Honduras Facts & Stats

OK, one can always argue about stats.. but even if these are slightly off, they are striking.

• Honduras has the second highest poverty rate in the Western hemisphere (after Haiti)
• 2/3 of people live in poverty
• about half live in extreme poverty
• 28% of the population is unemployed
• the average person makes just over $1000/year
• 3/4 of birth certificates issued in Honduras have only the mother's name

Less depressing...

• Honduras is the original "Banana Republic"
• 90% of the population is mestizo (a mixture of indigenous and European ancestry)
• about 7% of the population are members of 1 of 7 indigenous groups
• the white English speaking islanders of the Bay Islands are descended from British pirates
• about 81% of Honduras is made up of mountains
• Honduras is a biodiversity hotspot due to the numerous plant and animal species that are found there
• the lempira (the official currency) was named after the 16th century ruler of the indigenous Lenca people who led the unsuccessful resistance against the Spanish
• there are about 3 times as many cell phones as landlines in Honduras