National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982
Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law; some influence of English common law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since 27
January 1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (since
27 January 1998); note—the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
election last held 30 November 1997 (next to be held NA November
2001)
election results: Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse elected president;
percent of vote—Carlos Roberto FLORES Facusse (PLH) 53%, Nora de
MELGAR (PNH) 42%, other 5%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea
Nacional (128 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held on 30 November 1997 (next to be held November
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party—PLH 50%, PNH 42%, PINU-SD
4%, PDCH 2%, other 2%; seats by party—PLH 70, PNH 55, PINU-SD 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de
Justica), judges are elected for four-year terms by the National
Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party or PLH [Raphael
MELGAR, president]; National Innovation and Unity Party-Social
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Association of
Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise
or COHEP; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; National Union
of Campesinos or UNC; General Workers Confederation or CGT; United
Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH; Committee for the Defense of
Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH; Coordinating Committee of Popular
Organizations or CCOP
International organization participation: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO,
G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO