Nicaragua Information

Nicaragua, the largest country in Central America, was inhabited for thousands of years by the Mayan
civilization, and later the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the
early 16th century.   Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an
independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but
gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental
manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought
the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the
US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996,
and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the
1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Nicaragua is a land of active volcanoes and a history of devastating earthquakes and hurricanes. The vast
percentage of people and industry are concentrated in the southwestern part, near Lakes Managua and
Nicaragua.  The eastern half of the country is very flat, sparsely populated, with hot and humid conditions
along the Caribbean coastline, commonly called the Mosquito Coast.

Facts and Figures

• Official Name Republic of Nicaragua
  

• Population 5,777,700
  

• Capital City Managua (1.15 million)
  

• Languages Spanish (official), English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
  

• Religions Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant
  

• Land Area 111,750 sq km (45,849 sq miles) slightly smaller than the state of New York
  

• Highest Point Pico Mogoton, 6,913 ft. (2,107 m)
  

• Terrain  Extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal
  plain interrupted by volcanoes
  

• Natural Resources  Gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
  

• Land Use  Arable land 15.9%, permanent crops 1.9%, other 82.1%
  

• Age Structure  0-14 years 38.1%,  15-64 years: 58.9%, 65 years and over: 3%
  

• Infant  Mortality Rate  30 deaths for every 1000 live births (2004 est.)
  

• Life Expectancy at Birth  Total population 70 years; male 68 years, female 72.2 years (2004 est.)
  

• Ethnic Groups  Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
  

• Literacy   defined as those age 15 and over who can read and write.  Total population 67.5% (2003
  est.)
  

Government  Republic

• Executive Branch  President Enrique Bolanos Geyer, Vice President Jose Rizo Castellon (elected
  January 2002).President is both chief of state and head of government.  Council of Ministers (similar
  to the Cabinet) is appointed by the president.  President and vice president are elected on the same
  ticket by popular vote for a fiver year term.
  

• Legislative Branch  Unicameral National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional), 92 seats.  Members are
  elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five year terms.
  

• Judicial Branch  Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) with 16 judges elected for five year terms by the
  Asamblea Nacional.
  

Economy Overview  Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita
income, massive unemployment, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal
on the globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability over the past few
years, GDP annual growth of 1.5% - 2.5% has been far too low to meet the country's need. Nicaragua will
continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
(HIPC) initiative. Nicaragua has undertaken significant economic reforms that are expected to help the
country qualify for more than $4 billion in debt relief under HIPC in early 2004. Donors have made aid
conditional on the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. A
three-year poverty reduction and growth plan, agreed to with the IMF in December 2002, guides economic
policy.

• GDP per Capita  Purchasing power parity $2300 (2003 est.)
  

• Population Below Poverty Line  50% (2001 est.)
  

• Agriculture Products  Coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya,
  beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products
  

• Industries  Food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum
  refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood
  

• Exports  Coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar, gold
  

• Imports  Machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods
  

• Currency  Gold Cordoba
  

• Exchange Rate  Gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.2513 (2003)
  

Sources:

• www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/cs.html
  
• www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/camerica/cr.htm