Nicaragua

Republic of NicaraguaRepublica de Nicaragua

republicIndependence 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Nicaragua as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 122 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
LocationCentral America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
2004

Every edition of Nicaragua

Populationas each edition published it
5.36 million July 2004 est. · 3.72m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.97% 2004 est. · 2.74% in 1993
Median ageyears
20.2 years 2004 est. · 20.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
70.02 years 2004 est. · 63.5 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.89 children per woman 2004 est. · 5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
30.15 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 68 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,300 2003 est. · $425 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.3% 2003 est. · 0.5% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 129,494 sq km

arable land 15.94%permanent crops 1.94%other 82.12% (2001)irrigated 880 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
129,494sq km
land: 120,254 sq kmwater: 9,240 sq kmslightly smaller than the state of New York
Coastline
910km
territorial sea: 200 nmcontinental shelf: natural prolongation
Highest point
2,438m
Mogotonlowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
1,231km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

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

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; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues

  • deforestation;
  • soil erosion;
  • water pollution

Environment - international agreements

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

Geography - note

largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People

19 fields
Population
5,359,759
(July 2004 est.)growth rate: 1.97% (2004 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth
25.5Death
4.54Net migration
-1.22

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)70.02
67.99 · 72.16Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)30.15
33.73 · 26.38
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)67.5%
67.2% · 67.8%Median age years (2004 est.)20.2
19.8 · 20.6
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:
38.1% (male 1,038,887; female 1,001,518)
15-64 years:
58.9% (male 1,570,494; female 1,586,706)
65 years and over:
3% (male 71,125; female 91,029) (2004 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:
0.78 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.89 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Nicaraguan(s)
adjective:
Nicaraguan

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant

Languages

Spanish (official) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Government

Republic; President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002)

18 fields

National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional, 92 seats, elected 4 November 2001one dot, one seat

Liberal Alliance 53FSLN 38PCN 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) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonomista);
  • 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, with reforms in 1995 and 2000

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002);
  • Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002);
  • note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:
  • President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002);
  • Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002);
  • 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 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
election results:
  • Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president - 56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PCN) 1.4%;
  • Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; one seat for previous President, one seat for runner-up in previous Presidential election

elections:
last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes
    • PCCN,
    • PLC,
    • PALI,
    • PLIUN,
    • and PUCA) 46.03%,
    • FSLN 36.55%,
    • PCN 2.12%
    ;
  • seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN 38, PCN 1

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders

  • Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Mario RAPPACCIOLI];
  • Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos];
  • Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina];
  • Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA];
  • Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra];
  • Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [leader NA];
  • Unity Alliance or AU [leader NA];
  • Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant];
  • Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon, Oscar WENDOLYN Vargas, Karla WHITE];
  • Liberal Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez];
  • Christian Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]

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, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5 December 2003)
chancery:
1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573
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 Barbara Calandra MOORE
embassy:
Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address:
APO AA 34021
telephone:
[505] 266-6010
FAX:
[505] 266-9074

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, massive unemployment, and huge external debt.

40 fields
Real growth rate
2.3%
(2003 est.)industrial production growth: 4.4% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
22%
plus considerable underemployment (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)

agriculture 28.9%industry 25.4%services 45.7% (2003 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

35.9%
US
24.9%
17.2%
El Salvador
4.9%
Venezuela
9.7%
8.1%
Costa Rica
9%
4.6%
Mexico
8.4%
7.3%
Honduras
4.3%
Guatemala
7.3%
Japan
4.3%
Exports $632 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)Imports $1.658 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)(2003)

Budget

Revenues
$672.5 millionExpenditures
$954.9 million (2003 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

Electricity production
2.549 billion (2001)Electricity consumption
2.388 billion (2001)Electricity imports
17 million (2001)

Economy - overview

Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability over the past few years, GDP annual growth of 1.5% - 2.5% has been far too low to meet the country's need.

Nicaragua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Nicaragua has undertaken significant economic reforms that are expected to help the country qualify for more than $4 billion in debt relief under HIPC in early 2004.

Donors have made aid conditional on the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. A three-year poverty reduction and growth plan, agreed to with the IMF in December 2002, guides economic policy.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $11.6 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

28.1% of GDP (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
0.7%
highest 10%:
48.8% (1998)

Labor force

1.91 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 42%, industry 15%, services 43% (1999 est.)

Public debt

125.3% of GDP (2003)

Agriculture - products

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Industries

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

24,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Current account balance

$-859 million (2003)

Exports

$632 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar, gold

Imports

$1.658 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Debt - external

$5.833 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

Substantial foreign support (2001)

Currency

gold cordoba (NIO)

Exchange rates

gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.2513 (2003), 14.2513 (2002), 13.3719 (2001), 12.6844 (2000), 11.8092 (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
202,800
(2002)
Internet users
7,094
(2003)
Fixed lines
171,600
(2002) · 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:
country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Internet users

90,000 (2002)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

3
2,438 to 3,047 m
2
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
3
914 to 1,523 m
23
3
under 914 m
141
Paved 11Unpaved 165

Networkskm

Highways
19,032Railways
6Waterways
2,220 (1997)
Highways: paved: 2,094 km · unpaved: 16,938 km (2000) · Railways: narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2003) · Waterways: (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua)

Railways

total:
6 km
narrow gauge:
6 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways

total:
19,032 km
paved:
2,094 km
unpaved:
16,938 km (2000)

Waterways

2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997)

Pipelines

oil 54 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur

Airports

176 (2003 est.)

Military

Army (includes Navy), Navy

7 fields

Military branches

Army (includes Navy), Navy

Military manpower - military age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,399,356 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 858,022 (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region;
  • 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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Nicaragua.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/nicaragua/2004.

How to cite ← 2003 edition 2005 edition →