could travel freely on the river; in 2011, the ICJ provisionally ruled that both countries must remove personnel from the disputed area; in 2013, the ICJ rejected Nicaragua's 2012 suit to halt Costa Rica's construction of a highway paralleling the river on the grounds of irreparable environmental damage; in 2013, the ICJ, regarding the disputed territory, ordered that Nicaragua should refrain from dredging or canal construction and refill and repair damage caused by trenches connecting the river to the Caribbean and upheld its 2010 ruling that Nicaragua must remove all personnel; in early 2014, Costa Rica brought Nicaragua to the ICJ over offshore oil concessions in the disputed region; Nicaragua filed a case against Colombia in 2013 over the delimitation of the Continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical miles from the Nicaraguan coast, as well as over the alleged violation by Colombia of Nicaraguan maritime space in the Caribbean Sea | International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border in 1992 with final settlement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims the Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize in its constitution, but agreed to a joint ecological park around the cays should Guatemala consent to a maritime corridor in the Caribbean under the OAS-sponsored 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing | transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering activity |
Environment
| Nicaragua | Honduras | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 16.87 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 5.59 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 6.46 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 20.12 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 9.81 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 7.72 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 286 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 73.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.185 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 315 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 114 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.178 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 1.26% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.91% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,528,816 tons (2010 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,162,028 tons (2016 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
