Honduras borders the Caribbean Sea on the north coast and the Pacific Ocean on the south through the Gulf of Fonseca. Guatemala lies to the west, Nicaragua south east and El Salvador to the south west. It is the second largest Central American republic. The triangular-shaped country has a total area of just over 43,000 square miles (110,000 km2).

The climate varies from tropical in the lowlands to temperate in the mountains. The central and southern regions are relatively hotter and less humid than the northern coast.

Shaded relief map of Honduras

The Honduran territory consists mainly of mountains, but there are narrow plains along the coasts, a large undeveloped lowland jungle La Mosquitia region in the northeast, and the heavily populated lowland Sula valley in the northwest.

In La Mosquitia, lies the UNESCO world-heritage site Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, with the Coco River which divides the country from Nicaragua.

Honduras controls a number of islands as part of its offshore territories. The Islas de la Bahía and the Swan Islands (all off the north coast) are part of Honduras. Farther out in the Caribbean are the Islas Santanillas, formerly known as Swan Islands. Misteriosa Bank and Rosario Bank, 130 to 150 km (80–93 miles) north of the Swan Islands, fall within the EEZ of Honduras.

Natural resources include timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, shrimp, and hydropower.