Country Information on Nicaragua 

Terrain

The Nicaraguan highlands lie at an average of 610 m above sea level and cross the country from north-west to south-east. Two mountain ranges cross the plateau from east to west and their highest mountain is the Cordillera Isabelia, at 2,100 m. In the west there is a large basin, which contains Central America's largest lake, Lake Nicaragua, as well as Lake Managua. The river Tipitapa connects the two lakes. Between the lakes and the Pacific coast there is a range of volcanoes that is prone to earthquakes. To the east, the Caribbean coastal plain stretches about 72 km inland.

Climate

The climate at the coast in Nicaragua is tropical, with an average temperature of 25.5°C. In the higher-lying inland regions, temperatures range between 15.5 and 26.5°C. The rainy season lasts from May to November. Nicaragua is frequently hit by violent hurricanes, such as in 1998, when Hurricane Mitch caused great destruction all over the country.

Fauna/Flora

Both tropical and subtropical plants are found in Nicaragua. Thick rain forests extend along the Caribbean coastline and on the eastern slopes of the highlands. Oak, pine, cedar, mahogany, rubber and balsam trees, and some 50 different species of fruit trees grow here. Nicaragua's fauna includes pumas, deer, a few species of primates, crocodiles and a large variety of other reptiles. Lake Nicaragua is home to many unusual species of fish, including the world's only freshwater sharks. Parrots, humming birds and wild turkeys live in Nicaragua. Particularly worth mentioning is the quetzal, which is a bird that the Maya consider to be holy.

History/Politics

Nicaragua has been influenced by the Chibcha and Maya cultures. Christopher Columbus discovered the coast of Nicaragua in 1502 and colonization began soon afterwards; the territory was incorporated into the General Captaincy of Guatemala in 1544. In 1821, Nicaragua declared its independence from Spain and became part of the Mexican Empire. In 1823, after the fall of Emperor Agustín de Iturbide, Nicaragua joined the Central American Federation and remained part of it until 1839, when it became an independent state. In 1856, William Walker landed at Nicaragua with a unit of 120 troops and proclaimed himself president, but in 1857 he was defeated by the allied Central American armies. In 1875 and 1895, Germany and Great Britain took the ports of Nicaragua by force, using customs revenue to cover their national debt. Over the years that followed the Americans intervened and in 1928 General José María Moncada, a liberal, was elected president. After the American Marines had withdrawn in 1933 following fierce fighting, the National Guard remained under the leadership of Anastasio Somoza. He seized power in 1937 and remained in control of Nicaragua over the next 20 years. His grandson of the same name came to power in the 1960s. Anastasio Somoza's despotic rule led to the establishment of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, which organized underground armed resistance against the Samoza regime.

In early 1978, Pedro Joaquín Chamorro, the opposition leader, was assassinated, which led to civil war and Somoza was forced to step down in favour of a moderate coalition. He went into exile in 1979. First he went to Miami, and then to Paraguay, where he was assassinated in 1980. The Sandinistas appointed a junta, which was to govern the country, but which was faced with enormous economic difficulties and had to seek help from abroad. The Contras were driven out of the country but later worked from secret bases in Costa Rica and Honduras. The 1984 presidential elections were won by a large margin by the Sandinista candidate, Daniel Ortega Saavedra. After President Reagan had been re-elected in 1985, he imposed a trade embargo and froze all Nicaraguan assets. In February 1990, Nicaraguans went to the polls in an election which took place under international observation. The National Union of the Opposition, an anti-Sandinista coalition supported by the USA, won the elections. Their candidate, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro was elected president, replacing Ortega as president. The 1996 presidential elections were won by the candidate of the Liberal Alliance, José Arnoldo Alemán. He was succeeded by Enrique Bolaños, leader of the Constitutional Liberal Party, in November 2001, who is still in power today.

Economy

The economy grew at a rapid pace until the end of the 1970s, but the civil war had a very negative impact on it. Agriculture is the most important part in Nicaragua's economy, although modern manufacturing industries have now been set up, particularly in Managua. Gold is the country's most important mineral. The state plays a major role in Nicaragua's economy, which depends to a large extent on foreign financial aid. In the mid-1980s Nicaragua was plagued by a food and fuel shortage. According to an international study published in July 1997, Nicaragua is by far the poorest country in Central America. In 2003, the unemployment rate was 24%; the inflation rate was 5.2%.

Culture

As in other Latin American countries, Nicaraguan culture reflects a strong Spanish heritage. In Nicaragua people celebrate a number of festivals to commemorate patron saints and church holidays. The marimba is a popular instrument and in rural areas old instruments like the chirimía (clarinet), maraca (rattle), and zul (a type of flute) are played. Earthquakes and war have destroyed much of Nicaragua's architectural, and above all colonial, heritage, although León still has buildings from colonial times that are in good condition. Nicaragua is also renowned for its poetry. Rubén Darío (1867-1916) is one of its most well-known poets. Bluefields, a largely English-speaking town on the Caribbean coast, is a centre for reggae music. The Solentiname Archipelago on Lake Nicaragua is famous as a haven for artists, poets and craftspeople. The university town of León is well-known for its Sandinista street art in the form of modernist wall paintings.