 | |
| Geography |
| Largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua. |
| 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 |
| Area: | total: 129,494 sq km
land: 120,254 sq km
water: 9,240 sq kmSize comparison: 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: | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: natural prolongation |
| 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: 14.81%
permanent crops: 1.82%
other: 83.37% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 610 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes |
| Current Environment Issues: | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution |
| International Environment 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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
| ^Back to Top |
| People |
| Population: | 5,675,356 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 35.5% (male 1,025,426/female 988,148)
15-64 years: 61.3% (male 1,734,153/female 1,746,574)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 79,589/female 101,466) (2007 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 21.3 years
male: 20.9 years
female: 21.7 years (2007 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.855% (2007 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 24.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.993 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.784 male(s)/female
total population: 1.001 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 27.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 30.45 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 70.92 years
male: 68.82 years
female: 73.13 years (2007 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.69 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 6,400 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 500 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan |
| Ethnic groups: | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5% |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%, Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census) |
| Languages: | Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.) |
| ^Back to Top |
| Government |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Managua
geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); 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; reforms in 1995, 2000, and 2005 |
| Legal system: | civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: | 16 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007)
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 (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election)
elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election), MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS) |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon]; Central American Unionist Party or PUCA [Blanca ROJAS]; Christian Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN [Carlos GUERRA Gallardo]; Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal Party or PALI [Adolfo GARCIA Esquivel]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; 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 [Dora Maria TELLEZ]; Unity Alliance or AU |
| 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, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo CRUZ Sequeira, Jr.
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 Paul A. TRIVELLI
embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address: P.O. Box 327
telephone: [505] 266-6010
FAX: [505] 266-3861 |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007)
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 (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44% |
| ^Back to Top |
| Economy |
| Nicaragua has widespread underemployment and the third lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic stability in the past few years, GDP annual growth has been far too low to meet the country's needs, forcing the country to rely on international economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing obligations. Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in November 2006 obtained over $800 million in debt relief from the Inter-American Development Bank. In October 2005, Nicaragua ratified the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which will provide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract investment, create jobs, and deepen economic development. Energy shortages, however, are a serious bottleneck to growth. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $17.09 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $4.871 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.7% (2006 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $3,100 (2006 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 17.2%
industry: 25.9%
services: 56.9% (2006 est.) |
| Labor force: | 2.204 million (2006 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 29%
industry: 19%
services: 52% (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 3.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2006 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 48% (2005) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 33.8% (2001) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 43.1 (2001) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 9.1% (2006 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | 29.4% of GDP (2006 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $996.7 million
expenditures: $1.211 billion (2006 est.) |
| Public debt: | 83.1% of GDP (2006 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters |
| Industries: | food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 2.4% (2005 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 2.778 billion kWh (2006) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 2.929 billion kWh (2006) |
| Electricity - exports: | 8 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports: | 69.34 million kWh (2006) |
| Oil - production: | 14,300 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 1,397 bbl/day (2004) |
| Oil - imports: | 15,560 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $-854.4 million (2006 est.) |
| Exports: | $1.978 billion f.o.b.; note - includes free trade zones (2006 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts |
| Exports - partners: | US 65.2%, El Salvador 6.9%, Honduras 3.8% (2006) |
| Imports: | $3.422 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products |
| Imports - partners: | US 20.1%, Mexico 13.9%, Venezuela 9.4%, Costa Rica 6.9%, Guatemala 5.4%, China 4.3% (2006) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $921.9 million (2006 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $3.918 billion (2006 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Currency (code): | gold cordoba (NIO) |
| Exchange rates: | gold cordobas per US dollar - 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004), 15.105 (2003), 14.251 (2002) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
| ^Back to Top |
| Communications |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 247,900 (2006) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1.83 million (2006) |
| 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 7 repeaters) (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .ni |
| Internet hosts: | 27,941 (2007) |
| Internet users: | 155,000 (2006) |
| ^Back to Top |
| Transportation |
| Airports: | 163 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
| Pipelines: | oil 54 km (2006) |
| Railways: | total: 6 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2006) |
| Roadways: | total: 19,036 km
paved: 2,299 km
unpaved: 16,737 km (2005) |
| Waterways: | 2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2007) |
| Ports and terminals: | Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff |
| ^Back to Top |
| Military |
|
| Military branches: | National Army of Nicaragua (ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2007) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2007) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 17-49: 1,309,970
females age 17-49: 1,315,186 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 17-49: 1,051,425
females age 17-49: 1,129,649 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.6% (2006) |
| ^Back to Top |
