Short facts about the geography of Honduras

Location:

Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  112,090 sq km land:  111,890 sq km water:  200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:

total:  1,520 km border countries:  Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km

Coastline:

820 km

Maritime claims:

contiguous zone:  24 NM continental shelf:  natural extension of territory or to 200 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:

mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point:  Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:

timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Land use:

arable land:  15% permanent crops:  3% permanent pastures:  14% forests and woodland:  54% other:  14% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

740 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; damaging hurricanes and floods along Caribbean coast

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; severe Hurricane Mitch damage

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Source: World Factbook