Nicaragua

Republic of NicaraguaRepublica de Nicaragua

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Nicaragua as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 98 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalManagua
Position13 00 N, 85 00 W
Area129,494 sq km
LocationMiddle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
1997

Every edition of Nicaragua

Populationas each edition published it
4.39 million July 1997 est. · 3.72m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.6% 1997 est. · 2.74% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 20.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
66.17 years 1997 est. · 63.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.9 children per woman 1997 est. · 5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
44.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 68 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,800 1996 est. · $425 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5.5% 1996 est. · 0.5% in 1993

Geography

Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the | North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

17 fields

Land useshare of 129,494 sq km

arable land 9%permanent crops 1%permanent pastures 46%forests and woodland 27%other 17% (1993 est.)irrigated 880 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
129,494sq km
land: 120,254 sq kmwater: 9,240 sq kmslightly smaller than New York State
Coastline
910km
contiguous zone : 25-nm security zonecontinental shelf: natural prolongationterritorial sea: 200 nm
Highest point
2,438m
Mogotonlowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
1,231km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

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

Climate

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain

extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Natural resources

gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes

Environment - current issues

  • deforestation;
  • soil erosion;
  • water pollution

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

People

15 fields
Population
4,386,399
(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth
33.01Death
5.83Net migration
-1.14

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%white 17%black 9%Amerindian 5%
Literacy
65.7%
definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale : 64.6%female: 66.6% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:
43% (male 963,878; female 949,658)
15-64 years:
53% (male 1,147,565; female 1,207,386) 65 years and over : 4% (male 50,910; female 67,002) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years :
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.76 male(s)/female
total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

44.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
66.17 years
male:
63.83 years
female :
68.6 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.9 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun :
Nicaraguan(s)
adjective:
Nicaraguan

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%

Languages

Spanish (official) note: English- and Amerindian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast

Government

Republic; President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

46.03%
Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) 36.55%Nicaraguan Christian Road Party (PCCN) 3.73%Nicaraguan Conservative Party (PCN) 2.12%Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) 1.33%last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)

Legislature, 93 seats, elected 20 October 1996one dot, one seat

Liberal Alliance 42FSLN 36PCCN 4PCN 3PRONAL 2MRS 1PRN 1PNC 1PLI 1AU 1UNO-96 Alliance 1

Percent of vote

Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) 36.55%Nicaraguan Christian Road Party (PCCN) 3.73%Nicaraguan Conservative Party (PCN) 2.12%Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) 1.33%

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form :
Nicaragua
local long form:
Republica de Nicaragua
local short form :
Nicaragua

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

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997)
head of government:
President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997)
cabinet:
Cabinet
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  • election last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held NA 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) 51.03%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 37.75%, Guillermo OSORNO (Nicaraguan Christian Path - CNN) 4.10%, Noel VIDAURRE (Nicaraguan Conservative Party - PCN) 2.26%, Benjamin LANZAS (National Project) 0.53%, others (18 other candidates) remaining 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 NA 2001)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) 36.55%, Nicaraguan Christian Road Party (PCCN) 3.73%, Nicaraguan Conservative Party (PCN) 2.12%, Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) 1.33%;
  • seats by party - Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PNC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 Alliance 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), 12 judges elected for a seven-year term by the National Assembly

Political parties and leaders

right:
  • Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Road (PCCN), Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ;
  • Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), NA;
  • Independent Liberal Party for National Unity (PLIUN), Carlos GUERRA Gallardo;
  • National Conservative Party (PNC), Adolfo CALERO, Noel VIDAURRE;
  • Nationalist Liberal Party (PLN), Enrique SANCHEZ
center right:
  • Neoliberal Party (PALI), Ricardo VEGA Garcia;
  • Nicaraguan Resistance Party (PRN), Enrique QUINONEZ;
  • Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Wilfredo NAVARRO;
  • National Project (PRONAL), Antonio LACAYO Oyanguren;
  • Conservative Action Movement (MAC), Hernaldo ZUNIYA
center left:
  • Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS), Sergio RAMIREZ;
  • Social Democratic Party (PSD), Adolfo JARQUIN;
  • Social Christian Party (PSC), Erick RAMIREZ;
  • Movement for Revolutionary Unity (MUR), NA;
  • Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC), NA;
  • Unity Alliance (AU), Alejandro SERRANO;
  • Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCN), Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha;
  • National Democratic Party (PND), Alfredo CESAR Aguirre;
  • Central American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS Echaverry;
  • UNO-96 Alliance, Alfredo CESAR Aguirre;
  • Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN), Alfredo GUZMAN
left:
Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra

Political pressure groups and leaders

National Workers Front (FNT) is

a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions:
  • Sandinista Workers' Central (CST);
  • Farm Workers Association (ATC);
  • Health Workers Federation (FETASALUD);
  • National Union of Employees (UNE);
  • National Association of Educators of Nicaragua (ANDEN);
  • Union of Journalists of Nicaragua (UPN);
  • Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations (CONAPRO);
  • and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG);
  • Permanent Congress of Workers (CPT) is an umbrella group of
four non-Sandinista labor unions:
  • Confederation of Labor Unification (CUS);
  • Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN-A);
  • Independent General Confederation of Labor (CGT-I);
  • and Labor Action and Unity Central (CAUS);
  • Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN) is an independent labor union;
  • Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) is a confederation of business groups

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Francisco AGUIRRE Sacasa
chancery:
1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 939-6570
consulate(s) general:
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Luis GUTIERREZ
embassy:
Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur., Managua
mailing address :
APO AA 34021
telephone:
[505] (2) 666010 through 666013, 666015 through 18, 666026, 666027, 666032 through 33

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

The Nicaraguan economy, devastated during the | 1980s by economic mismanagement and civil war, is beginning to | rebound.

22 fields
Real growth rate
5.5%
(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 1.4% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate
16%
underemployment 36% (1996 est.)
Labor force
1.086million
by occupation: services 43%, agriculture 44%, industry 13% (1986)

GDP - composition by sector(1995)

agriculture 34%industry 21%services 45% (1995)

Budget

Revenues
$389 millionExpenditures
$551 million (1996 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - overview

The Nicaraguan economy, devastated during the 1980s by economic mismanagement and civil war, is beginning to rebound. Since March 1991, when President CHAMORRO launched an ambitious economic stabilization program, Nicaragua has reduced inflation and obtained substantial economic aid from abroad.

Annual inflation fell from more than 750% in 1991 to less than 5% in 1992. After rising again to an estimated 20% in 1993, the annual inflation rate dropped to roughly 11% in 1994-96. Economic growth rose sharply in 1995-96, thanks to surges in most export categories. The government's efforts to liberalize trade include a December 1995 decision to stop requiring exporters to bring their foreign exchange earnings into Nicaragua.

On the debt front, the Nicaraguan Government launched a successful debt buyback program in 1995, purchasing 73% of its $1.373 billion commercial debt inherited from previous governments. Progress also occurred on reducing bilateral debt in 1996 as Nicaragua reached an agreement with Russia, reducing Nicaragua's debt by $3.3 billion.

Debt reduction agreements with Paris Club creditors and rescheduling with Latin American creditors also took place. Unemployment remains a pressing problem, however, with roughly half the country's work force unemployed or underemployed.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,800 (1996 est.)

Industries

food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear

Electricity - capacity

417,700 kW (1995)

Electricity - production

1.713 billion kWh (1995)

Agriculture - products

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, cassava (tapioca), citrus, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Exports

total value:
$607 million (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities:
meat, coffee, cotton, sugar, seafood, gold, bananas
partners:
US, Central America, Canada, Germany

Imports

total value :
$1.188 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities:
consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products
partners:
Central America, US, Venezuela, Japan

Debt - external

$6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

gold cordobas (C$) per US$1 - 8.63 (September 1996), 7.55 (1995), 6.72 (1994), 5.62 (1993), 5.00 (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields
Fixed lines
66,810
(1993 est.)

Telephone system

low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System

domestic :
wire and microwave radio relay
international:
satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 45, FM 0, shortwave 3

Radios

1.037 million (1992 est.)

Televisions

260,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
107
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Networkskm

Railways
0Waterways
2,220
Railways: narrow gauge: 0 km 1.067-m gauge; note - part of the previous 376 km system was closed and dismantled in 1993 and, in 1994, the remainder was closed, the track and rolling stock being sold for scrap · Waterways: , including 2 large lakes

Railways

total:
0 km
narrow gauge:
0 km 1.067-m gauge; note - part of the previous 376 km system was closed and dismantled in 1993 and, in 1994, the remainder was closed, the track and rolling stock being sold for scrap

Highways

total :
17,146 km
paved:
1,715 km
unpaved:
15,431 km (1995 est.)

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

Airports

147 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 31 (1996 est.)

Military

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force

7 fields

Military branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,027,630 (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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 International Court of Justice (ICJ) referred the disputants to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required;
  • maritime boundary dispute with Honduras

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US NIGER

Central Intelligence Agency. “Nicaragua.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/nicaragua/1997.

How to cite ← 1996 edition 1998 edition →