Nicaragua

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

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Nicaragua as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 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 land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 sq km
LocationMiddle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
2001

Every edition of Nicaragua

Populationas each edition published it
4.92 million July 2001 est. · 3.72m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.15% 2001 est. · 2.74% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 20.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
69.05 years 2001 est. · 63.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.18 children per woman 2001 est. · 5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
33.66 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 68 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,700 2000 est. · $425 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 2000 est. · 0.5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

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

17 fields
Coastline
910km
continental shelf: natural prolongation territorial sea: 200 NM
Irrigated land
880sq km
(1993 est.)

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

Land boundaries

total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

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.)

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

People

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Population
4,918,393
(July 2001 est.)growth rate: 2.15% (2001 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth
27.64Death
4.82Net migration
-1.33

Ethnic groups

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

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.)

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 - deaths

360 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan

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.)

Government

Republic; President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (since 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%

National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional, 93 seatsone dot, one seat

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

Country name

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

Capital

Managua

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

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

Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge external debt.

32 fields
Real growth rate
5%
(2000 est.)industrial production growth: 4.4% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
20%
plus considerable underemployment (1999 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

37.7%
US
34.5%
12.5%
El Salvador
5.5%
5.1%
Costa Rica
11.4%
9.8%
Germany
Guatemala
7.3%
Panama
6.9%
Venezuela
5.9%
2.5%
Spain
2.1%
France
Exports $631 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)Imports $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)(1999)

Electricity

Electricity production
2.349 billion (1999)Electricity consumption
2.265 billion (1999)Electricity exports
20 million (1999)Electricity imports
100 million (1999)

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 - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 31.6% industry: 22.8% services: 45.6% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 39.8% (1993)

Labor force

1.7 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (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

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 67.26% hydro: 17.71% nuclear: 0% other: 15.03% (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

Imports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods

Debt - external

$6.4 billion (2000 est.)

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

Communications

10 fields
Mobile cellular
7,911
(1997)
Fixed lines
140,000
(1996) · country code .ni

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 users

20,000 (2000)

Transportation

8 fields

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

Army, Navy, Air Force

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

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.)

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 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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Nicaragua.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/nicaragua/2001.

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