República de Honduras

Political Status: Part of the independent Captaincy General of Guatemala, 1821; member of United Provinces of Central America, 1824–1838; separate republic established 1839; present constitution promulgated January 20, 1982, following a decade of military rule.

Area: 43,277 sq. mi. (112,088 sq. km).

Population: 7,984,288 (2012E—UN); 8,296,693 (2012E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Centers (2005E): TEGUCIGALPA (857,000), San Pedro Sula (510,000).

Official Language: Spanish.

Monetary Unit: Lempira (market rate November 5, 2012: 19.78 lempiras = $1US).

President: Porfirio LOBO Sosa (National Party); elected on November 29, 2009, and inaugurated on January 27, 2010, for a four-year term, succeeding Roberto MICHELETTI Baín (Liberal Party), who was appointed by the congress on June 28, 2009, for a six-month term following a bloodless coup the same day that ousted José Manuel (Mel) ZELAYA ...