CapitalTegucigalpa
Population9,529,188
Area112,090 km²
GDP per capita$6,600
LanguagesSpanish , Amerindian dialects
Currencylempiras
Life Expectancy73.1 yr
Governmentpresidential republic
Introduction
Background
Honduras, which was once a significant part of Spain's extensive empire in the Americas, achieved independence in 1821. Following a period of military governance lasting over twenty-five years, a democratically elected civilian administration took office in 1982. Throughout the 1980s, Honduras served as a refuge for the anti-Sandinista contras opposed to the Marxist government in Nicaragua, as well as a supporter of Salvadoran government forces engaged in combat against leftist guerrillas. The country was struck by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, resulting in approximately 5,600 fatalities and damages estimated at around $2 billion. Since that time, the economy has gradually recovered, although it faced challenges due to COVID-19 and severe weather events in 2020 and 2021.
Geography
Area
land
111,890 sq km
water
200 sq km
total
112,090 sq km
Climate
subtropical in the low-lying regions, temperate in the mountainous areas
Terrain
predominantly mountainous in the central region, with narrow coastal plains
Land use
other
14.8% (2023 est.)
forest
53.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
32% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Central America, it is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the east, lies between Guatemala and Nicaragua, and borders the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean) to the south, situated between El Salvador and Nicaragua
Coastline
823 km (Caribbean Sea 669 km; Gulf of Fonseca 163 km)
Elevation
lowest point
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point
Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
mean elevation
684 m
Irrigated land
900 sq km (2012)
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
1,575 km
border countries
Guatemala: 244 km; El Salvador: 391 km; Nicaragua: 940 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
natural extension of territory or to 200 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
earthquakes occur frequently, typically of mild intensity; highly vulnerable to destructive hurricanes and floods, especially along the Caribbean coastline
Geography - note
features a brief Pacific coastline yet boasts an extensive Caribbean coast, which includes the largely uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast
Natural resources
resources include timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, and hydropower
Area - comparative
marginally larger than the state of Tennessee
Geographic coordinates
15 00 N, 86 30 W
Population distribution
the majority of the population resides in the mountainous western section; Honduras stands out as the sole Central American country with an urban demographic spread across two major urban centers, namely the capital Tegucigalpa and the city of San Pedro Sula; the northern Rio Ulua valley represents the only area of dense population in lowland regions
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s)
Laguna de Caratasca - 1,110 sq km
People & Society
Literacy
male
87.6% (2024 est.)
female
88.8% (2024 est.)
total population
88.2% (2024 est.)
Languages
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.
Religions
Evangelical 55%, Roman Catholic 33.4%, no religion 10.1%, unspecified 1.5% (2023 estimate)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.91 male(s)/female
total population
0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.77 male(s)/female
Birth rate
19.7 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
24.8 years
total
26.1 years (2025 est.)
female
26.6 years
Population
male
4,591,247
total
9,529,188 (2024 est.)
female
4,937,941
Nationality
noun
Honduran(s)
adjective
Honduran
Tobacco use
male
22.2% (2025 est.)
total
11.9% (2025 est.)
female
1.6% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
60.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
28.7% (male 1,378,026/female 1,353,238)
15-64 years
65.7% (male 2,980,393/female 3,282,159)
65 years and over
5.6% (2024 est.) (male 232,828/female 302,544)
Ethnic groups
Mestizo (a blend of Indigenous and European ancestry) 90%, Indigenous 7%, of African descent 2%, White 1%
Child marriage
men married by age 18
10% (2019)
women married by age 15
9.2% (2019)
women married by age 18
34% (2019)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
52.2 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
43.6 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
11.7 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
8.5 (2024 est.)
Physician density
0.49 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
9.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
14.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 90.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 95.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 9.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 4.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
23.2% national budget (2018 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
17.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total
15.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
13.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
1.28% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.13 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
a majority of inhabitants reside in the mountainous western region of the nation; Honduras stands out as the sole Central American country where the urban demographic is split between two major hubs, namely the capital, Tegucigalpa, and the city of San Pedro Sula; the northern Rio Ulua valley is the sole densely populated lowland area
Life expectancy at birth
male
69.6 years
female
76.8 years
total population
73.1 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
47 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 88.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 93.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 96.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 11.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 6.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 3.4% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
1.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
2.73 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
1.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.568 million TEGUCIGALPA (capital), 982,000 San Pedro Sula (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
21.4% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
20.3 years (2011/12 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
54.4% (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
7.1% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
9 years (2019 est.)
total
10 years (2019 est.)
female
10 years (2019 est.)
Environment
Climate
subtropical in the lowland areas, temperate in the mountainous regions
Land use
other
14.8% (2023 est.)
forest
53.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
32% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 9.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 5.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 17.5% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
60.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.48% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
2.162 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
10.3% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
deforestation due to logging and agricultural expansion; land degradation and soil erosion resulting from overdevelopment and inadequate land management; mining operations contaminating Lago de Yojoa (the largest freshwater source in the country) as well as other rivers and streams
Total water withdrawal
municipal
315 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
114 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
1.178 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
10.534 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
324,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
10.21 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
19.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
92.164 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental 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
Government
Flag
description: consists of three equal horizontal stripes in cerulean blue (top), white, and cerulean blue, adorned with five five-pointed cerulean stars arranged in an "X" formation and positioned centrally within the white band.
meaning: these stars symbolize the entities of the former Federal Republic of Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; the blue signifies the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while white represents the land along with the peace and prosperity of its people.
Capital
name
Tegucigalpa
etymology
the term comes from Nahuatl, meaning "silver mountain," likely referencing the nearby silver mines.
time difference
UTC-6 (one hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
14 06 N, 87 13 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
yes
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
1 to 3 years
Constitution
history
multiple prior versions; the most recent was approved on 11 January 1982, becoming effective on 20 January 1982.
amendment process
proposed by the National Congress with a vote of at least two-thirds of its members; for passage, it requires a two-thirds majority in Congress during its subsequent annual session; certain constitutional articles, including those regarding the government structure, national sovereignty, presidential terms, and amendment procedures, are immutable.
Country name
etymology
the name means "depths" in Spanish and refers to the deep anchorage in the northern Bay of Trujillo
local long form
República de Honduras
local short form
Honduras
conventional long form
Republic of Honduras
conventional short form
Honduras
Independence
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Legal system
civil law framework
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court of Justice, or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consisting of 15 principal judges, including the court president, and 6 alternate judges; the court is divided into civil, criminal, constitutional, and labor chambers)
subordinate courts
courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace
judge selection and term of office
the court president is elected by fellow judges; judges are appointed by the National Congress from candidates put forth by the Nominating Board, which comprises a diverse group of 7 judicial and governmental officials nominated by their respective organizations; judges serve renewable terms of 7 years as elected by Congress.
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by president
chief of state
President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)
election results
2025: Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah elected president; percent of vote - Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah (PNH) 40.3%, Salvador NASRALLA (PL) 39.5%, Rixi Ramona MONCADA Godoy (LIBRE) 19.2%; note - ASFURA will take office 27 January 2026
2021: Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya elected president; percent of vote - Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (LIBRE) 51.1%, Nasry Juan ASFURA Zablah (PNH) 36.9%, Yani Benjamin ROSENTHAL Hidalgo (PL) 10%, other 2%
2017: Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado reelected president; percent of vote - Juan Orlando HERNANDEZ Alvarado (PNH) 43%, Salvador NASRALLA (Alianza de Oposicion contra la Dictadura) 41.4%, Luis Orlando ZELAYA Medrano (PL) 14.7%, other 0.9%
head of government
President Iris Xiomara CASTRO de Zelaya (since 27 January 2022)
most recent election date
30 November 2025
election/appointment process
president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term
expected date of next election
25 November 2029
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
National color(s)
blue, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Maya Site of Copan (c); Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (n)
Political parties
Anti-Corruption Party or PAC
Christian Democratic Party or DC
Democratic Liberation of Honduras or Liderh
Democratic Unification Party or UD
The Front or El Frente
Honduran Patriotic Alliance or AP
Innovation and Unity Party or PINU
Liberal Party or PL
Liberty and Refoundation Party or LIBRE
National Party of Honduras or PNH
New Route or NR
Opposition Alliance against the Dictatorship or Alianza de Oposicion contra la Dictadura (electoral coalition)
Savior Party of Honduras or PSH
Vamos or Let’s Go
We Are All Honduras (Todos Somos Honduras) or TSH
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
128 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
11/30/2025
expected date of next election
November 2029
percentage of women in chamber
27.3%
parties elected and seats per party
Liberty and Refoundation Party (LIBRE) (50); National Party (PN) (44); Liberal Party (PL) (22); Salvador de Honduras Party (PSH) (10); Other (2)
National anthem(s)
title
"Himno Nacional de Honduras" (National Anthem of Honduras)
history
adopted in 1915; the anthem's seven verses recount the history of Honduras; during official events, only the chorus and the final verse are performed.
lyrics/music
Augusto Constancio COELLO/Carlos HARTLING
National symbol(s)
scarlet macaw, white-tailed deer
Administrative divisions
18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlántida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazán, Gracias a Dios, Intibucá, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 966-9751
chancery
1220 19th Street NW, Suite #320, Washington, DC 20036
telephone
[1] (202) 966-7702
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Leonardo VALENZUELA NEDA (since 10 June 2025)
consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte (NC), Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, McAllen (TX), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Seattle
email address and website
[email protected]
https://hondurasembusa.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[504] 2236-9037
embassy
Avenida La Paz, Tegucigalpa M.D.C.
telephone
[504] 2236-9320,
mailing address
3480 Tegucigalpa Place, Washington DC 20521-3480
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Colleen Anne HOEY (since 23 June 2025)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://hn.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACS, 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, UNHRC, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO (suspended), WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$5.333 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures
$6.391 billion (2020 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$9.51 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$9.805 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$9.352 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$18.101 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$17.926 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$18.235 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
processing of sugar, coffee, woven and knitted clothing, wood products, cigars
Labor force
4.296 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2016
38.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
27% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
26.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
25.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
lempiras (HNL) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
24.582 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
24.017 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
24.486 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
24.602 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
24.799 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$7.785 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
the second-fastest-growing economy in Central America; the impact of COVID-19 and two hurricanes severely affected activities; high levels of poverty and inequality; persistent but decreasing violent crime; systemic corruption; exporter of coffee and bananas; significant remittances
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
8.8% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
6.1% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
6.1% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
USA 49%, Nicaragua 8%, El Salvador 7%, Guatemala 5%, Mexico 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
USA 36%, China 14%, Guatemala 8%, Mexico 6%, El Salvador 6% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$6,400 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$6,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$6,600 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
4.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
3.6% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
3.6% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
sugarcane, oil palm fruit, maize, milk, bananas, coffee, cantaloupes/melons, oranges, chicken, beans (2023)
Exports - commodities
garments, coffee, insulated wire, palm oil, shellfish (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cotton yarn, garments, trucks, packaged medicine (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$2.157 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$1.368 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
-$1.711 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
15.1% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$37.094 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
86% (2024 est.)
government consumption
15.5% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
-1.4% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
23.9% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
33.5% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-57.6% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
64.1% (2023 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
31.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
4.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
9.1% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
6.7% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
4.6% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
0.8% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$66.473 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$68.85 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$71.297 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
7.9% (2024 est.)
total
10.5% (2024 est.)
female
15.9% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$8.41 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$7.543 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$8.036 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
26.1% (2024 est.)
services
58.4% (2024 est.)
agriculture
11.2% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
1.1% (2023 est.)
highest 10%
33% (2023 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2023
46.8 (2023 est.)
Energy
Coal
imports
148,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
144,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
20 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
71,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
exports
4 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports
214.601 million kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
8.303 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
3.334 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
3.617 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
86.8%
electrification - urban areas
100%
electrification - total population
94.4% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
16.642 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
5.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
8.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
geothermal
3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
38.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
33.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
10.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
58% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
several privately operated terrestrial television networks, along with various cable television networks; Radio Honduras serves as the state-operated radio network; approximately 300 privately owned radio stations exist (2019)
Internet country code
.hn
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
444,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
4 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
7.92 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
76 (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
476,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
4 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
1
medium
0
key ports
Coxen Hole, La Ceiba, Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, Puerto de Hencan, Puerto Este, Tela, Trujillo
very small
7
total ports
8 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
3
Airports
129 (2025)
Railways
total
699 km (2014)
narrow gauge
164 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Heliports
6 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
489 (2023)
by type
general cargo 233, oil tanker 82, other 174
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
HR
Military & Security
Military - note
The Honduran Armed Forces (FFAA) are tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding the nation's territory, defending its sovereignty, delivering emergency and humanitarian aid, and providing support to the National Police (PNH). The primary emphasis of the FFAA is on internal and border security. Since 2011, a significant portion of their resources has been allocated to assist the PNH in the fight against narcotics trafficking and organized crime. The military's involvement in domestic security was further strengthened by the establishment of the Military Police of Public Order (PMOP) in 2013, aimed at securing areas dominated by street gangs to reduce crime and facilitate arrests. The FFAA, along with the PMOP, collaborates with the armed forces of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua to enhance border security.
Additionally, the FFAA has benefited from military equipment, training, humanitarian aid, and technical support from the United States military. A joint service task force from the US military operates alongside the FFAA at Soto Cano Air Base (2025).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2020
1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military and security forces
Honduran Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, FFAA): Army (Ejercito), Honduran Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Hondurena, FNH; which includes marines), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH), and Honduran Military Police of Public Order (Policía Militar del Orden Público or PMOP) (2025).
Military service age and obligation
Eligibility for voluntary military service ranges from 18 to 22 years of age for both men and women; the service obligation lasts between 24 to 36 months; conscription is not practiced (2026).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The inventory of the FFAA consists of a combination of older or secondhand equipment along with a limited number of more modern assets. The primary supplier of military equipment is the United States, while other suppliers include Colombia, Israel, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
The active personnel of the Honduran Armed Forces is approximately 15,000 (2025).
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
USG identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs
100,637 (2024 est.)
refugees
341 (2024 est.)
