Nicaragua

Republic of NicaraguaRepublica de Nicaragua

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Nicaragua as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 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

Populationas each edition published it

4.72 million July 1999 est. · 3.72m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.84% 1999 est. · 2.74% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 20.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

67.08 years 1999 est. · 63.5 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.14 children per woman 1999 est. · 5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

40.47 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 68 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,500 1998 est. · $425 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4% 1998 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 the state of New York

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

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;
Hurricane Mitch damage

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

People

15 fields

Population

4,717,132

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.84% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

35.04Death

5.6Net migration

-1.06

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)67.08

64.7 · 69.56

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)65.7%

64.6% · 66.6%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%white 17%black 9%Amerindian 5%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 44% (male 1,037,269; female 1,018,909)
15-64 years:: 54% (male 1,236,326; female 1,297,356)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 54,706; female 72,566) (1999 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:: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

40.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective:: Nicaraguan

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%FSLN 36.55%PCCN 3.73%PCN 2.12%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%FSLN 36.55%PCCN 3.73%PCN 2.12%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*

Legal system

civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997);
Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997);
note--the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997);
Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997);
note--the president is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Cabinet
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 NA 2001);
note--in July 1995 the term of the office of the president was amended to five years 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) 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%,
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, PNC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 Alliance 1

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC Saavedra]

Political pressure groups and leaders

National Workers Front or

FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions

Sandinista Workers Central or CST;
Farm Workers Association or ATC;
Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD;
National Union of Employees or UNE;
National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN;
Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN;
Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO;
and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG;
Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions: Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS;
Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A;
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, 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, OPCW, 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
consulate(s) general:: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ
embassy:: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address:: APO AA 34021 666026, 666027, 666032, 666033

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

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$2,500

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 1.4% (1994 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

16%

(1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

14%

underemployment 36% (1997 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 32%industry 24%services 44% (1997)

Budget

Revenues

$389 millionExpenditures

$551 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 48.95%hydro 21.02%other 30.03% (1996)nuclear 0%

Electricity production

1.665 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

1.665 billion (1996)

Economy--overview

Prior to Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998, Nicaragua had been pursuing a number of impressive economic reforms and had begun to shed the legacy of a decade of civil war and economic mismanagement by posting strong annual growth numbers. The storm has put the reform effort on hold and has changed economic forecasts for the foreseeable future--Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America was one of the hardest hit by the hurricane.

Nicaragua sustained approximately $1 billion in damages and will probably see GDP growth slow by at least one percentage point in 1999. Hardest hit was the all-important agriculture sector, which is responsible for the majority of exports. As a result, the trade deficit is likely to balloon in 1999 to roughly $900 million.

Significant aid and relief have helped to stabilize the country. In addition, the Paris Club and other creditors have offered substantial debt relief. Nevertheless, additional financing will be needed to restore the economy to its pre-Mitch condition.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$11.6 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

50.3% (1993 est.)

Labor force

1.5 million

Labor force--by occupation

services 54%, agriculture 31%, industry 15% (1995 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$704 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities

coffee, seafood, meat, sugar, gold, bananas

Exports--partners

US, Central America, Germany, Canada

Imports

$1.45 billion (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports--commodities

consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products

Imports--partners

Central America, US, Venezuela, Japan

Debt--external

$6 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$839.9 million (1995)

Currency

1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

gold cordobas (C$) per US$1--11.14 (December 1998), 10.58 (1998), 9.45 (1997), 8.44 (1996), 7.55 (1995), 6.72 (1994)

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)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

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

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

143

total: 171 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27

Networkskm

Highways

16,382Waterways

2,220

Highways: paved: 1,818 km · unpaved: 14,564 km (1998 est.) · Waterways: , including 2 large lakes

Highways

total:: 16,382 km
paved:: 1,818 km
unpaved:: 14,564 km (1998 est.)

Military

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force

7 fields

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

1.2%

(1998)

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Nicaragua.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/nicaragua/1999.

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