Honduras vs. Guatemala
Introduction
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. 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. | The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the internal conflict. |
Geography
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua | Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize |
| Geographic coordinates | 15 00 N, 86 30 W | 15 30 N, 90 15 W |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Area | total: 112,090 sq km land: 111,890 sq km water: 200 sq km | total: 108,889 sq km land: 107,159 sq km water: 1,730 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Tennessee | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,575 km border countries (3): Guatemala 244 km, El Salvador 391 km, Nicaragua 940 km | total: 1,667 km border countries (4): Belize 266 km, El Salvador 199 km, Honduras 244 km, Mexico 958 km |
| Coastline | 823 km (Caribbean Sea 669 km, Gulf of Fonseca 163 km) | 400 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate | subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains | tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands |
| Terrain | mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains | two east-west trending mountain chains divide the country into three regions: the mountainous highlands, the Pacific coast south of mountains, and the vast northern Peten lowlands |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m mean elevation: 684 m | highest point: Volcan Tajumulco (highest point in Central America) 4,220 m lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 759 m |
| Natural resources | timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower | petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower |
| Land use | 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.) | agricultural land: 41.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 14.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 18.2% (2018 est.) forest: 33.6% (2018 est.) other: 25.2% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 900 sq km (2012) | 3,375 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast | numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under "Geography - note" |
| Environment - current issues | 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 | deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution |
| 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, 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 | party to: Antarctic Treaty, 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, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast | note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean respectively), there are no natural harbors on the west coast note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire |
| Total renewable water resources | 92.164 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 127.91 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | 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 | the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas |
Demographics
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 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 | 17,422,821 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 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.) | 0-14 years: 33.68% (male 2,944,145/female 2,833,432) 15-24 years: 19.76% (male 1,705,730/female 1,683,546) 25-54 years: 36.45% (male 3,065,933/female 3,186,816) 55-64 years: 5.41% (male 431,417/female 496,743) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 363,460/female 442,066) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 24.4 years male: 23.5 years female: 25.2 years (2020 est.) | total: 23.2 years male: 22.6 years female: 23.8 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 1.22% (2021 est.) | 1.62% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 18.19 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 22.79 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 4.67 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | 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.) | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | 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.) | total: 26.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.9 years male: 71.34 years female: 78.58 years (2021 est.) | total population: 72.63 years male: 70.59 years female: 74.77 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 2.05 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 2.67 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.2% (2020 est.) | 0.2% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran | noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan |
| Ethnic groups | Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, African descent 2%, White 1% | Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) 56%, Maya 41.7%, Xinca (Indigenous, non-Maya) 1.8%, African descent 0.2%, Garifuna (mixed West and Central African, Island Carib, and Arawak) 0.1%, foreign 0.2% (2018 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 22,000 (2020 est.) | 33,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 41%, atheist 1%, other 2%, none 9% (2014 est.) | Roman Catholic 41.7%, Evangelical 38.8%, other 2.7%, atheist 0.1%, none 13.8%, unspecified 2.9% (2018 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <1000 (2020 est.) | 1,200 <1,000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | 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. | Spanish (official) 69.9%, Maya languages 29.7% (Q'eqchi' 8.3%, K'iche 7.8%, Mam 4.4%, Kaqchikel 3%, Q'anjob'al 1.2%, Poqomchi' 1%, other 4%), other 0.4% (includes Xinca and Garifuna); note - the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna (2018 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. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.2% male: 87.1% female: 87.3% (2016) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.5% male: 87.4% female: 76.3% (2015) |
| 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 |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 11 years (2017) | total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2015) |
| Education expenditures | 6.1% of GDP (2018) | 3.2% of GDP (2019) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 59% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 52.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 2.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | 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.) | improved: urban: 97.9% of population rural: 92.2% of population total: 95.2% of population unimproved: urban: 2.1% of population rural: 7.8% of population total: 4.8% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | 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.) | improved: urban: 91.4% of population rural: 61.7% of population total: 76.7% of population unimproved: urban: 8.6% of population rural: 38.3% of population total: 23.3% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.485 million TEGUCIGALPA (capital), 929,000 San Pedro Sula (2021) | 2.983 million GUATEMALA CITY (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 65 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 95 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 7.1% (2011/12) | 12.4% (2014/15) |
| Health expenditures | 7.1% (2018) | 5.7% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.31 physicians/1,000 population (2017) | 0.36 physicians/1,000 population (2018) |
| Hospital bed density | 0.6 beds/1,000 population (2017) | 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 21.4% (2016) | 21.2% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 20.3 years (2011/12 est.) note: median age a first birth among women 25-49 | 20.6 years (2014/15 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-49 |
| Demographic profile | 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. | Guatemala is a predominantly poor country that struggles in several areas of health and development, including infant, child, and maternal mortality, malnutrition, literacy, and contraceptive awareness and use. The country's large indigenous population is disproportionately affected. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and has the highest fertility rate in Latin America. It also has the highest population growth rate in Latin America, which is likely to continue because of its large reproductive-age population and high birth rate. Almost half of Guatemala's population is under age 19, making it the youngest population in Latin America. Guatemala's total fertility rate has slowly declined during the last few decades due in part to limited government-funded health programs. However, the birth rate is still more close to three children per woman and is markedly higher among its rural and indigenous populations. Guatemalans have a history of emigrating legally and illegally to Mexico, the United States, and Canada because of a lack of economic opportunity, political instability, and natural disasters. Emigration, primarily to the United States, escalated during the 1960 to 1996 civil war and accelerated after a peace agreement was signed. Thousands of Guatemalans who fled to Mexico returned after the war, but labor migration to southern Mexico continues. |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 73.2% (2011/12) | 60.6% (2014/15) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 55.2 youth dependency ratio: 47.5 elderly dependency ratio: 7.7 potential support ratio: 13 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 62.3 youth dependency ratio: 54.1 elderly dependency ratio: 8.2 potential support ratio: 12.2 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | 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 | conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala etymology: the Spanish conquistadors used many native Americans as allies in their conquest of Guatemala; the site of their first capital (established in 1524), a former Maya settlement, was called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of trees" or "forested land", but which the Spanish pronounced "Guatemala"; the Spanish applied that name to a re founded capital city three years later and eventually it became the name of the country |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | 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 | name: Guatemala City geographic coordinates: 14 37 N, 90 31 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the Spanish conquistadors used many native Americans as allies in their conquest of Guatemala; the site of their first capital (established in 1524), a former Maya settlement, was called "Quauhtemallan" by their Nahuatl-speaking Mexican allies, a name that means "land of trees" or "forested land", but which the Spanish pronounced "Guatemala"; the Spanish applied that name to a re founded capital city three years later and eventually it became the name of the country |
| Administrative divisions | 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 | 22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa |
| 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 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 | history: several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended and reinstated in 1994 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by agreement of 10 or more deputies of Congress, by the Constitutional Court, or by public petition of at least 5,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Congress membership and approval by public referendum, referred to as "popular consultation"; constitutional articles such as national sovereignty, the republican form of government, limitations on those seeking the presidency, or presidential tenure cannot be amended; amended 1993 |
| Legal system | civil law system | civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces and police by law cannot vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day |
| Executive branch | 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% | chief of state: President Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (since 14 January 2020); Vice President Cesar Guillermo CASTILLO Reyes (since 14 January 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (since 14 January 2020); Vice President Cesar Guillermo CASTILLO Reyes (since 14 January 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (not eligible for consecutive terms); election last held on 16 June 2019 with a runoff on 11 August 2019 (next to be held in June 2023) election results: 2019: Alejandro GIAMMATTEI elected president; percent of vote in first round - Sandra TORRES (UNE) 25.54%, Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 13.95%, Edmond MULET (PHG) 11.21%, Thelma CABRERA (MLP) 10.37%, Roberto ARZU (PAN-PODEMOS) 6.08%; percent of vote in second round - Alejandro GIAMMATTEI (VAMOS) 58%, Sandra TORRES (UNE) 42% 2015: Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera (FNC) 23.9%, Sandra TORRES (UNE) 19.8%, Manuel BALDIZON (LIDER) 19.6%, other 36.7%; percent of vote in second round - Jimmy Ernesto MORALES Cabrera 67.4%, Sandra TORRES 32.6% |
| Legislative branch | 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% | description: unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (160 seats; 128 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies in the country's 22 departments and 32 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote, using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 16 June 2019 (next to be held on June 2023) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UNE 53, VAMOS 16, UCN 12, VALOR 9, BIEN 8, FCN-NACION 8, SEMILLA 7, TODOS 7, VIVA 7, CREO 6, PHG 6, VICTORIA 4, Winaq 4, PC 3, PU 3, URNG 3, PAN 2, MLP 1, PODEMOS 1; composition - men 129, women 31, percent of women 19.4% |
| Judicial branch | 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 | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 13 magistrates, including the court president and organized into 3 chambers); note - the court president also supervises trial judges countrywide; Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad (consists of 5 titular magistrates and 5 substitute magistrates) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court magistrates elected by the Congress of the Republic from candidates proposed by the Postulation Committee, an independent body of deans of the country's university law schools, representatives of the country's law associations, and representatives of the Courts of Appeal; magistrates elected for concurrent, renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges - 1 elected by the Congress of the Republic, 1 by the Supreme Court, 1 by the president of the republic, 1 by the (public) University of San Carlos, and 1 by the Assembly of the College of Attorneys and Notaries; judges elected for renewable, consecutive 5-year terms; the presidency of the court rotates among the magistrates for a single 1-year term subordinate courts: numerous first instance and appellate courts |
| Political parties and leaders | 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] | Bienestar Nacional or BIEN [Alfonso PORTILLO and Evelyn MORATAYA] Citizen Alliance or AC Citizen Prosperity or PC [Dami Anita Elizabeth KRISTENSON Sales] Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO [Roberto GONZALEZ Diaz-Duran] Convergence [Sandra MORAN] Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENEGRO Cottom] Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] Force or FUERZA [Mauricio RADFORD] Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG [Gregorio CHAY Laynez] Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG [Edmond MULET] Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP [Thelma CABRERA] Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA [Thelma ALDANA] National Advancement Party or PAN [Harald JOHANNESSEN] National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION or FCN [Jimmy MORALES] National Unity for Hope or UNE [Sandra TORRES] Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA] Patriotic Party or PP PODEMOS [Jose Raul VIRGIL Arias] Political Movement Winaq or Winaq [Sonia GUTIERREZ Raguay] Reform Movement or MR Renewed Democratic Liberty or LIDER (dissolved mid-February 2016) TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Escobar] Value or VALOR [Zury RIOS] Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS [Alejandro GIAMMATTEI] Victory or VICTORIA [Amilcar RIVERA] Vision with Values or VIVA [Armando Damian CASTILLO Alvarado] note: parties represented in the last election, but have since dissolved - FCN (2017), LIDER (2016), and PP (2017) |
| International organization participation | 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 | BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | 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) | chief of mission: Ambassador Alfonso Jose QUINONEZ LEMUS (since 17 July 2020) chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4953 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 email address and website: infoembaguateeuu@minex.gob.gt consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Del Rio (TX), Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Providence (RI), Raleigh (NC), San Bernardino (CA), San Francisco, Seattle consulate(s): Lake Worth (FL), Silver Spring (MD), Tucson (AZ) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | 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/ | chief of mission: Ambassador William W. POPP (since 13 August 2020) embassy: Avenida Reforma 7-01, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: 3190 Guatemala Place, Washington DC 20521-3190 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654 email address and website: AmCitsGuatemala@state.gov https://gt.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | 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 | three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue, with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) representing liberty and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles signifying Guatemala's willingness to defend itself and a pair of crossed swords representing honor and framed by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory; the blue bands represent the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea; the white band denotes peace and purity note: one of only two national flags featuring a firearm, the other is Mozambique |
| National anthem | 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 | name: "Himno Nacional de Guatemala" (National Anthem of Guatemala) lyrics/music: Jose Joaquin PALMA/Rafael Alvarez OVALLE note: adopted 1897, modified lyrics adopted 1934; Cuban poet Jose Joaquin PALMA anonymously submitted lyrics to a public contest calling for a national anthem; his authorship was not discovered until 1911 |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | scarlet macaw, white-tailed deer; national colors: blue, white | quetzal (bird); national colors: blue, white |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 1 to 3 years | citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years with no absences of six consecutive months or longer or absences totaling more than a year |
Economy
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | 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. | Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly half the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13.5% of GDP and 31% of the labor force; key agricultural exports include sugar, coffee, bananas, and vegetables. Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemala's large expatriate community in the US. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to two-thirds of the country's exports and about a tenth of its GDP. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala has since pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA-DR has helped improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers, and poor infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 23% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up more than 40% of the population, averages 79%, with 40% of the indigenous population living in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $55.825 billion (2019 est.) $54.382 billion (2018 est.) $52.444 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $143.416 billion (2019 est.) $138.106 billion (2018 est.) $133.804 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.8% (2017 est.) 3.8% (2016 est.) 3.8% (2015 est.) | 2.8% (2017 est.) 3.1% (2016 est.) 4.1% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $5,728 (2019 est.) $5,672 (2018 est.) $5,562 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $8,637 (2019 est.) $8,448 (2018 est.) $8,317 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 14.2% (2017 est.) industry: 28.8% (2017 est.) services: 57% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 13.3% (2017 est.) industry: 23.4% (2017 est.) services: 63.2% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 48.3% (2018 est.) | 59.3% (2014 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 38.4% (2014) | lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 38.4% (2014) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.3% (2019 est.) 4.3% (2018 est.) 3.9% (2017 est.) | 3.7% (2019 est.) 3.7% (2018 est.) 4.4% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 3.735 million (2017 est.) | 6.664 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 39.2% industry: 20.9% services: 39.8% (2005 est.) | agriculture: 31.4% industry: 12.8% services: 55.8% (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% (2017 est.) 6.3% (2016 est.) note: about one-third of the people are underemployed | 2.3% (2017 est.) 2.4% (2016 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 52.1 (2018 est.) 45.7 (2009) | 48.3 (2014 est.) 56 (2011) |
| Budget | revenues: 4.658 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 5.283 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 8.164 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 9.156 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | sugar processing, coffee, woven and knit apparel, wood products, cigars | sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4.5% (2017 est.) | 1.8% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sugar cane, oil palm fruit, milk, bananas, maize, coffee, melons, oranges, poultry, beans | sugar cane, bananas, oil palm fruit, maize, melons, potatoes, milk, plantains, pineapples, rubber |
| Exports | $8.675 billion (2017 est.) $7.841 billion (2016 est.) | $11.12 billion (2017 est.) $10.58 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | clothing and apparel, coffee, insulated wiring, bananas, palm oil (2019) | bananas, raw sugar, coffee, cardamom, palm oil (2019) |
| Exports - partners | United States 53%, El Salvador 8%, Guatemala 5%, Nicaragua 5% (2019) | United States 33%, El Salvador 12%, Honduras 8%, Mexico 5%, Nicaragua 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $11.32 billion (2017 est.) $10.56 billion (2016 est.) | $17.11 billion (2017 est.) $15.77 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | refined petroleum, clothing and apparel, packaged medicines, broadcasting equipment, insulated wiring (2019) | refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicines, cars, delivery trucks (2019) |
| Imports - partners | United States 42%, China 10%, Guatemala 8%, El Salvador 8%, Mexico 6% (2019) | United States 36%, China 12%, Mexico 11%, El Salvador 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $9.137 billion (2019 est.) $8.722 billion (2018 est.) | $22.92 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $21.45 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | 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.) | quetzales (GTQ) per US dollar - 7.323 (2017 est.) 7.5999 (2016 est.) 7.5999 (2015 est.) 7.6548 (2014 est.) 7.7322 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 39.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 38.5% of GDP (2016 est.) | 24.7% of GDP (2017 est.) 24.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $4.708 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $3.814 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $11.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $9.156 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$380 million (2017 est.) -$587 million (2016 est.) | $1.134 billion (2017 est.) $1.023 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $25.145 billion (2019 est.) | $76.678 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Moody's rating: B1 (2017) Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2017) | Fitch rating: BB- (2020) Moody's rating: Ba1 (2010) Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2017) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 56.3 (2020) Starting a Business score: 71.4 (2020) Trading score: 64.3 (2020) Enforcement score: 44.2 (2020) | Overall score: 62.6 (2020) Starting a Business score: 86.8 (2020) Trading score: 77.2 (2020) Enforcement score: 34.5 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 10.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 10.9% male: 7.6% female: 17.6% (2019 est.) | total: 5% male: 3.7% female: 8.1% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | 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.) | household consumption: 86.3% (2017 est.) government consumption: 9.7% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 12.3% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -0.2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 18.8% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -26.9% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 22% of GDP (2019 est.) 20.5% of GDP (2018 est.) 23.6% of GDP (2017 est.) | 16.9% of GDP (2019 est.) 14.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 14.7% of GDP (2017 est.) |
Energy
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 8.501 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 12.12 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 7.22 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 10.1 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 536 million kWh (2015 est.) | 1.858 billion kWh (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 195 million kWh (2016 est.) | 747 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 9,600 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 9,383 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 83.07 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | 2.96 billion cu m (1 January 2006 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 | 2.546 million kW (2016 est.) | 4.605 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 40% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 41% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 25% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 31% 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 | 34% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 28% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 1,162 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 59,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 89,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 12,870 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 10,810 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 56,120 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 97,900 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 81% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 91% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 68% (2019) | electrification - total population: 92% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 99% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 85% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 490,103 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5.38 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 1,974,006 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.71 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 7,559,829 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 82.92 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 20,874,130 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123.83 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .hn | .gt |
| Internet users | total: 2,853,505 percent of population: 31.7% (July 2018 est.) | total: 10,777,827 percent of population: 65% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | 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 | general assessment: due to years of underinvestment in infrastructure, has one of the lowest fixed-line tele densities in the region; rural areas rely on mobile services with little access to fixed-line access; mobile tele-density on par with region and is the most developed sector, with near universal phone connections; private investment to bring free Internet to parks; two submarine cables due for completion will support growth in fixed and mobile broadband (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line teledensity roughly 11 per 100 persons; fixed-line investments are concentrating on improving rural connectivity; mobile-cellular teledensity about 119 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 502; landing points for the ARCOS, AMX-1, American Movil-Texius West Coast Cable and the SAm-1 fiber-optic submarine cable system that, together, provide connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 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 |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 390,377 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4.28 (2019 est.) | total: 506,000 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2017 est.) |
| Broadcast media | 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 | 4 privately owned national terrestrial TV channels dominate TV broadcasting; multi-channel satellite and cable services are available; 1 government-owned radio station and hundreds of privately owned radio stations (2019) |
Transportation
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 699 km (2014) narrow gauge: 164 km 1.067-m gauge (2014) 115 km 1.057-m gauge 420 km 0.914-m gauge | total: 800 km (2018) narrow gauge: 800 km 0.914-m gauge (2018) note: despite the existence of a railway network, all rail service was suspended in 2007 and no passenger or freight train currently runs in the country (2018) |
| Roadways | 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 | total: 17,621 km (2016) paved: 7,489 km (2016) unpaved: 10,132 km (includes 4,960 km of rural roads) (2016) |
| Waterways | 465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2012) | 990 km (260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season) (2012) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela | major seaport(s): Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla |
| Merchant marine | total: 514 by type: general cargo 246, oil tanker 83, other 185 (2020) | total: 8 by type: oil tanker 1, other 7 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 103 (2013) | total: 291 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | 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) | total: 16 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2017) under 914 m: 4 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 90 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 16 (2013) under 914 m: 73 (2013) | total: 275 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 77 (2013) under 914 m: 195 (2013) |
| National air transport system | 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) | number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 145,795 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 110,000 mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | HR | TG |
Military
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | 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 | Army of Guatemala (Ejercito de Guatemala): Land Forces (Fuerzas de Tierra), Naval Forces (Fuerza de Mar), and Air Force (Fuerza de Aire); Ministry of Interior: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil; includes paramilitary units) (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for voluntary 2- to 3-year military service; no conscription (2019) | all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are eligible for military service; in practice, most of the force is volunteer, however, a selective draft system is employed, resulting in a small portion of 17-21 year-olds conscripted; conscript service obligation varies from 1 to 2 years; women can serve as officers (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 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) | 0.4% of GDP (2019) 0.4% of GDP (2018) 0.4% of GDP (2017) 0.4% of GDP (2016) 0.4% of GDP (2015) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | 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) | information varies; approximately 21,500 active personnel (19,000 Land Forces; 1,500 Naval Forces; 1,000 Air Forces); approximately 30,000 National Civil Police (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | 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) | the Guatemalan military inventory is small and mostly comprised of older US equipment; since 2010, Guatemala has received small amounts of equipment from Canada, Colombia, Spain, Taiwan, and the US (2020) |
Transnational Issues
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | 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 | annual ministerial meetings under the Organization of American States-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; Guatemala persists in its territorial claim to half of Belize, but agrees to Line of Adjacency to keep Guatemalan squatters out of Belize's forested interior; both countries agreed in April 2012 to hold simultaneous referenda, scheduled for 6 October 2013, to decide whether to refer the dispute to the ICJ for binding resolution, but this vote was suspended indefinitely; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the US |
| Illicit drugs | 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 | major transit country for cocaine and heroin; it is estimated that 1,000 mt of cocaine are smuggled through the country each year, primarily destined for the US market; in 2016, the Guatamalan government estimated that an average of 4,500 hectares of opium poppy were being cultivated; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | IDPs: 247,000 (violence, extortion, threats, forced recruitment by urban gangs between 2004 and 2018) (2020) | IDPs: 242,000 (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2020) |
Environment
| Honduras | Guatemala | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | 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.) | particulate matter emissions: 23.59 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 16.78 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 10.7 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 315 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 114 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.178 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 835 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 603.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.886 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 0.91% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 0.78% 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: 2,162,028 tons (2016 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,756,741 tons (2015 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
