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Compare Honduras (2005) - Costa Rica (2007)

Compare Honduras (2005) z Costa Rica (2007)

 Honduras (2005)Costa Rica (2007)
 HondurasCosta Rica
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 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure 0-14 years: 40.8% (male 1,452,646/female 1,393,271)


15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,921,432/female 1,948,656)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 122,146/female 137,053) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 27.8% (male 587,395/female 560,408)


15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,388,114/female 1,357,157)


65 years and over: 5.8% (male 111,758/female 129,052) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports 115 (2004 est.) 151 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 11


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 36


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 21


under 914 m: 11 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 104


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 18


under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)
total: 115


914 to 1,523 m: 19


under 914 m: 96 (2007)
Area total: 112,090 sq km


land: 111,890 sq km


water: 200 sq km
total: 51,100 sq km


land: 50,660 sq km


water: 440 sq km


note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative slightly larger than Tennessee slightly smaller than West Virginia
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. Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
Birth rate 30.38 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 18.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.467 billion


expenditures: $1.722 billion, including capital expenditures of $106 million (2004 est.)
revenues: $3.129 billion


expenditures: $3.282 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Tegucigalpa name: San Jose


geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W


time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline 820 km 1,290 km
Constitution 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995 7 November 1949
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Honduras


conventional short form: Honduras


local long form: Republica de Honduras


local short form: Honduras
conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica


conventional short form: Costa Rica


local long form: Republica de Costa Rica


local short form: Costa Rica
Death rate 6.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 4.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $5.365 billion (September 2004 est.) $6.332 billion (2006 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER


embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa


mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa


telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320


FAX: [504] 236-9037
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE


embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose


mailing address: APO AA 34020


telephone: [506] 519-2000


FAX: [506] 519-2305
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)


chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702


FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco


honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville
chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS


chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945


FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Hammond (temporary location in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC


consulate(s): San Francisco
Disputes - international in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, but despite OAS intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full demarcation of the border remains stalled; 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 Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize, but agreed to creation of a joint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum, which the OAS is attempting to revive; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex dispute over islands and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea in September 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the ICJ to advocate the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels using the Río San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty
Economic aid - recipient $557.8 million (1999) -
Economy - overview Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country has met most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program in February 2004. Growth remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest trading partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on reduction of the high crime rate. Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has remained at roughly 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on government expenditures. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The estimated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans estimated to be in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of (mostly unskilled) labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. Reducing inflation remains a difficult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. The current administration has made it a priority to pass the necessary reforms to implement the US-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA implementation would result in an improved investment climate.
Electricity - consumption 3.771 billion kWh (2002) 7.776 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 16 million kWh (2002) 70 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 415 million kWh (2002) 81 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 3.626 billion kWh (2002) 8.349 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m
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 and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1% white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates lempiras per US dollar - 18.206 (2004), 17.345 (2003), 16.433 (2002), 15.474 (2001), 14.839 (2000) Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November 2005)


election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president - 52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%
chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President (vacant)


cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president


elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)


election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of vote - Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUEVARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3%
Exports NA NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners US 54.4%, El Salvador 8.1%, Germany 5.9%, Guatemala 5.4% (2004) US 27.4%, Netherlands 12.2%, China 11.7%, UK 6.2%, Mexico 5.8% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue, 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; 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 word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 12.7%


industry: 32.1%


services: 55.3% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 8.7%


industry: 28.9%


services: 62.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 4.2% (2004 est.) 7.9% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 00 N, 86 30 W 10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65
Highways total: 13,603 km


paved: 2,775 km


unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.6%


highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 37.4% (2003)
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 transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; significant consumption of amphetamines
Imports NA NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000) raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners US 37.5%, Guatemala 6.9%, Mexico 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.3%, El Salvador 4% (2004) US 41.2%, Venezuela 5.4%, Mexico 5.2%, Ireland 5%, Japan 4.9%, Brazil 4.3%, China 4.1% (2006)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 7.7% (2003 est.) 8.4% (2006 est.)
Industries sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate total: 29.32 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 32.84 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 25.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 9.45 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7% (2004 est.) 11.5% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 760 sq km (1998 est.) 1,080 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress) Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force 2.47 million (2004 est.) 1.874 million


note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.) agriculture: 20%


industry: 22%


services: 58% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,520 km


border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km
total: 639 km


border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use arable land: 9.55%


permanent crops: 3.22%


other: 87.23% (2001)
arable land: 4.4%


permanent crops: 5.87%


other: 89.73% (2005)
Languages Spanish, Amerindian dialects Spanish (official), English
Legal system rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats; members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PN 61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, other 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.3 years


male: 67.71 years


female: 70.97 years (2005 est.)
total population: 77.21 years


male: 74.61 years


female: 79.94 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 76.2%


male: 76.1%


female: 76.3% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 95.9%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
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 both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
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 nm
Merchant marine total: 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 598,600 GRT/616,158 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 67, chemical tanker 6, container 2, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 44 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 1, Greece 4, Hong Kong 2, Israel 1, Japan 4, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Singapore 12, South Korea 6, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, Turkey 1, United States 2, Vanuatu 1, Vietnam 1)


registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,058 GRT/255 DWT


by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2007)
Military branches Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $100.6 million (2004) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.4% (2004) 0.4% (2006)
National holiday Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun: Honduran(s)


adjective: Honduran
noun: Costa Rican(s)


adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower hydropower
Net migration rate -1.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - refined products 242 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Juan Ramon VELAZQUEZ Nassar]; Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Jose Celin DISCUA Elvir]; United Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA CRUZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos AVENDANO]; Nationalist Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VILLALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic Union or UP [Humberto ARCE Salas]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis FILMAN]; Union for Change Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel]
Political pressure groups and leaders Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Costa Rican Exporter's Chamber or CADEXCO; Costa Rican Solidarity Movement; Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO]; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; National Association of Public and Private Employees or ANEP [Albino VARGAS]; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN]
Population 6,975,204


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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
4,133,884 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 53% (1993 est.) 18% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 2.16% (2005 est.) 1.412% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela -
Radio broadcast stations AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998) AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)
Railways total: 699 km


narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)
total: 278 km


narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge


note: none of the railway network is in use (2007)
Religions Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3% Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.866 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: inadequate system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service; state-run monopoly provider is struggling with the demand for new lines, resulting in long waiting times


domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available


international: country code - 506; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable and the MAYA-1 submarine cable that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 322,500 (2002) 1.351 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 326,500 (2002) 1.444 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997) 20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)
Terrain mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate 3.87 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 28.5% (2004 est.) 6.6% (2006 est.)
Waterways 465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2004) 730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2007)
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