Country name
conventional long form : Republic of Honduras
conventional short form: Honduras
local long form: Republica de Honduras
local short form: Honduras

Data code HO

Government type republic

National capital Tegucigalpa

Administrative divisions 18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) plus probableCentral District (Tegucigalpa); Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan,Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas dela Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982

Legal system rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English commonlaw; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
chief of state: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994); FirstVice President General (Ret.) Walter LOPEZ; Second Vice President Juan DELA CRUZ Avelar; Third Vice President Guadeloupe JEREZANO; note - the presidentis both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez (since 27 January 1994) FirstVice President General (Ret.) Walter LOPEZ; Second Vice President Juan DELA CRUZ Avelar; Third Vice President Guadeloupe JEREZANO; note - the presidentis both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election lastheld 28 November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1997)
election results: Carlos Roberto REINA Idiaquez elected president; percent of vote - CarlosRoberto REINA Idiaquez (PLH) 53%, Oswaldo RAMOS Soto (PNH) 41%, other 6%

Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (128 seats; membersare elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections : last held on 27 November 1993 (next to be held November 1997)
election results: percent of vote by party - PNH 53%, PLH 41%, PDCH 1.0%, PINU-SD 2.5%,other 2.5%; seats by party - PLH 71, PNH 55, PINU-SD 2

Judicial branch Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justica), judges are electedfor four-year terms by the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders Liberal Party (PLH), Carlos FLORES Facusse, president; National Partyof Honduras (PNH), Oswaldo RAMOS Soto, president; National Innovation andUnity Party (PINU), Olban VALLADARES, president; Christian Democratic Party(PDCH), Efrain DIAZ Arrivillaga, president

Political pressure groups and leaders National Association of Honduran Campesinos (ANACH); Honduran Councilof Private Enterprise (COHEP); Confederation of Honduran Workers (CTH); NationalUnion of Campesinos (UNC); General Workers Confederation (CGT); United Federationof Honduran Workers (FUTH); Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras(CODEH); Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations (CCOP)

International organization participation BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL,WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez
chancery: 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702, 2604, 5008, 4596
FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
consulate(s) general : Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco,and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, and Jacksonville

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador James Francis CREAGAN (29 July 1996)
embassy : Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
telephone: [504] 36-9320, 38-5114
FAX: [504] 36-9037

Flag description three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with fiveblue five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band;the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of CentralAmerica - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similarto the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by thewords REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the whiteband; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircledby the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom,centered in the white band

NOTE: The information regarding Honduras on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Honduras Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Honduras Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.