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The flag of Nicaragua is blue with a
white stripe that has a symbol (coat of arms pictured below) in the middle
that shows that it is the land of lakes,
mountains and volcanoes. One leader said it this way: "The
white stripe stands for the territory of our nation and
represents the purity of our fatherland. The two blue
stripes mean our territory is bathed by two oceans." by
Santiago Dotor, 4 January 1999
Many times, it is helpful when traveling
to a foreign country, to have some information about the
land and its people. This is especially true when desiring
to do evangelism there.
Nicaragua, although small, is one of the
largest countries in Central America with a population of
over 5 million people. There are many souls that need the
gospel there. You can see where it is located by the star on
the globe (above) and in the highlighted blue area of the
map (below).
The land of Nicaragua is beautiful, but its
true beauty is found in the people who are humble and hospitable to each one that comes
to be with them. For more information about this country, see
the sections below:
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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.
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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
Coastline:
910 km
Maritime
claims:
contiguous zone: 25-nm security zone
continental shelf: natural prolongation
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
Nicaragua's climate is, on the whole, tropical with some
regional differences. Humidity is high, with average annual
temperatures of 80°F. The rainy season occurs from June to
November.
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
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Population:
4,812,569 (July 2000 est.)
Age
structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 971,580; female 936,888)
15-64 years: 57% (male 1,372,169; female 1,392,861)
65 years and over: 3% (male 60,539; female 78,532)
(2000 est.)
Population
growth rate: 2.2% (2000 est.)
Birth
rate: 28.26 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death
rate: 4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net
migration rate: -1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000
est.)
Sex
ratio:
at birth: 1.04 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 (2000 est.)
Infant
mortality rate: 34.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2000
est.)
Life
expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.74 years
male: 66.81 years
female: 70.77 years (2000 est.)
Total
fertility rate: 3.27 children born/woman (2000 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.)
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Country
name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua
Data
code: NU
Government
type: republic
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
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 (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: 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 NA
October 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
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 or Corte Suprema, 16 judges
elected for seven-year terms by the National Assembly
Political
parties and leaders: Central American Integrationist
Party or PIAC [leader NA]; Central American Unionist Party
or PUCA [Blanca ROJAS Echaverry]; Conservative Action
Movement or MAC [Hernaldo ZUNIGA]; Conservative National
Party or PNC [Adolfo CALERO, Noel VIDAURRE]; Conservative
Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha];
Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio GODOY];
Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN
[Carlos GUERRA Gallardo]; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or
PLC [Jose RIZO Castellon]; Movement for Revolutionary Unity
or MUR [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or PND
[Alfredo CESAR Aguirre]; National Project or PRONAL [Antonio
LACAYO Oyanguren]; Nationalist Liberal Party or PLN [Enrique
SANCHEZ Herdocia]; Neoliberal Party or PALI [Adolfo GARCIA
Esquivel]; Nicaraguan Democratic Movement or MDN [Alfredo
GUZMAN]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Road or PCCN
[Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Nicaraguan Resistance
Party or PRN [Fabio GADEA]; Sandinista National Liberation
Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista
Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Social
Christian Party or PSC [Erick RAMIREZ]; Social Democratic
Party or PSD [Adolfo JARQUIN]; Unity Alliance or AU
[Alejandro SERRANO]; UNO-96 Alliance [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre]
note: political blocs include: left - FSLN; center
left - MRS, PSD, PSC, MUR, PIAC, AU, PCN, PND, PUCA, UNO-96
Alliance, and MDN; center right - PALI, PRN, PLI, PRONAL,
and MAC; right - PCCN, PLC, PLIUN, PNC, and PLN
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
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: 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
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Economy
- overview: Nicaragua is one of the hemisphere's poorest
countries, with low per capita income, flagging
socio-economic indicators, and huge external debt. The
country has made significant progress toward macro-economic
stabilization over the past few years - even with the damage
caused by Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998. International
aid, debt relief, and continued foreign investment have
contributed to the stabilization process. GDP grew 6.3% in
1999, while inflation remained about 12%, and unemployment
dropped. Nicaragua may qualify for the Highly Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) initiative, though aid is conditioned on
improving governability, the openness of government
financial operations, poverty alleviation, and human rights.
Bank
Hours: Monday to Friday 8a.m. to 4p.m., Saturday
8:30a.m. to 11:30a.m.
Retail
Hours: Monday to Friday 9a.m. to 6p.m., shorter hours on
the weekend (actual hours may vary).
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $12.5 billion (1999 est.)
GDP
- real growth rate: 6.3% (1999 est.)
GDP
- per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,650 (1999
est.)
GDP
- composition by sector:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 22%
services: 44% (1998)
Population
below poverty line: 50% (1999 est.)
Household
income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.6%
highest 10%: 39.8% (1993)
Inflation
rate (consumer prices): 12% (1999 est.)
Labor
force: 1.7 million (1999)
Labor
force - by occupation: services 43%, agriculture 42%,
industry 15% (1999 est.)
Unemployment
rate: 10.5% (1999 est.); considerable underemployment
Budget:
revenues: $527 million
expenditures: $617 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Industries:
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products,
textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution,
beverages, footwear, wood
Industrial
production growth rate: 3.2% (1998 est.)
Electricity
- production: 2.714 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity
- production by source:
fossil fuel: 53.43%
hydro: 35.34%
nuclear: 0%
other: 11.23% (1998)
Electricity
- consumption: 2.52 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity
- exports: 99 million kWh (1998)
Electricity
- imports: 95 million kWh (1998)
Agriculture
- products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice,
corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork,
poultry, dairy products
Exports:
$573 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports
- commodities: coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton,
tobacco, beef, sugar, bananas; gold
Exports
- partners: US 35%, Germany 13%, El Salvador 10%, Spain
4%, Costa Rica 4%, France 2% (1998)
Imports:
$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)
Imports
- commodities: machinery and equipment, raw materials,
petroleum products, consumer goods
Imports
- partners: US 31%, Costa Rica 11%, Guatemala 8%,
Venezuela 6%, El Salvador 5%, Mexico 4% (1998)
Debt
- external: $5.7 billion (1999 est.)
Economic
aid - recipient: pledges of $1.4 billion in new aid in
1999
Currency:
1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos
Exchange
rates: gold cordobas (C$) per US$1 - 12.29 (December
1999),11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998), 9.45 (1997), 8.44 (1996),
7.55 (1995)
Fiscal
year: calendar year
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Telephones
- main lines in use: 140,000 (1996)
Telephones
- mobile cellular: 4,400 (1995)
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 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
Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (1999)
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Highways:
total: 16,382 km
paved: 1,818 km
unpaved: 14,564 km (1998 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
Merchant
marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports:
182 (1999 est.)
Airports
- with paved runways:
total: 11
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
under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)
Airports
- with unpaved runways:
total: 171
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 26
under 914 m: 144 (1999 est.)
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Military
branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military
manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military
manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,229,103 (2000 est.)
Military
manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 755,002 (2000 est.)
Military
manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 57,125 (2000 est.)
Military
expenditures - dollar figure: $26 million (FY98)
Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY98)
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