Honduras

Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, has an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, and high unemployment. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports, notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural disasters and shifts in commodity prices. The country still has not recovered from Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which caused $2 billion in damages, and in which over 5,600 people were reported dead or missing. Almost all -- 90 percent -- of its bridges and highway system were damaged or completely destroyed. Hardest hit was its agricultural sector. It suffered a devastating blow that to this date has yet to recover. Honduras has become increasingly dependent on the world community for assistance in combating hunger, starvation, malnutrition and poverty. Unemployment, gang violence and abandonment of children by families with scarce resources also contribute to its overall landscape. Malnutrition is widespread in Honduras and infant and child mortality rates are high. Major diseases that affect Hondurans include malaria, typhoid, influenza, tuberculosis and pneumonia. Honduras has also now been categorized as the highest country in Central America with infections of HIV/AIDS.

Food For The Poor Projects in Honduras

Food For The Poor has 30 projects underway or completed in Honduras. Key projects focus on different development aspects:

Since 2007, 450 houses have been built for the poor.
There are eight tilapia, shrimp and pangasius projects in different regions.
There are five water projects supplying clean water through wells, filtration and other systems.

Fast Facts Page

Honduras Press Releases

FFP rushes aid to flood victims in Honduras

FFP & ICDF Honduras Partnership Yields Results

Food For The Poor and CEPUDO partner on projects

General Information - Honduras

Area - 43,278 sq. miles (slightly larger than Tennessee)
Population - 7,792,854
Capital - Tegucigalpa
Independence Day, Sept. 15 (1821) from Spain
Languages - (Spanish, Amerindian dialects)
Religion - Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%
Currency - Lempira (L) 19 lempiras = $1 US
Unemployment - 28% (2005 est.)
Literacy rate - Total population: 80% | Male: 79.8% | Female: 80.2% (Defined: age 15 and over can read and write), (2001 census)

Honduras Demographics

By Age: (2009 est.)

0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,514,544/female 1,451,862)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 2,278,508/female 2,267,527)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 125,991/female 154,422)

Infant Mortality: (2009 est.)

Total: 24.03 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 20.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Median Age: (2008 est.)

Total: 20.3 years
Male: 20 years
Female: 20.7 years

Life Expectancy: (2009 est.)

Total population: 69.4 years
Male: 67.86 years
Female: 71.02 years

Honduras History

Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage.