Basic Information About Honduras:

Population: The population of Honduras is 8,240,071.

GDP:  $ 39.1 billion (2016)

Climate:  The climate is tropical with cooler, more temperate weather in the mountains with temperatures ranging from 16°C (61°F) to 20°C (68°F). The north coast is very hot with rain throughout the year, and though the offshore breezes temper the climate, the sun is very strong. The rainy season for the north Caribbean coast of Honduras, including the Bay Islands of Roatan, Utila and Guanaja, runs from October to February. Rainy season does mean rainy season. It can rain for weeks on end, virtually non-stop, or it can also be beautiful during those months but this is a rarity.

People:  The majority of the Honduran population is mestizo (a mixture of white and Amerindian) or white. The seven indigenous groups are: the Ch’orti’, a Mayan group living in the northwest on the border with Guatemala; the Garifuna speaking a Carib language., they live along the entire Caribbean coastline of Honduras, and in the Bay Islands; the Pech or Paya Indians living in a small area in the Olancho department; the Tolupan (also called Jicaque, “Xicaque”, or Tol), living in the Department of Yoro and in the reserve of the Montaña de la Flor and parts of the department of Yoro; the Lenca Indians living in the western highlands of Intibuca, Lempira, La Paz, Valle and Choluteca departments; and the Miskito Indians living on the northeast coast in the Gracias A Dios department and along the border with Nicaragua. Approximately 5%, up to 350,000, of Honduras’s population is black, or Afro-Honduran, and mainly reside on the country’s Caribbean or Atlantic coast.

Religion:  The principal religious groups are Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Jehovah’s Witness, Mennonite, approximately 300 evangelical Protestant groups, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon).

Capital:  The capital city of Honduras is Tegucigalpa.

Language:  Spanish is the official language of Honduras. The other languages spoken in the country include Garifuna, Arabic, English, and Miskito.

Currency:  The Honduran Lempira is the currency of Honduras.

Time Zone: UTC-06:00