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 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt.
Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Geographic coordinates
13 00 N, 85 00 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total
129,494 sq km
land
120,254 sq km
water
9,240 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than the state of New York
Land boundaries
total
1,231 km
border countries
Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Coastline
910 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
contiguous zone
24 nm
continental shelf
natural prolongation
Climate
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Terrain
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Mogoton 2,438 m
Natural resources
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Land use
arable land
14.81%
permanent crops
1.82%
other
83.37% (2005)
Irrigated land
610 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Environment - current issues
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
Environmental Modification
Geography - note
largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
Population
5,675,356 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
35.5% (male 1,025,426/female 988,148)
15-64 years
61.3% (male 1,734,153/female 1,746,574)
65 years and over
3.2% (male 79,589/female 101,466) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
21.3 years
male
20.9 years
female
21.7 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.855% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
24.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.038 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.993 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.784 male(s)/female
total population
1.001 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
27.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male
30.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female
23.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
70.92 years
male
68.82 years
female
73.13 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.69 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
6,400 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
less than 500 (2003 est.)
Nationality
noun
Nicaraguan(s)
adjective
Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Religions
Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%, Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census)
Languages
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
67.5%
male
67.2%
female
67.8% (2003 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form
Nicaragua
local long form
Republica de Nicaragua
local short form
Nicaragua
Government type
republic
Capital
name
Managua
geographic coordinates
12 09 N, 86 17 W
time difference
UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas
Independence
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution
9 January 1987; reforms in 1995, 2000, and 2005
Legal system
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government
President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007)
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results
Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44%
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election)
elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election), MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon]; Central American Unionist Party or PUCA [Blanca ROJAS]; Christian Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN [Carlos GUERRA Gallardo]; Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal Party or PALI [Adolfo GARCIA Esquivel]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Dora Maria TELLEZ]; Unity Alliance or AU
Political pressure groups and leaders
National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including - Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups
International organization participation
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Arturo CRUZ Sequeira, Jr.
chancery
1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
[1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573
FAX
[1] (202) 939-6545
consulate(s) general
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Paul A. TRIVELLI
embassy
Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address
P.O. Box 327
telephone
[505] 266-6010
FAX
[505] 266-3861
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
Economy - overview
Nicaragua has widespread underemployment and the third lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic stability in the past few years, GDP annual growth has been far too low to meet the country's needs, forcing the country to rely on international economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing obligations. Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in November 2006 obtained over $800 million in debt relief from the Inter-American Development Bank. In October 2005, Nicaragua ratified the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which will provide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract investment, create jobs, and deepen economic development. Energy shortages, however, are a serious bottleneck to growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$17.33 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.871 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
3.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$3,100 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
17.3%
industry
25.8%
services
56.8% (2006 est.)
Labor force
2.261 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
29%
industry
19%
services
52% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate
3.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
48% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
1.2%
highest 10%
45% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
55.1 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
9.4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
29.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$1.1 billion
expenditures
$1.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood
Industrial production growth rate
2.4% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production
2.778 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
83.9%
hydro
7.7%
nuclear
0%
other
8.4% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
2.929 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2006)
Electricity - imports
69.34 million kWh (2006)
Oil - production
14,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption
25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports
758.9 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports
15,560 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance
-$883 million (2006 est.)
Exports
$1.714 billion f.o.b.; note - includes free trade zones (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts
Exports - partners
US 66.1%, El Salvador 7%, Honduras 3.9% (2006)
Imports
$3.202 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities
consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners
US 22.6%, Venezuela 10.6%, Costa Rica 7.8%, Mexico 7.3%, Guatemala 6.1%, China 4.9%, El Salvador 4.4% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$903.5 million (January 2007 est.)
Debt - external
$3.763 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$471 million (2006 est.)
Currency (code)
gold cordoba (NIO)
Currency code
NIO
Exchange rates
gold cordobas per US dollar - 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004), 15.105 (2003), 14.251 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
220,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1.119 million (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment
domestic
low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
international
country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios
1.24 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations
3 (plus 7 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
320,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.ni
Internet hosts
24,452 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
3 (2000)
Internet users
140,000 (2005)
Airports
176 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
11
2,438 to 3,047 m
3
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
914 to 1,523 m
3
under 914 m
3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
165
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
23
under 914 m
141 (2006)
Pipelines
oil 54 km (2006)
Railways
total
6 km
narrow gauge
6 km 1.067-m gauge (2005)
Roadways
total
19,036 km
paved
2,299 km
unpaved
16,737 km (2005)
Waterways
2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2007)
Ports and terminals
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff
Military branches
Army (includes Navy, Air Force) (2007)
Military service age and obligation
17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2007)
Manpower available for military service
males age 17-49
1,309,970
females age 17-49
1,315,186 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 17-49
1,051,425
females age 17-49
1,129,649 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49
65,170
females age 17-49
63,133 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.6% (2006)
Disputes - international
memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing
