Located in the heart of Central America, the Republic of Honduras covers 43,872 square miles. Along the north, Honduras has a large Caribbean Sea coastline; to the south, a shorter coastline along the Pacific Ocean; along the east, it shares a border with Nicaragua; and to the west, it borders Guatemala and El Salvador. In addition to the mainland, Honduras has insular possessions. These include the Bay Islands off the Caribbean coast.

Honduras is the most mountainous country in Central America, with most of the land more than a thousand feet above sea level. Mountains cover more than two thirds of the land and spread randomly, creating a great number of valleys with expanses of arable land.

The north is the fastest-growing and most industrialized part of Honduras. Natural vegetation here is abundant and varied. Farther east along the Caribbean coastline is La Mosquitia, a great expanse of waterlogged terrain of mangrove swamps, wide sandy bars and lazy rivers.

The Central Plateau, with its high ridges and deep valleys, occupies about 65 percent of the national territory. Most of the arable land in this major region is under cultivation, producing coffee, tobacco, grains, fruits and vegetables.
The basin running from San Pedro Sula south to Comayagua and Tegucigalpa and the Gulf of Fonseca holds most of the population. Corn, coffee, beans, and sorghum are grown in its valleys. At lower altitudes, sugar cane, rice, tobacco, and vegetables are grown. Some of the high plateaus are forested in pine and oak.

In the south, the natural, seasonally dry landscape of savanna and acacia has given way to fields of cotton and irrigated rice, and cattle ranches. High temperatures with dry climate conditions in some areas are prevalent along the Pacific coast.
The wildlife is varied in Honduras. A visitor could find in the remote mountainous areas deer, monkeys, wolves, coyotes and members of the cat family, including puma, ocelote, linx, and jaguar. Because of the two coasts on Honduras, marine life is rich. The geographic location of the country makes it an attractive sanctuary for migrating birds.

Due to its tropical location and varied topography, Honduras enjoys a variety of climates. The temperatures are warm all year around but the patterns of rainfall, humidity and tropical vegetation vary depending on the altitude, prevailing winds, the location in relation to the coasts, and to what extent the mountains block the passage of clouds.

Some patterns apply to the country as a whole, however. The coastal zones are generally warm and humid, while the central mountain region is cooler and drier. There are two well-defined seasons: the rainy season from May through October, and the dry season from November to April. Temperatures during the rainy season oscillate from 59 deg. F in western Honduras to 86 deg. F in the central part of the country. During the dry season, temperatures average 75 deg. F in the highlands, 73 deg. F in the west and 86 deg. F in the south.

Along the northern coast and in the Bay Islands, it is hot and very humid and there is rainfall all throughout the year. October through November is the rainiest time.