Honduras Demographics

What is the population of Honduras?

Population	9,235,340
Population - note	note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Population Growth Rate	1.79%
Urban Population	52.2%
Population in Major Urban Areas	TEGUCIGALPA (capital) 1.088 million
Nationality Noun	Honduran(s)
Nationality Adjective	Honduran
Ethnic Groups	mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1%
Languages Spoken	Spanish, Amerindian dialects

What is school like in Honduras?

Classroom

Classes start at 7:00 AM and end at 2:00 PM. Each class lasts 40 minutes and the students have a 20 minute recess break. The lunch time break is a 40 minute break. Students usually bring their own food. There is an average of 35 students per class but in some schools that number can increase to 40 students per class. The average school is about 50 years old and there are about 600 students per building.  Students typically have desks, and books for studing however space, updated technology, professional development for teachers, computers and food services are lacking. 

To School

To get to school transportation is not provided by the school. Parents need to make their own arrangements for the students to get to school. The majority of students take public transportation. A small group is brought to school by their parents.

What are the health conditions in Honduras?

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 15-49	65.2%
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population	5.09
Drinking Water Source - percent of rural population improved	81.5%
Drinking Water Source - percent of total population unimproved	10.4%
Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved	96.8%
Food or Waterborne Disease (s)	bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Health Expenditures - percent of GDP	9.1%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate	0.8%
HIV/Aids Deaths	1,700
Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population	.7
Infant Mortality Rate - female deaths/1,000 live births	16.6
Infant Mortality Rate - male deaths/1,000 live births	21.83
Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births	19.28
Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk	high
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births	100
Mean Age for Mother's First Birth	21.1
Obesity - adult prevalence rate	18.4%
People Living with HIV/AIDS	39,000
Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population	.37
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of total population unimproved	20%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved	85.3%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of rural population improved	74%
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman	2.94
Underweight - percent of children under five years	8.6%
Vectorborne Disease (s)	dengue fever and malaria

How long do people live in Honduras?

Life Expectancy at Birth	70 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - female	72 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - male	69 Years
Median Age	21 Years
Median Age - female	22 Years
Median Age - male	21 Years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population	24
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population	5.09
Median Age	21 Years
Median Age - female	22 Years
Median Age - male	21 Years
Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population	-1.2
Population Growth Rate	1.79%
Sex Ratio 0-14 Years - male/female	1.04
Sex Ratio 15-24 Years - male/female	1.04
Sex Ratio 25-54 Years - male/female	1.02
Sex Ratio 55-64 Years - male/female	1.01
Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female	1.05
Sex Ratio of Total Population - male/female	1.01
Sex Ratio Over 64 Years - male/female	.79

What are the health conditions in Honduras?

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Medical care in Honduras varies greatly in quality and availability. Outside of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, medical care is inadequate to address complex situations. Support staff facilities and necessary equipment and supplies are not up to U.S. standards anywhere in Honduras. Facilities for advanced surgical procedures are not available. Wide areas of the country, including the popular tourist areas of the Bay Islands, do not have a general surgery hospital. Ambulance services are limited in major cities and almost non-existent elsewhere. Emergency services may be contacted directly through their local numbers, including 199 for the national emergency line and 195 for the local Red Cross.

The U.S. Embassy encourages visitors who are considering medical care in Honduras to obtain as much information about the facility and the medical personnel as possible. Medical tourists should confirm that the facilities they are considering are accredited, purchase medical evacuation insurance before traveling, and confirm that the cost and payment for their treatment is clearly understood by both parties. In addition to other publicly available information, U.S. citizens may consult the U.S. Embassy’s website for a list of hospitals and air ambulance services..

Scuba diving is popular in the Bay Islands, but limited medical facilities there pose a special risk in the event of an emergency. There is a decompression chamber on Roatan and Utila for divers, but no advanced medical care on either island for diving related accidents.

Mosquito-borne illnesses are a problem in Honduras. Malaria is present throughout the country at altitudes

What is school like in Honduras?

Literacy - female	76.3%
Literacy - male	76.1%
Literacy - total population	80%
Literacy Definition	age 15 and over can read and write
School Life Expectancy - female	12 Years
School Life Expectancy - male	11 Years
Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)	11 Years

Can people in Honduras read?

Literacy - female	76.3%
Literacy - male	76.1%
Literacy - total population	80%
Literacy Definition	age 15 and over can read and write
Predominant Language	Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Is Honduras a safe place to visit?

Crime Information

Crime is widespread in Honduras and requires a high degree of caution by U.S. visitors and residents alike. U.S. citizens have been the victims of a wide range of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, rape, assault, and property crimes. Widespread poverty and unemployment, along with significant street gang and drug trafficking activity, have contributed to the extremely high crime rate. In January 2012, the Peace Corps suspended its program in Honduras in order to review the safety and security of its volunteers.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2011 Global Study on Homicide, Honduras has the highest per capita homicide rate in the world, with 86 homicides for every 100,000 inhabitants. Although crime and violent crime occur in all parts of Honduras, the north coast and central portions of the country have historically had the country’s highest crime rates. Copan, Roatan/Bay Islands, and other tourist destinations have lower crime rates than other parts of the country.

Since 1995, 115 U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras; of these, just 32 cases have been resolved. Three U.S. citizens were reported murdered in Honduras between January and September 2013.

Since 2010, nine U.S. citizens have been reported as victims of rape or sexual assault in Honduras, signaling an increasing trend in these types of crimes. Two U.S. citizens reported incidents of rape or sexual assault between January and September 2013. Perpetrators of sexual assaults are often armed.

Kidnappings have occurred in recent years, with large ransoms paid and infrequent capture of the kidnappers. One U.S. citizen was reported kidnapped between January and September 2013..

U.S. citizens are primarily the victims of opportunistic crime. There is no evidence suggesting criminals specifically target U.S. citizens, but foreigners have been targeted for crime due to their perceived wealth. Weapons abound in Honduras, and armed street robberies are especially common, with criminals taking advantage of relatively isolated victims to steal their valuables. Young males working in pairs, often riding motorcycles, are perpetrating many of the armed robberies in Honduras’ urban areas. Criminals and pickpockets target visitors as they enter and depart airports and hotels, so visitors should consider carrying their passports and valuables in a concealed pouch. We have also confirmed reports of armed robbers traveling in private cars targeting pedestrians on isolated streets.

Incidents of crime along roads, including carjacking and kidnapping, are common in Honduras. There have been frequent incidents of carjacking and highway robbery on a number of roads including the main highway (CA-5) between San Pedro Sula and Siguatepeque, with the greatest risk between Potrerillos and Pito Solo in the lake area. Travelers should always drive with their doors locked and windows rolled up to avoid potential robberies at traffic lights and other places, such as congested downtown streets. Avoid driving at night. All bus travel should be during daylight hours and on first-class conveyances, not economy buses. Choose taxis carefully, and note the driver’s name and license number. Instruct the driver not to pick up other passengers, agree on the fare before you depart, and have small bills available for payment, as taxi drivers often do not make change. When possible, travel in groups.

Incidents of piracy off the coast of Honduras can occur. In 2012, a U.S. citizen reported that his boat was boarded and his passengers were the victims of an armed robbery while sailing in Honduran waters near Puerto Cortes, three miles north of Punta Sal. In 2011, a Canadian citizen was killed in a similar incident. U.S. citizens should exercise caution while sailing or mooring in Honduran waters.

U.S. citizens are encouraged to be vigilant of their surroundings at all times, especially when entering or exiting their homes, cars, garages, schools, and workplaces. It is also recommended that drivers vary their routes and schedules so as to not create a predictable routine. Individuals should also limit the sharing of personal information and closely screen personal employees. Should a U.S. citizen be kidnapped, local authorities and the U.S. Embassy should be contacted immediately.

The Honduran government conducts occasional joint police/military patrols in major cities in an effort to reduce crime. However, Honduran law enforcement authorities’ ability to prevent, respond to, and investigate criminal incidents and prosecute criminals is limited. Honduran police generally do not speak English. The government has established a special tourist police in the resort town of Tela and other tourist destinations including Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba, and Roatan, but the number of tourist police deployed is small and coverage is limited.

The Basilica of Suyapa in Tegucigalpa, also known as Suyapa Church or Cathedral, is an important religious site and popular tourist destination. However, it is situated in a high crime area and has been the site of numerous armed robberies and thefts. U.S. citizens in Honduras on U.S. government orders are only allowed to visit the Basilica of Suyapa with an organized tour group that provides armed security for the group.

The San Pedro Sula area has seen armed robberies against tourist vans, minibuses, and cars traveling from the airport to area hotels, and there have also been armed robberies along the road to Copan. Armed men have forced vehicles transporting tourists off the road and robbed the victims, occasionally assaulting the driver or passengers. In past years, several U.S. citizens have been murdered in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba shortly after arriving in the country. Assaults in these areas may be based on tips from sources at airport arrival areas, so visitors are strongly urged to exercise caution in discussing travel plans in public.

Although Copan, Roatan/Bay Islands, and other tourist destinations have a lower crime rate than other parts of the country, thefts, break-ins, assaults, and murders do occur. Exercise particular caution walking on isolated beaches, especially at night. Coxen Hole on the island of Roatan should be avoided after dark.

The Government of Honduras has a very limited law enforcement presence in some northern coastal areas, including parts of the departments of Olancho, Colon, and Gracias a Dios. These areas are well known for narcotics smuggling and violence. Travelers in those areas should use extra caution. See the description of highways/areas to be avoided in the “Traffic Safety and Road Conditions” section below for details.

Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law and be subject to local penalties.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Honduras, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you do not have your passport with you. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Honduras are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. There are also some activities that might be legal in the country you visit but illegal in the United States; for example, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Honduras, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It is very important to know what is legal and what is not in Honduras.

If you are arrested in Honduras, you have the right to request the authorities to alert the U.S. Embassy. Doing so ensures that consular officers are aware of your condition and can provide you with appropriate consular assistance.