Climate Change Overview

Country Summary

This page presents high-level information for Honduras's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications are derived from the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, which divides climates into five main climate groups divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter).  Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of Honduras's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.

Honduras lies between latitudes 12°58’ and 16°02’ south and longitude 83° 10’ and 89°22’ east. It is bordered to the North by the Caribbean Sea (the Antilles), to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, and to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca. Honduras has a total a land area of 112,492 km2, of which forests take up over 41% and 27% is agricultural land. The Honduran economy is highly dependent on agriculture. Honduras has a population of 9.3 million as of 2020, of which 48% live below the poverty line. 

Honduras has three major geomorphological regions largely composed of mountains that cover over 82% of the country with dense forest. The rest of the country is composed of the Northern Coastal Plain or the Caribbean Lowlands and the Coastal Plain region of the Pacific or the Pacific lowlands. Due to its geographic location, Honduras is highly exposed to hydrometeorological hazard. Adaptation to climate change is a priority to reduce the country's vulnerability. Identified adaptation priorities include water resources, disaster risk management, agriculture and food security, forests, coastal zones, health, and infrastructure.