| 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 and again in 1996 saw the
Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its
economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane
Mitch in 1998. |
| 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
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 |
| 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:
9%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 46%
forests and woodland: 27%
other: 17% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
880 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
destructive
earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe
hurricanes |
| Environment
- current issues: |
deforestation;
soil erosion; water pollution; Hurricane Mitch damage |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate 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 |
| Population: |
4,918,393 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
38.98% (male 976,087; female 941,141)
15-64 years: 58.08% (male 1,418,555; female
1,438,096)
65 years and over: 2.94% (male 62,963; female
81,551) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.15% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
27.64
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
4.82 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-1.33 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 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: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
33.66
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 69.05 years
male: 67.1 years
female: 71.11 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.18 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.2% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
4,900 (1999 est.) |
| 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: 65.7%
male: 64.6%
female: 66.6% (1995 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 |
| Administrative
divisions: |
15 departments (departamentos,
singular - departamento), 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 Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (since 10
January 1997); Vice President Leopoldo NAVARRO (since 24
October 2000); note - the president is both chief of state
and head of government
head of government: President Arnoldo ALEMAN
Lacayo (since 10 January 1997); Vice President Leopoldo
NAVARRO (since 24 October 2000); 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 20 October 1996 (next to be held 4
November 2001); note - in July 1995 the term of the office
of the president was amended to five years
election results: Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo
(Liberal Alliance - ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN,
and PUCA) 51.03%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 37.75%,
Guillermo OSORNO (PCCN) 4.10%, Noel VIDAURRE (PCN) 2.26%,
Benjamin LANZAS (PRONAL) 0.53%, other (18 other candidates)
4.33% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members
are elected by proportional representation to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 1996 (next to
be held 4 November 2001)
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
Alliance 1 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or
Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for seven-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 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, CCC,
ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Alfonso ORTEGA Urbina
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6542
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New Orleans, New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Oliver 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
- overview: |
Nicaragua, one of
the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita
income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge
external debt. While the country has made progress toward
macro-economic 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 remain moderate to high in
2001. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $13.1 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $2,700 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
31.6%
industry: 22.8%
services: 45.6% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
50% (2000 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1.6%
highest 10%: 39.8% (1993) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
11% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
1.7 million
(1999) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
services 43%,
agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
20% plus
considerable underemployment (1999 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$734 million
expenditures: $836 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1999 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: |
2.349 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
67.26%
hydro: 17.71%
nuclear: 0%
other: 15.03% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
2.265 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
20 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
100 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
coffee, bananas,
sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans;
beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products |
| Exports: |
$631 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
coffee, shrimp
and lobster, cotton, tobacco, beef, sugar, bananas; gold |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 37.7%, El
Salvador 12.5%, Germany 9.8%, Costa Rica 5.1%, Spain 2.5%,
France 2.1% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$1.6 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 34.5%, Costa
Rica 11.4%, Guatemala 7.3%, Panama 6.9%, Venezuela 5.9%, El
Salvador 5.5% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$6.4 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
NA |
| Currency: |
gold cordoba (NIO) |
| Exchange
rates: |
gold cordobas per
US dollar - 12.96 (November 2000), 12.69 (2000 est.), 11.81
(1999), 10.58 (1998), 9.45 (1997), 8.44 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| 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) |
| 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 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
182 (2000 est.) |
| 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 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
171
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 25
under 914 m: 145 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy, Air
Force |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 1,269,322 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 779,267 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
58,232 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$26 million
(FY98) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.2% (FY98) |
| 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; maritime boundary
dispute with Honduras in the Caribbean Sea is before the ICJ;
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 |
|
