Wayzata World Factbook 1996/The World Factbook - 1996 Edition - Wayzata Technology (3079) (1996).iso/pc/text/tvltxt/honduras.tvl

Text File | 1995-12-13 | 6KB | 117 lines

STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Honduras
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Honduras - Consular Information Sheet
 May 9, 1995

Country Description:  Honduras has a developing economy.  Tourist
facilities are generally adequate, but vary in quality.

Entry Requirements:  A passport is required for travel to Honduras.
 For additional information concerning entry and customs
requirements travelers can contact the Embassy of Honduras at 3700
Tilden Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, tel: [phone] or
the nearest consulate in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
Orleans, New York, or San Francisco.

Areas of Instability:  Cross-border bandit groups operate out of
areas near the Honduran/Salvadoran border.  Travel by road, even on
main highways, between Nicaragua and Honduras is potentially
hazardous.  The presence of extensive minefields on both sides of
the border, particularly along the Rio Coco and in the atlantic
coast region, presents a danger to anyone venturing close to the
border at other than the El Espino, Las Manos, and Guasaule border
crossings.  (The El Espino crossing is known by the name La
Fraternidad.)  It can be hazardous to venture off main roads in the
Honduran-Nicaraguan border area.  The Las Manos and El Espino border
crossings between Honduras and Nicaragua, as well as the Agua
Caliente border crossing between Honduras and Guatemala, are open
only during daylight hours.  The Guasaule border crossing is open
daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Medical Facilities:  Medical care varies in quality.  Cholera is
present in Honduras.  Visitors who follow proper precautions are not
usually at risk.  Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash
payment for health services.  U.S. medical insurance is not always
valid outside the United States.  In some cases supplemental medical
insurance with specific overseas coverage has proved useful.  For
additional health information, the traveler can contact the Centers
for Disease Control's international travelers hotline at (404)
332-4559.

Crime Information:  The number of reported urban street crimes,
such as robberies and assaults, continues to rise.  The level of
rural criminal activity is also high.  Tourists have been targeted
by criminals in some areas of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa.
Displaying jewelry or large amounts of money increases the risk of
robbery.  Travelers to rural areas and to the border regions near
Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, should use caution.  There
have been reports of armed bands operating in some of the border
regions.  Useful information on guarding valuables and protecting
personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the
Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad."  This
publication, as well as others such as "Tips for Travelers to
Central and South America," are available from the Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported
immediately to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and the local
police.

Drug Penalties:  U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the
country in which they are traveling.  Penalties in Honduras for
possession, use and trafficking in illegal drugs are strict, and
convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines.

Purchasing Property:  The enforcement of laws pertaining to
property titles in Honduras is uncertain and unreliable.  Even
though the Honduran Congress passed a law authorizing the purchase
of coastal property by foreigners, there are constitutional
restrictions prohibiting such ownership.  Local governments or
squatters have laid claim to a number of properties owned by U.S.
citizens.

Currency Regulations:  It is impossible to cash personal checks in
Honduras.  It is also extremely difficult to arrange for the
transfer of funds from abroad to Honduras, and in particular to the
Bay Islands, where banking facilities are limited.

Adoption:  Information on adoption in Honduras can be obtained by
writing to the Office of Children's Issues, CA/OCS/CI, Room 4811,
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520, or by telephoning (202)
647-2688.

Aviation Oversight:  In May 1993, the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration assessed Honduras as not providing oversight in
compliance with international aviation safety standards for Honduran
carriers operating to and from the U.S.  As a result, Honduran
carriers arrange to have their flights conducted by an air carrier
from a country meeting international safety standards in order to
provide commercial passenger service to the United States.  For
further information, travelers may contact the Department of
Transportation at 1 [phone].

Registration:  U.S. citizens may register at the Consular Section
of the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, and may also obtain updated
information on travel and security within Honduras.

Embassy Location:  The U.S. Embassy in Honduras is located at
Avenida La Paz in Tegucigalpa; telephone [phone].

 No. 95-063

This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated September 2,
1994, to add information on purchasing property.


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