Countries, Compared

Honduras

Honduras is a presidential republic in Central America, classified by the United Nations as part of the Latin America and the Caribbean region.

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Honduras

Honduras is a presidential republic in Central America, classified by the United Nations as part of the Latin America and the Caribbean region. Its stable identifiers come from the UN Statistics Division M49 standard and the ISO 3166-1 system. Volatile figures such as population, currency exchange rates, government officeholders and visa rules change continuously; the only reliable way to verify them is to pull the figure from the named primary source and record the reference year.

Stable identifiers

The table below lists the fixed codes used in international databases. These are statistical and coding conventions, not political or territorial claims.

Field Value
UN M49 code 340
ISO alpha-2 HN
ISO alpha-3 HND
UN region Americas
UN subregion Latin America and the Caribbean
UN member state Yes
World Bank capital field Tegucigalpa

Source: UN Statistics Division M49 overview ( The M49 standard assigns codes for statistical use; it does not settle sovereignty, border or naming questions. The capital shown is the World Bank API label, a statistical convention, not a political declaration.

The UN M49 overview ( confirms Honduras as a UN member state and its regional grouping under Americas, Latin America and the Caribbean. This is a statistical geography. The World Bank country API returns the ISO codes, region, income level, and the capital as recorded by the Bank; use the capitalCity field for the capital and region.iso2code for the regional grouping.

Country codes and domain

  • UN M49 code: 340
  • ISO alpha-2: HN
  • ISO alpha-3: HND
  • Internet TLD: .hn, administered per IANA root database records
  • IANA time zone: America/Tegucigalpa (UTC−06:00, no daylight saving time)

Honduras is a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and the Central American Integration System (SICA).

Capital

Tegucigalpa is the constitutional capital. The 1982 Constitution designates Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela as jointly forming the Central District, which functions as the seat of government. Some official documents use the combined name Tegucigalpa, Comayagüela. The World Bank capital field records Tegucigalpa.

Population

Population figures differ by source because each uses its own census baseline and update schedule. Neither source is wrong; they are different estimates for different reference periods.

  • UN population estimate 2025: 10,825,000 (UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024 revision, medium variant)
  • World Bank population, total: 10,593,798 (World Bank, 2023)

For the latest figures, use the UN World Population Prospects release or the Honduran national statistical office, the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Census figures are the primary source for population counts; international agency estimates are secondary. Always cite the reference year.

Language

Spanish is the de facto official language. The 1982 Constitution, Article 6, as amended, does not designate a single official language at the constitutional level. Indigenous languages, including Miskito, Garifuna, Pech, Tawahka and Lenca variants, are protected under the 1994 Law for the Protection of Indigenous Languages and recognised in the 2013 Framework Act on Indigenous, Afro-Honduran and Garifuna peoples. Honduran Sign Language is recognised. English is widely used in the Bay Islands.

For speaker counts, consult the national census or Ethnologue (SIL International). Indigenous languages are recognised by law but do not hold official nationwide status.

Currency

The Honduran lempira (HNL) is the currency, per the World Bank and IMF. Its ISO 4217 code is HNL, issued by the Central Bank of Honduras. Exchange rates fluctuate; verify the rate for a specific date from the Banco Central de Honduras or a major financial data provider, and state the reference date.

Government

Honduras is a presidential republic. The 1982 Constitution, as amended, defines the executive, legislative and judicial branches. The President serves as both head of state and head of government. Legislative power rests in the unicameral National Congress. The legal system is based on civil law with some common law influences. Verify current officeholders from official government sources.

Economy

The World Bank classifies Honduras as a lower-middle-income country, as of the FY2025 classification based on 2023 GNI per capita. The economy depends heavily on agriculture (coffee, bananas, palm oil), maquiladora exports and remittances. Per capita income remains below the Latin America average. Poverty estimates vary by source and methodology; consult the World Bank or INE for the latest figures. GDP figures, growth and income groupings change annually; use the World Bank indicators API (SP.POP.TOTL, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD) and always cite the year of each observation.

Flag

Three horizontal bands of blue top, white middle, blue bottom, with five blue stars in the centre representing the five former Central American federation members. Attribution: CIA World Factbook, flag description.

Territorial context

The 2023 World Bank country profile uses “Honduras” as the country name and lists Tegucigalpa as the capital. The United Nations M49 listing places Honduras under Central America. Political and territorial claims, including maritime boundaries and the status of Caribbean islands such as the Swan Islands, are governed by national legislation and international agreements, and are not adjudicated by statistical groupings. The UN M49 list is a statistical convenience; it does not define sovereignty or borders.

Travel and entry rules

Visa policy changes frequently. Use official government travel advice, not a secondary summary. For US citizens, the US State Department Honduras page and the IATA Travel Centre are authoritative sources. For UK citizens, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice page for Honduras is authoritative. For other nationalities, check the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs or your own government’s travel advisory. No visa details are provided here because rules change without notice.

How to verify figures that change

No single page can freeze population, currency or government data. For Honduras, the reliable path is to pull figures from the primary source for each category and note the reference year.

  • UN M49 overview ( confirms the statistical grouping.
  • World Bank country API returns ISO codes, region, income level and capital. Use the capitalCity field for the capital and region.iso2code for the regional grouping.
  • National statistical office (INE) publishes census and survey data. Census figures are the primary source for population counts.
  • Foreign ministry travel advice: for entry, visa and safety information, use your own government’s travel advisory.
  • Life expectancy, literacy and internet penetration are regularly published by the World Bank and the UN; check the reference year.