Location

Approximately 1,000 miles southwest of Miami, U.S.A.

Population

Total..................................................................6,250,000
Tegucigalpa(Capital).....................................1,000,000
San Pedro Sula(Industrial Capital)................650,000

Language

Spanish, English is widely used as a second language.

Government System

• Democracy : Elections every 4 years.

• 3 Branches : Legislative, Executive, Judicial.

• 18 Provinces each led by a President-appointed governor

Currency and Banking

• Lempira : US$ 1.00 = 18.977 (October 2004). The Lempira devaluates between 5 and 6% annually.

• The Central Bank of Honduras regulates the banking system. Honduras is a participating member of the World Bank, IMF, MIGA and CABEL.

• There are more than 20 private banks, including CitiCorp, Lloyds Banks and others.

Telecommunications

Reliable international directdial system, AT&T, Sprint and MCI services to worldwide locations. Cellular and Satellite phones, Internet services, Teleports and other modern communication services are available.

Education

Certified bilingual schools in English and French are found in major cities. Graduates are regularly accepted at world class universities. Technical schools provide quality training.

Health

Public and private hospitals and clinics are widely available

Transportation

• 4 Caribbean and 1 Pacific seaport.

• Puerto Cortes, located in the Atlantic coast, is Central America's largest and best equipped port. It provides 24 - hour service, no waiting time, modern roll-on/roll-off and cold storage facilities. 48 hours by sea to Miami.

• Container service:

  • 10 times per week to Miami

  • 4 times per week to New Orleans

  • 4 times per week to New York through Miami

  • Twice a week to Europe

• Service from the Far East to Honduras:

  • 35 days to Miami and tranship

  • 30 days to Panama and tranship

• 7 International airlines with easy worldwide connections.

• 4 Cargo airlines.

• 4 International airports: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba and Roatan.

• Air time to Miami, New Orleans or Houston is 2 hours.

Electricity

110/230/460 Volts/60 Hz (US$ 0.08 - US$ 0.11 per kw/hr)

Lifestyle

Tourist, working and resident visas are easily arranged. Houses are spacious, or masonry construction, with tile floors, gardens and balconies. Shopping malls, international fast food chains and supermarkets are conveniently located. Temperatures range from 50^o F to 90^o F.

Cultural Activities and Tourist Attractions

There are theaters, art galleries, museums and archeological sites. Major tourist attractions include Copan Ruins, the cradle of the ancient Mayan Civilization, many natural reserves for ecotourists and the Bay Islands for scuba diving, sailing and fishing.