1.
[syn: Nicaragua, Republic of Nicaragua]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Nicaragua
n 1: a republic in Central America; achieved independence from
Spain in 1821 [syn: Nicaragua, Republic of Nicaragua]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Nicaragua
Introduction Nicaragua
----------------------
Background: Settled as a colony of Spain in the
1520s, Nicaragua gained its
independence in 1821. 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.
Geography Nicaragua
-------------------
Location: Middle 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
water: 9,240 sq km
land: 120,254 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: continental shelf: natural
prolongation
territorial sea: 200 NM
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: 20.24%
permanent crops: 2.38%
other: 77.38% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 880 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes, volcanoes,
landslides; extremely susceptible to
hurricanes
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water
pollution
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
Geography - note: largest country in Central America;
contains the largest freshwater body
in Central America, Lago de
Nicaragua
People Nicaragua
----------------
Population: 5,023,818 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.3% (male 980,621;
female 945,386)
15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,464,468;
female 1,483,082)
65 years and over: 3% (male 65,610;
female 84,651) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.09% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 26.98 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/
female
total population: 1 male(s)/female
(2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 32.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.37 years
female: 71.44 years (2002 est.)
male: 67.39 years
Total fertility rate: 3.09 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2000/01 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 4,800 (2000/01 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 360 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white)
69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian
5%
Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant
Languages: Spanish (official)
note: English and indigenous
languages on Atlantic coast
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 68.2% (1999)
male: 67.1%
female: 70.5% (2000 est.)
Government Nicaragua
--------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de
Nicaragua
Government type: republic
Capital: Managua
Administrative divisions: 15 departments (departamentos,
singular - departamento) and 2
autonomous regions* (regiones
autonomistas, singular - region
autonomista); Boaco, Carazo,
Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli,
Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva
Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas,
Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September
(1821)
Constitution: 9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995
and 2000
Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may
review administrative acts
Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Enrique
BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January
2002); Vice President Jose RIZO
Castellon (since 10 January 2002);
note - the president is both chief
of state and head of government
head of government: President
Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
January 2002); Vice President Jose
RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
2002); note - the president is both
chief of state and head of
government
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; election last held 4 November
2001 (next to be held by November
2006)
election results: Enrique BOLANOS
Geyer (PLC) elected president -
56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN)
42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC) 1.4%;
Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice
president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or
Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members
are elected by proportional
representation to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2001
(next to be held by November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by
party - Liberal Alliance (ruling
party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN,
and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN
3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats
by party - Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN
36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1,
PRN 1, PC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16
judges elected for five-year terms
by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders: Conservative Party of Nicaragua or
PCN [Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha];
Independent Liberal Party or PLI
[Virgilio GODOY]; Liberal Alliance
(ruling alliance including Liberal
Constitutional Party or PLC, New
Liberal Party or PALI, Independent
Liberal Party for National Unity or
PLIUN, and Central American Unionist
Party or PUCA) [leader NA]; National
Conservative Party or PC [Pedro
SOLARZANO, Noel VIDAURRE]; National
Project or PRONAL [Benjamin LANZAS];
Nicaraguan Party of the Christian
Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO,
Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Nicaraguan
Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador
TALAVERA]; Sandinista National
Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel
ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista
Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio
RAMIREZ]; Unity Alliance or AU
[Alejandro SERRANO]; Union Nacional
Opositora 96 or UNO-96 [Alfredo
CESAR Aguirre]
Political pressure groups and National Workers Front or FNT is a
leaders: 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 BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
participation: IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA
(observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos
J. ULVERT
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New
York
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6542
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Oliver
US: P. GARZA
embassy: Apartado Postal 327,
Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address: APO AA 34021
telephone: [505] (2) 662298, 666010,
666012, 666013, 666015, 666018,
666026, 666027, 666032, 666033
FAX: [505] (2) 669074
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 Nicaragua
-----------------
Economy - overview: Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's
poorest countries, faces low per
capita income, flagging socio-
economic indicators, and huge
external debt. Distribution of
income is extremely unequal. While
the country has made progress toward
macroeconomic stabilization over the
past few years, a banking crisis and
scandal has shaken the economy.
Managua will continue to be
dependent on international aid and
debt relief under the Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
initiative. Donors have made aid
conditional on improving
governability, the openness of
government financial operation,
poverty alleviation, and human
rights. Nicaragua met the conditions
for additional debt service relief
in December 2000. Growth should move
up in 2002 because of increased
private investment and recovery in
the global economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.3
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,500
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 33%
industry: 23%
services: 44% (2000)
Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 0.7%
percentage share: highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini 60.3 (1998)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.4% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 1.7 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: services 43%, agriculture 42%,
industry 15% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 23% plus considerable
underemployment (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $726 million
expenditures: $908 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2000 est.)
Industries: food processing, chemicals,
machinery and metal products,
textiles, clothing, petroleum
refining and distribution,
beverages, footwear, wood
Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (2000 est.)
Electricity - production: 2.233 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.68%
hydro: 9.4%
other: 8.92% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 2.176 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 1 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 100 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton,
rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya,
beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry,
dairy products
Exports: $609.5 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton,
tobacco, beef, sugar, bananas; gold
Exports - partners: US 57.7%, Germany 5.3%, Canada 4.2%,
Costa Rica 3.3%, Honduras 3% (2000)
Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, raw
materials, petroleum products,
consumer goods
Imports - partners: US 23.9%, Costa Rica 11.4%,
Venezuela 9.9%, Guatemala 7.9%,
Mexico 5.9% (2000)
Debt - external: $6.1 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: NA
Currency: gold cordoba (NIO)
Currency code: NIO
Exchange rates: gold cordobas per US dollar - 13.88
(January 2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.69
(2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998),
9.45 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Nicaragua
------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 140,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 7,911 (1997)
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: 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 seven low-power repeaters)
(1997)
Televisions: 320,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .ni
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000)
Internet users: 20,000 (2000)
Transportation Nicaragua
------------------------
Railways: total: 6 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge
note: carries mostly passengers from
Chichigalpa to Ingenio San Antonio
(2001)
Highways: total: 16,382 km
paved: 1,818 km
unpaved: 14,564 km (1998)
Waterways: 2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)
Pipelines: crude oil 56 km
Ports and harbors: Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff,
Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino,
Rama, San Juan del Sur
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 182 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 171
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 25
under 914 m: 145 (2001)
Military Nicaragua
------------------
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,308,430 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 802,779 (2002 est.)
service:
Military manpower - reaching males: 58,232 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $26 million (FY98)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.2% (FY98)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Nicaragua
------------------------------
Disputes - international: territorial disputes with Colombia
over the Archipelago de San Andres y
Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
with respect to the maritime
boundary question in the Golfo de
Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the
line determined by the 1900
Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary
Commission and advised that some
tripartite resolution among El
Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua
likely would be required; 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