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Background:
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 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. |
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Location:
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Central America,
bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean,
between Costa Rica and Honduras |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
129,494 sq km
water: 9,240 sq km
land: 120,254 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than the state of New York |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,231 km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km |
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Coastline:
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910 km |
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Climate:
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tropical in
lowlands, cooler in highlands |
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Terrain:
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extensive
Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains;
narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m |
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Natural resources:
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gold, silver,
copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish |
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Land use:
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arable land:
20.24%
permanent crops: 2.38%
other: 77.38% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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880 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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destructive
earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to
hurricanes |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation;
soil erosion; water pollution |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
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Geography - note:
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largest country
in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in
Central America, Lago de Nicaragua |
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Population:
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5,359,759 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
38.1% (male 1,038,887; female 1,001,518)
15-64 years: 58.9% (male 1,570,494; female 1,586,706)
65 years and over: 3% (male 71,125; female 91,029)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
20.2 years
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.6 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.97% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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25.5 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.54 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.22 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
30.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 33.73 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 70.02 years
male: 67.99 years
female: 72.16 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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5,800 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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400 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo (mixed
Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
85%, Protestant |
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Languages:
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Spanish
(official)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic
coast |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Managua |
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Administrative divisions:
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15 departments (departamentos,
singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones
autonomistas, singular - region autonomista); Atlantico Norte*,
Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli,
Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa,
Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas |
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Independence:
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15 September 1821
(from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
15 September (1821) |
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Constitution:
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9 January 1987,
with reforms in 1995 and 2000 |
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Legal system:
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civil law system;
Supreme Court may review administrative acts |
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Executive branch:
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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 (PCN) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice
president |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; members are
elected by proportional representation and party lists to
serve five-year terms; one seat for previous President, one
seat for runner-up in previous Presidential election
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 PCCN, PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and
PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%; seats by party - Liberal
Alliance 53, FSLN 38, PCN 1 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or
Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the
National Assembly) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Conservative
Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Mario RAPPACCIOLI]; 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]; 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 [leader NA]; Unity
Alliance or AU [leader NA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5 December
2003)
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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE
embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera
Sur, Managua
mailing address: APO AA 34021
telephone: [505] 266-6010, 266-2298, 266-6013
FAX: [505] 266-9074 |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing
power parity - $11.49 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.4%
(2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing
power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
30.5%
industry: 22.5%
services: 47% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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50%
(2001 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5.3%
(2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.7
million (1999) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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services
43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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22%
plus considerable underemployment (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$726 million
expenditures: $908 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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food
processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles,
clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages,
footwear, wood |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4.4%
(2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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2.549
billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 83.9%
hydro: 7.7%
other: 8.4% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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2.388
billion kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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24,500
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee,
bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya,
beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products |
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Exports:
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$632
million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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coffee,
shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar,
gold |
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Exports - partners:
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US
59.4%, El Salvador 7.5%, Honduras 4.8% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$1.658
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer
goods |
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Imports - partners:
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US
23.6%, Costa Rica 10.2%, Guatemala 7.8%, Venezuela 7.1%, El
Salvador 6%, Mexico 4.9%, South Korea 4.6% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$5.8
billion (2003 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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Substantial
foreign support (2001) |
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Currency:
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gold
cordoba (NIO) |
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Currency code:
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NIO |
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Exchange rates:
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gold
cordobas per US dollar - 14.25 (2003), 14.25 (2002), 13.37
(2001), 12.68 (2000), 11.81 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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171,600 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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202,800 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 63, FM 32,
shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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3 (plus seven
low-power repeaters) (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ni |
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Internet hosts:
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3,370 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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90,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 6
km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
19,032 km
paved: 2,094 km
unpaved: 16,938 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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2,220 km
(including 2 large lakes) |
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Pipelines:
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oil 54 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Bluefields,
Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San
Juan del Sur |
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Merchant marine:
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none |
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Airports:
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176 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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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 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 165
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 141 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army (includes
Navy), Navy |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 1,399,356 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 858,022 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
61,869 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$30.8 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.2% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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territorial
disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y
Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; 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 |
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Illicit drugs:
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transshipment
point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point
for arms-for-drugs dealing |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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