World Factbook
Honduras
República de Honduras
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of cerulean blue (top), white, and cerulean blue, with five five-pointed cerulean stars arranged in an "X" pattern and centered in the white band meaning: the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and white for the land and the people's peace and prosperity
note: similar to the flag of El Salvador, which has a round emblem surrounded by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a triangle with the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA above and AMERICA CENTRAL below
Capital
name
Tegucigalpa
note
note: the Honduran constitution states that Tegucigalpa and Comayaguela jointly constitute the capital of Honduras, but virtually all governmental institutions are on the Tegucigalpa side
etymology
the name is a Nahuatl word meaning "silver mountain," probably referring to nearby silver mines
time difference
UTC-6 (1 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
several previous; latest approved 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982
amendment process
proposed by the National Congress with at least two-thirds majority vote of the membership; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Congress in its next annual session; constitutional articles, such as the form of government, national sovereignty, the presidential term, and the procedure for amending the constitution, cannot be amended
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 system
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
note
note: the Supreme Court has both judicial and constitutional jurisdiction
highest court(s)
Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (15 principal judges, including the court president, and 6 alternates; court organized 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
court president elected by his peers; judges elected by the National Congress from candidates proposed by the Nominating Board, a diverse 7-member group of judicial officials and other government and non-government officials nominated by each of their organizations; judges elected by Congress for renewable, 7-year terms
Executive branch
note
note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
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 1915; the anthem's seven verses chronicle Honduran history; on official occasions, only the chorus and last verse are sung
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
info@wadchn.com 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
usahonduras@state.gov 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