Introduction

Background: |  |

`
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. After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra was elected president in 2006. The 2008 municipal elections were marred by widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions have been weakened under the ORTEGA administration.
`

Geography

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: 130,370 sq km country comparison to the world: 97 land: 119,990 sq km water: 10,380 sq km`
Area - comparative: |  |
`slightly smaller than New York state`
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)`
Total renewable water resources: |  |
`196.7 cu km (2000)`
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural): |  |
`total: 1.3 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%) per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)`
Natural hazards: |  |

`
destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
volcanism: Nicaragua experiences significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (elev. 728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica
`

Environment - current issues: |  |
`deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution`
Environment - international agreements: |  |
`party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements`
Geography - note: |  |
`largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua`

People

Population: |  |
`5,666,301 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 108`
Age structure: |  |
`0-14 years: 31.7% (male 913,905/female 879,818) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 1,743,591/female 1,874,025) 65 years and over: 4.5% (male 116,153/female 138,809) (2011 est.)`
Median age: |  |
`total: 22.9 years male: 22.1 years female: 23.7 years (2011 est.)`
Population growth rate: |  |
`1.088% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 107`
Birth rate: |  |
`19.46 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 93`
Death rate: |  |
`5.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 183`
Net migration rate: |  |
`-3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 182`
Urbanization: |  |
`urban population: 57% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)`
Major cities - population: |  |
`MANAGUA (capital) 934,000 (2009)`
Sex ratio: |  |
`at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)`
Infant mortality rate: |  |
`total: 22.64 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 88 male: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)`
Life expectancy at birth: |  |
`total population: 71.9 years country comparison to the world: 130 male: 69.82 years female: 74.09 years (2011 est.)`
Total fertility rate: |  |
`2.12 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 116`
HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |  |
`0.2% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105`
HIV / AIDS - people living with HIV / AIDS: |  |
`6,900 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114`
HIV / AIDS - deaths: |  |
`fewer than 500 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84`
Major infectious diseases: |  |
`degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)`
Drinking water source: |  |
`improved: urban: 98% of population rural: 68% of population total: 85% of population unimproved: urban: 2% of population rural: 32% of population total: 15% of population (2008)`
Sanitation facility access: |  |
`improved: urban: 63% of population rural: 37% of population total: 52% of population unimproved: urban: 37% of population rural: 63% of population total: 48% of population (2008)`
Nationality: |  |
`noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan`
Ethnic groups: |  |
`mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%`
Religions: |  |
`Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)`
Languages: |  |
`Spanish (official) 97.5%, Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages found on the Atlantic coast`
Literacy: |  |
`definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.5% male: 67.2% female: 67.8% (2003 est.)`
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): |  |
`total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2003)`
Education expenditures: |  |
`3.1% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 131`

Government

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; revised in 1995, 2000, and 2005`
Legal system: |  |
`civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts`
International law organization participation: |  |
`accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt`
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
(For more information visit theWorld Leaders website )
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 on 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.1%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.2%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.4%, other 0.3%
`

Legislative branch: |  |

`
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members 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 on 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 24, MRS 5; note - political parties have been reorganized to reflect the following seat distribution: as of 1 March 2011 - seats by party - FSLN 37, PLC 20, BDN 13, ALN 7, MRS 4, BUN 5, Independent 6
`

Judicial branch: |  |
`Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly); note - in 2010, President Ortega directly replaced seven justices on the Supreme Court`
Political parties and leaders: |  |
`Conservative Party or PC [Alejandro BOLANOS Davis]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Indalecio RODRIGUEZ]; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Alejandro MEJIA Ferreti]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Enrique SAENZ-NAVARRETE]`
Political pressure groups and leaders: |  |

`
National Workers Front or FNT (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 (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 (an independent labor union); Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP (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, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO`
Diplomatic representation in the US: |  |
`chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco Obadiah CAMPBELL Hooker chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, 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 Robert J. CALLAHAN embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 252-7100, 252-7888; 252-7634 (after hours) FAX: [505] 252-7304`
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; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water
note: 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
`

National anthem: |  |
`name: "Salve a ti, Nicaragua" (Hail to Thee, Nicaragua) lyrics/music: Salomon Ibarra MAYORGA/traditional, arranged by Luis Abraham DELGADILLO note: although only officially adopted in 1971, the music was approved in 1918 and the lyrics in 1939; the tune, originally from Spain, was used as an anthem for Nicaragua from the 1830"s until 1876`

Economy

Economy - overview: |  |

`
Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Textiles and apparel account for nearly 60% of Nicaragua's exports, but increases in the minimum wage during the ORTEGA administration will likely erode its comparative advantage in this industry. ORTEGA's promotion of mixed business initiatives, owned by the Nicaraguan and Venezuelan state oil firms, together with the weak rule of law, could undermine the investment climate for domestic and international private firms in the near-term. Nicaragua relies on international economic assistance to meet internal- and external-debt financing obligations. Foreign donors have curtailed this funding, however, in response to November 2008 electoral fraud. Managua has an IMF extended Credit Facility program, which could help keep the government's fiscal deficit on target during the 2011 election year and encourage transparency in the use of Venezuelan off-budget loans and assistance. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, however, Managua still struggles with a high public debt burden. Nicaragua is gradually recovering from the global economic crisis as increased exports drove positive growth in 2010. The economy is expected to grow at a rate of about 3% in 2011.
`

GDP (purchasing power parity): |  |
`$17.71 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $16.95 billion (2009 est.) $17.2 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP (official exchange rate): |  |
`$6.551 billion (2010 est.)`
GDP - real growth rate: |  |
`4.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 -1.5% (2009 est.) 2.8% (2008 est.)`
GDP - per capita (PPP): |  |
`$3,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 $2,900 (2009 est.) $3,000 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP - composition by sector: |  |
`agriculture: 17.6% industry: 26.5% services: 56% (2010 est.)`
Labor force: |  |
`2.343 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 113`
Labor force - by occupation: |  |
`agriculture: 28% industry: 19% services: 53% (2010 est.)`
Unemployment rate: |  |
`8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 8.2% (2009 est.) note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008`
Population below poverty line: |  |
`48% (2005)`
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |  |
`lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 41.8% (2005)`
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |  |
`43.1 (2001) country comparison to the world: 46 60.3 (1998)`
Investment (gross fixed): |  |
`22.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60`
Budget: |  |
`revenues: $1.421 billion expenditures: $1.511 billion (2010 est.)`
Public debt: |  |
`78% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 63% of GDP (2009 est.)`
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |  |
`4.7% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 3.7% (2009 est.)`
Central bank discount rate: |  |
`NA% (31 December 2009) NA% (31 December 2008)`
Commercial bank prime lending rate: |  |
`14.04% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58 13.17% (31 December 2008 est.)`
Stock of narrow money: |  |
`$1.273 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $989.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)`
Stock of broad money: |  |
`$2.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 132 $2.586 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Stock of domestic credit: |  |
`$4.083 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 $4.161 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Market value of publicly traded shares: |  |
`$NA`
Agriculture - products: |  |
`coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters`
Industries: |  |
`food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood`
Industrial production growth rate: |  |
`1.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 141`
Electricity - production: |  |
`3.286 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124`
Electricity - consumption: |  |
`2.569 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131`
Electricity - exports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Electricity - imports: |  |
`63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)`
Oil - production: |  |
`0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121`
Oil - consumption: |  |
`29,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113`
Oil - exports: |  |
`212.5 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 131`
Oil - imports: |  |
`29,570 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 99`
Oil - proved reserves: |  |
`0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 174`
Natural gas - production: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 171`
Natural gas - consumption: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113`
Natural gas - exports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153`
Natural gas - imports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102`
Natural gas - proved reserves: |  |
`0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 176`
Current account balance: |  |
`$-819 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $-841.1 million (2009 est.)`
Exports: |  |
`$3.182 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119 $2.593 billion (2009 est.)`
Exports - commodities: |  |
`coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts; textiles and apparel`
Exports - partners: |  |
`US 61.98%, El Salvador 7.74%, Costa Rica 3.67% (2009)`
Imports: |  |
`$4.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $3.481 billion (2009 est.)`
Imports - commodities: |  |
`consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products`
Imports - partners: |  |
`US 22.63%, Venezuela 12.27%, Mexico 9.05%, Costa Rica 8.66%, China 7.16%, Guatemala 6.59%, El Salvador 5.63% (2009)`
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |  |
`$1.58 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $1.573 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Debt - external: |  |
`$4.03 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $3.633 billion (31 December 2009 est.)`
Exchange rates: |  |
`cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 21.35 (2010) 20.34 (2009) 19.374 (2008) 18.457 (2007) 17.582 (2006)`

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: |  |
`255,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 122`
Telephones - mobile cellular: |  |
`3.204 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 112`
Telephone system: |  |

`
general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly state-owned telecommunications company
domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags behind other Central American countries; fixed-line teledensity roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership is increasing and reached 55 per 100 persons in 2009; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
`

Broadcast media: |  |
`multiple privately-owned terrestrial television networks, supplemented by cable TV in most urban areas; of more than 100 radio broadcast stations, nearly all are privately owned; Radio Nicaragua is government-owned and Radio Sandino is controlled by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) (2007)`
Internet country code: |  |
`.ni`
Internet hosts: |  |
`157,162 (2010) country comparison to the world: 70`
Internet users: |  |
`199,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 141`

Transportation

Airports: |  |
`143 (2010) country comparison to the world: 40`
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 (2010)`
Airports - with unpaved runways: |  |
`total: 132 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 115 (2010)`
Pipelines: |  |
`oil 54 km (2010)`
Roadways: |  |
`total: 19,137 km country comparison to the world: 111 paved: 2,033 km unpaved: 17,104 km (2009)`
Waterways: |  |
`2,220 km (navigable waterways as well as the use of the large Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua; rivers serve only the sparsely populated eastern part of the country) (2010) country comparison to the world: 40`
Ports and terminals: |  |
`Bluefields, Corinto`

Military

Military branches: |  |
`National Army of Nicaragua (Ejercito Nacional de Nicaragua, ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2010)`
Military service age and obligation: |  |
`17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2008)`
Manpower available for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 1,452,107 females age 16-49: 1,552,698 (2010 est.)`
Manpower fit for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 1,227,757 females age 16-49: 1,335,653 (2010 est.)`
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: |  |
`male: 69,093 female: 67,522 (2010 est.)`
Military expenditures: |  |
`0.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 157`

Transnational Issues

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`

PAGE LAST UPDATED ON MAY 26, 2011