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{{Infobox_Country
|native_name ={{lang|es|''República de Nicaragua''}}
|conventional_long_name =Republic of Nicaragua
|common_name =Nicaragua
|image_flag =Flag of Nicaragua.svg
|image_coat =Coat of arms of Nicaragua.svg
|image_map = LocationNicaragua.png
|national_anthem ={{lang|es|''[[Salve a ti, Nicaragua]]''}}
|official_languages = [[Spanish language|Spanish]] (official) <small>([[English language|English]] and indigenous languages on Caribbean coast)</small>
|capital =[[Managua]]
|latd=12 |latm=9 |latNS=N |longd=86 |longm=16 |longEW=W
|largest_city =[[Managua]]
|government_type = Republic
|leader_title1 = [[List of Presidents of Nicaragua|President]]
|leader_name1 =[[Enrique Bolaños]] <!--Ortega BECOMES president until January, so DO NOT CHANGE THIS UNTIL THEN -->
|area_rank = 97rd
|area_magnitude =1 E11
|area=129,494
|areami²= 50,193 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->
|percent_water =07.14
|population_estimate =5,487,500
|population_estimate_rank =108th
|population_estimate_year =July 2005
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density =42
|population_densitymi² =109 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->
|population_density_rank =157th
|GDP_PPP = $20.996 billion<!-- IMF -->
|GDP_PPP_rank =108th
|GDP_PPP_year=2005
|GDP_PPP_per_capita =$3,636
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank =119th
|sovereignty_type =[[Independence]]
|sovereignty_note = From [[Spain]]
|established_event1 = Declared
|established_event2 = Recognized
|established_date1 = [[September 15]], [[1821]]
|established_date2 = [[July 25]], [[1850]]
|HDI = 0.690
|HDI_rank =112th
|HDI_year = 2003
|HDI_category =<font color="#FFCC00">medium</font>
|currency =[[Córdoba (currency)|Córdoba]]
|currency_code = NIO
|country_code =
|time_zone =
|utc_offset =-6
|time_zone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST =
|cctld = [[.ni]]
|calling_code = 505
|footnotes =
}}

'''Nicaragua''' ({{lang-es|República de Nicaragua}}, [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] {{IPA|[re'puβlika ðe nika'raɰwa]}}) is a democratic republic in [[Central America]]. It is the largest nation in the [[isthmus]], but also the least densely populated with a demographic similar in size to its smaller neighbours. The country is bordered on the north by [[Honduras]] and on the south by [[Costa Rica]]. Its western [[coastal|coastline]] is on the [[Pacific Ocean]], while the east side of the country is on the [[Caribbean Sea]].

[[Image:NicaMap.JPG|210px|left|thumb|Map of Nicaragua]]

The country's name is derived from [[Nicarao]], the name of the [[Nahuatl language|Nahuatl]]-speaking tribe which inhabited the shores of [[Lago de Nicaragua]] before the [[Spanish conquest of the Americas]], and the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] word {{lang|es|''Agua''}}, meaning [[water]], due to the presence of the large lakes [[Lago de Nicaragua]] and [[Lago de Managua]], lagoons and rivers in the region.

[[Image:NicarAGUA.JPG|210px|left|thumb|A postcard displaying Nicaragua's many waterways]]

At the time of the Spanish conquest, Nicaragua was the name given to the narrow strip of land between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean. Chief Nicarao ruled over that land when the first conquerors arrived. The term was eventually applied, by extension, to the group that inhabited that region: the Nicaraos or Niquiranos.

The Nicarao tribe migrated to the area from northern regions after the fall of [[Teotihuacán]], on the advice of their religious leaders. According to tradition, they were to travel south until they encountered a lake with two volcanoes rising out of the waters, and so they stopped when they reached [[Ometepe]], the largest fresh-water volcanic island in the world.

==History==
{{main|History of Nicaragua}}

In 1502 Cristopher Columbus was the first European known to have reached what is now Nicaragua as he sailed south alon the Central America isthmus. On his fourth voyage Columbus sailed alongside and explored the Mosquito Coast on the east of Nicaragua. However, it was not until 1524, that [[Conquistador]] [[Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (founder of Nicaragua)|Francisco Hernández de Córdoba]] founded the first [[Spain|Spanish]] permanent settlements, including two of Nicaragua's principal towns: [[Granada, Nicaragua|Granada]] on [[Lake Nicaragua]], [[León, Nicaragua|León]] east of [[Lake Managua]] and also Nueva Segovia in Nicaragua's north. Settled as a colony of Spain within the kingdom of Guatemala in the 1520s, Nicaragua became a part of the [[Mexican Empire]] and then gained its independence as a part of the [[United Provinces of Central America]] in 1821 and as an independent republic in its own right in 1838.

[[Image:grana_gF.JPG|210px|right|thumb|Colonial arquitecture of the city of Granada, Nicaragua]]

The [[Mosquito Coast]] based on [[Bluefields]] on the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] was claimed by the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] and its predecessors as a [[protectorate]] from 1655 to 1850; this was delegated to [[Honduras]] in 1859 and transferred to Nicaragua in 1860, though it remained [[Autonomous entity|autonomous]] until 1894. Jose Santos Zelaya managed to negotiate with the Queen of England for the annexation of this region to the rest of Nicaragua. In his honour the entire region was named Zelaya, though this was later changed under the Sandinista government and it was divided into two autonomous regions.

[[Image:CornIsland.JPG|210px|left|thumb|Corn Island off the Atlantic Coast now a popular tourist destination was originally a British protectorate until it was ceded along with the rest of the Mosquito Coast to Nicaragua]]

Nicaragua was considered by the Spanish Kingdom as a very important colony, considering it had a natural route in which it would permit transportation of good from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. However, at the time it was not considered of much value for the mining of minerals though there were high concentrationns of gold, smaller compared to the amounts in the other Spanish colonies. During the early years of the colony Nicaragua produced many goods which gave it some prosperity, and there was an ever increasing desire to build a canal along the San Juan River, through Lake Nicaragua and across the isthmus of Rivas.

[[Image:DeutscheClub.JPG|210px|left|thumb|German migration to Nicaragua began in the 1800s. By the end of the century there was a significant minority; pictured here are the founding members of the Deutsche Club in Nicaragua]]

In the 1800s Nicaragua experienced a wave of migration primarily form Europe in particular Germany, Italy, Spain France and Belgium these families generally moved to Nicaragua to set up businesses with the money they brought from Europe. They established many agricultural businesses including coffee and sugar cane plantations, also newspapers, hotels and banks. In the late 1800 the United States government went into talks with President Jose Santos Zelaya to lease the land so they could build a canal through Nicaragua. However, Jose Santos Zelaya opposed the United Sates controlling Nicaraguan Sovereign land and seeked the assistance of Japan and Germany to build the canal though found it was too costly. Furthermore, due to threat of volcanic as seen on a Nicaraguan stamp picturing the Momotombo Volcano, even though it was so far away from the site, the construction of the canal in Panama was favoured.

Nicaragua experienced high economic growth during the 60s and 70s and became one of Central America's most developed nations despite its political instability. Nonetheless, due to its stable and high growth economy, investment primarily from the United States tunneled into Nicaragua, companies such as Citigroup, Sears, Westinghouse and Coca Cola. However, the capital city of Managua suffered a major earthquake in 1972 which toppled most of the city centre, creating major losses. In 1973 the year of the reconstrucction many new buildings were constructed which gave new light to the nation. However, the level of corruption in the government prevented further growth, and the ever increasing tensions and anti-government uprisings slowed growth in the las two years of the Somoza dynasty.

[[Image:Pre-quakeManagua.JPG|210px|right|thumb|Street scene of Managua city centre prior to the 1972 earthquake]]

===Political History===

Much of Nicaragua's early politics following independence was characterized by the rivalry between the liberal elite of León and the conservative elite of Granada. This rivalry sometimes spilled into [[civil war]]. Initially invited by the liberals in 1855 to join their struggle against the conservatives, a [[United States]] adventurer named [[William Walker (soldier)|William Walker]] won the Liberals' war so easily that it seemed like he barely even fought. As a result, he saw the chance to take over the country. Walker named himself the president in 1856 with the intention of creating another slave state for the United States. Fearing the possibility of his plans for expansion, several Central American countries united to drive him out of Nicaragua in 1857, ironically supported by American industrialist [[Cornelius Vanderbilt]], who had earlier sponsored Walker's filibuster of Nicaragua. Walker was executed in neighbouring Honduras on Sept. 12, 1860.[http://goodfelloweb.com/honduras/trujillo/walker.html] A period of three decades of conservative rule ensued.

Taking advantage of divisions within the conservative ranks, [[José Santos Zelaya]] led a liberal revolt that brought him to power in 1893. Zelaya ended the long-standing dispute with the United Kingdom over the Atlantic Coast in 1894, and re-incorporated the Mosquito Coast into Nicaragua.

Nicaragua offered assistance during [[World War II]], and was the first country in the world to ratify the [[UN Charter]]<ref>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/55407.htm</ref>.

Nicaragua has seen many outside interventions and lengthy periods of military dictatorship, the longest one being the rule of the [[Somoza]] family for much of the 20th century. The Somoza family came to power as part of a US-engineered pact in 1927 that stipulated the formation of the National Guard to replace the small individual armies that had long reigned in the country.{{citation-needed}} The only Nicaraguan general to refuse to sign this pact (el tratado del Espino Negro) was [[Augusto César Sandino]] who headed up to the northern mountains of Las Segovias, where he fought the [[US Marines]] for over five years.

[[Image:Sandino.JPG|210px|left|thumb|Augusto Cesar Sandino]]

The Marines eventually reached an agreement with the Sandinista guerrillas. The Marines left, and [[Juan Bautista Sacasa]] was left in control of the country. A National Guard was created and [[Anastasio Somoza Garcia]], a man educated in the United States, obtained the highest position in the newly created organization.

From his position in the National Guard, Somoza effectively took over the country. Fearing future armed opposition from Sandino, Somoza invited him to a meeting in Managua, where he was assassinated on February 21 of 1934 by the National Guard. Somoza had taken control of the country and destroyed any potential armed resistance. He was assassinated in turn by Rigoberto Lopez Perez, a Nicaraguan poet, in 1956 . [[Luis Somoza Debayle]], the eldest son of the late dictator, officially took charge of Nicaragua after his father's death.

Luis was in power only for a few years when he died of a [[heart attack]]. He is remembered for being moderate. Then came a [[puppet]] president, [[Rene Schick]]. [[Anastasio Somoza Debayle]], who was in charge of the National Guard, held control of the country. He officially took the presidency after Schick. In 1961, a young student, [[Carlos Fonseca]], turned back to the historical figure of Sandino, founding the [[Sandinista National Liberation Front]] (FSLN). The FSLN was a tiny party throughout most of the 1960s, but Somoza's utter hatred of the FSLN and heavy handed treatment of anyone he suspected to be a Sandinista sympathizer gave many ordinary Nicaraguans the idea that the Sandinistas were much stronger than was the case.

Some Nicaraguan historians point to the 1972 earthquake that devastated Managua as the final 'nail in the coffin' for Somoza. Some 90% of the city was destroyed, and Somoza's brazen corruption, mishandling of relief (which prompted [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] star [[Roberto Clemente]] to personally fly to Managua on December 31, 1972- a flight that ended in his tragic death) and refusal to rebuild Managua flooded the ranks of the Sandinistas with young disaffected Nicaraguans who no longer had anything to lose.

[[Image:SomozaBrothers.JPG|right|thumb|The sons of Anastasio Somoza García: Anastasio Somoza Debayle and Luis Somoza Debale; both became president]]
Somoza acquired monopolies in industries that were key to rebuilding the nation, not allowing other members of the upper class to share the profits that would result from the increased economic activity. This weakened Somoza further since even the economic elite were reluctant to support him. In 1976 a synthetic brand of cotton, one of Nicaragua's economic pillars of the epoch, was developed. This caused the price of cotton to decrease, placing the economy in great trouble.

These economic problems propelled the Sandinistas forward in their struggle against Somoza by leading many middle and upper class Nicaraguans to see the Sandinistas as the only hope for ridding the country of the brutal Somoza regime. The January 1978 assassination of Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, the editor of the most important newspaper in Nicaragua and an ardent opponent of Somoza, is believed to be the spark that that led to extreme general disappointment against Somoza. At the time the perpetrators of the murder were believed to be members of the National Guard.

The Sandinistas, supported by much of the populace, elements of the Catholic Church, and regional and international governments took power in July of 1979. Somoza abandoned the country and his National Guardsmen, and eventually ended up in Paraguay, where he was assassinated in September of 1980 by members of the Argentinian Revolutionary Workers' Party. The key large scale programs of the Sandinistas included a massive [[National Literacy Crusade]] (March-August, 1980) and a sweeping agrarian reform that put land into the hands of many formerly landless peasants.
[[Image:Castro-Ortega.JPG|left|thumb|Communist Cuban Dictator Fidel Castro in Nicaragua, with Sandinista Dictator Daniel Ortega in 1980]]

United States President [[Jimmy Carter]], who had cut off aid to Somoza the previous year, initially chose to give aid to the new government, but this lessened towards the end of his presidency and was completely cut off by President [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] due to evidence of Sandinista support of [[FMLN]] rebels in [[El Salvador]]. Prior to U.S. aid withdrawal, Bayardo Arce, an FSLN politician, had stated that "Nicaragua is the only country building its socialism with the dollars of imperialism." The United States was angered and under the Reagan administration, economic sanctions were imposed against Nicaragua.

After a brief period, the Sandinistas were faced with a collapsed economy, with the highest infaltion on record of up to 33,000%, restrictions to the media, persecution of the Catholic Church, lack of jobs, ever expanding poverty and widespread criticism over marxist economic policy. This atrocious administration of the Sandinista government initiated an uprising. This further debilitated the Sandinista Marxist government creating a civil war waged by the [[Contra (guerrillas)|Contras]], opposing Ortega dictator marxist regime and the interference of the Soviet Union and Cuba in Nicaraguan national affairs. This in turn instigated the support of the United States to the Contras, seen as an elaboration of the Cold War. The U.S. trained and financed the Contras in neighbouring Honduras, to fight against the Sandinistas, sparking widespread criticism from many quarters within the U.S., including Congress. When Congress moved to cut off aid to the Contras, Reagan aide Col. [[Oliver North]] concocted a clandestine plan to fund the Contras.
[[Image:El-Gaddafi-Ortega.JPG|right|thumb|Communist Libayan Dictator and former terrorist Muahmur El Gaddafi in Nicaragua, with Sandinista Dictator Daniel Ortega]]

[[Daniel Ortega]] was overwhelmingly elected President in [[1984]], but the years of the war and attrocious economic policy had taken an unparalleled toll on Nicaragua and left many families in difficult situations, which caused a massive migration never before seen in the history of Nicaragua. The elections were certified fair by Western NGOs allowed into Nicaragua, although some assert that Ortega suppressed opposition parties, and manipulated the elections for his victory.

Furthermore, Nicaragua won a historic case against the U.S. at the [[International Court of Justice]] in 1986 (see ''[[Nicaragua v. United States]]''), and the U.S. was ordered to pay Nicaragua some $12 billion in reparations for violating Nicaraguan sovereignty by engaging in attacks against it. The United States withdrew its acceptance of the Court and argued it had no authority in matters of sovereign state relations. In addition the U.S. also alleged, that Cuba and the Soviet Union also unfairly committed the exact same alleged violation against Nicaraguan sovereignty by providing training and ammunition to Sandinistas while Somoza was in power. The U.S. government refused to pay restitutions, even when a United Nations General Assembly resolution on the matter was passed.

==Politics==
{{morepolitics|country=Nicaragua}}
Politics of Nicaragua takes place in a framework of a [[presidential system|presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Nicaragua]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a pluriform multi-party system. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and the [[National Assembly of Nicaragua|National Assembly]]. The [[Judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature.
===1990s and the Post Sandinistan Era===
Free multi-party democratic elections were first held in 1990, which saw the defeat of the Sandinistas by a coalition of anti-sandinista (from the left and right of the political spectrum) parties led by [[Violeta Chamorro]], the widow of Pedro Joaquín Chamorro. The defeat shocked the Sandinistas as numerous pre-election polls had indicated a sure Sandinista victory and their pre-election rallies had attracted crowds of several hundred thousand people. The unexpected result was subject to a great deal of analysis and comment, and was attributed by commentators such as [[Noam Chomsky]] and [[S. Brian Willson]] to the [[Contras|Contra]] threats to continue the war if the Sandinistas retained power, the general war-weariness of the Nicaraguan population, and the abysmal administration of the Nicaraguan economy.
[[Image:Chamorro.JPG|left|thumb|Violeta Barrios de Chamorro in 1990 became the first female president democratically elected in the American continent]]


On the other hand, [[P. J. O'Rourke]] wrote in "Return of the Death of Communism"<ref>"The Return of the Death of Communism: Nicaragua, February 1990," a chapter in ''[[Give War a Chance]]: Eyewitness Accounts of Mankind's Struggle Against Tyranny, Injustice, and Alcohol-Free Beer'' by P. J. O'Rourke. Grove Press; reprint edition (November 2003, ISBN 0-8021-4031-9).</ref> about "the unfair advantages of using state resources for party ends, about how Sandinista control of the transit system prevented [[United Nicaraguan Opposition|UNO]] supporters from attending rallies, how Sandinista domination of the army forced soldiers to vote for Ortega and how Sandinista bureaucracy kept $3.3 million of U.S. campaign aid from getting to UNO while [[Daniel Ortega]] spent millions donated by overseas people and millions and millions more from the Nicaraguan treasury . . ."
Exit polls of Nicaraguans reported the largest plurality of voters voted for Charmorro due to American economic sanctions against the Ortega government. Exit polling also convinced Daniel Ortega that the election results were legitimate, and were instrumental in his decision to accept the vote of the people and step down rather than void the election. Nonetheless Ortega vowed that he would govern "desde abajo" (from below), in other words due to his widespread control of institutions and Sandinista individuals in all government agencies, he would still be able to maintain control and govern even without being president. The followers of Ortega and the Sandinistas created havoc in the streets, causing chaos and rampage, burning, destroying and criminalising the streets, this stopped when Ortega was confronted by Chamorro's son-in-law and "right arm" Antonio Lacayo.

Chamorro received an economy entirely in ruins. The per capita income of Nicaragua had been reduced by over 80% during the 1980s, and a huge govenrment debt which hit Guinness World Records ascended to US$12 billion primarily due to financial and social costs of the Contra war with the Sandinista-led government.[http://www.photius.com/countries/nicaragua/society/nicaragua_society_social_conditions.html] Much to the surprise of the US and the contra forces, Chamorro did not dismantle the Sandinista Army, though the name was changed to the Nicaraguan Army. Chamorro's main contribution to Nicaragua was the disarmament of groups in the northern and central areas of the country. This provided stability that the country had lacked for over ten years.
In subsequent elections in 1996, Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas of the FSLN were again defeated, this time by [[Arnoldo Alemán]] of the [[Constitutional Liberal Party]] (PLC). President Alemán came to a strategic understanding with Ortega and the FSLN, and Nicaragua's politics seemed to settle into a two party system, with the PLC and FSLN co-operating in dividing certain government spoils and positions and helping to shut out smaller parties.{{fact}}

In the 2001 elections, the PLC again defeated the FSLN, with [[Enrique Bolaños]] winning the Presidency. However, President Bolaños subsequently charged and brought forward allegations of money laundering, theft and [[Political corruption|corruption]] against former President Alemán. An Ortega ally and sandinista jugde sentenced the ex-president to twenty-year prison for [[embezzlement]], [[money laundering]], and corruption. The Liberal members who were surprisingly loyal to Alemán and also members of congress reacted angrily and incoherently, and along with the Sandinista members stripped the presidential powers off President Bolaños and his ministers, calling for his resignation and threatening [[impeachment]].
[[Image:Bolaños.JPG|rightt|thumb|The current president of Nicaragua: Ing. Enríque Bolaños]]


The sandinistas alleged that their support for Bolaños was lost when US Secretary of State Colin Powell told Bolaños to keep his distance from the FSLN. The FSLN once again instigated havoc, chaos and violent protest against the Bolaños administration primarily on the streets of Managua. This "slow motion [[coup]]" was averted partially due to pressure from the Central American presidents who would fail to recognise any movement that removed Bolaños; The U.S, the OAS, and the European Union also opposed the "slow motion [[coup]]". The proposed constitutional changes that were going to be introduced in 2005 against the Bolaños administration were delayed until January 2007 after the entrance of the new government.

Legislative and presidential elections took place on [[Nicaraguan election, 2006|Nov. 5 2006]]. These elections gave the presidency to [[Daniel Ortega]] for a third time. He won with 37.99% of the vote, enough to finalize the results. The winning percentage was questioned by several parties, since the percentile was effectively reduced from 45% to 35% under the well-reknowned "Pacto Alemán-Ortega", it was alleged that "The Pact" was essentailly an alternation of power between the two aforementioned leaders every six years, being Ortega´s turn to be in the presidency, faciltated by Alemán and his supporters.

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Nicaragua}}

[[Image:NicaraguaDepartmentsNumbered.png|thumb|'''Departaments''' (capitals):
<br> '''1''' [[Boaco (department)|Boaco]] ([[Boaco]]) <br> '''2''' [[Carazo (department)|Carazo]] ([[Jinotepe]]) <br> '''3''' [[Chinandega (department)|Chinandega]] ([[Chinandega]]) <br> '''4''' [[Chontales]] ([[Juigalpa, Chontales]]) <br> '''5''' [[Estelí (department)|Estelí]] ([[Estelí]]) <br> '''6''' [[Granada (department)|Granada]] ([[Granada, Nicaragua|Granada]]) <br> '''7''' [[Jinotega (department)|Jinotega]] ([[Jinotega]]) <br> '''8''' [[León (department)|León]] ([[León, Nicaragua|León]]) <br> '''9''' [[Madriz (department)|Madriz]] ([[Somoto]]) <br> '''10''' [[Managua (department)|Managua]] ([[Managua]]) <br> '''11''' [[Masaya (department)|Masaya]] ([[Masaya]]) <br> '''12''' [[Matagalpa (department)|Matagalpa]] ([[Matagalpa]]) <br> '''13''' [[Nueva Segovia]] ([[Ocotal]]) <br> '''14''' [[Rivas (department)|Rivas]] ([[Rivas]]) <br> '''15''' [[Río San Juan (department)|Río San Juan]] ([[San Carlos]]) <br> '''Autonomous Regions''' <br> '''16''' [[Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte|RAAN]] ([[Bilwi]]) <br> '''17''' [[Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur|RAAS]] ([[Bluefields]])]]Occupying a landmass of 129,494 km² - roughly the size of Greece or the state of New York and 1.5 times larger than Portugal. Close to 8% of the country's territory is somehow protected as national parks or biological reserves. The country is bordered by Costa Rica on the south and Honduras on the north, with the Caribbean Sea to the east.

Nicaragua is a [[Unitary state|unitary]] [[republic]]. For administrative purposes it is divided into 15 [[Department (subnational entity)|departments]] (''departamentos'') and two self-governing regions (autonomous communities) based on the Spanish model. The two autonomous regions are [[Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte]] and [[Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur]], often referred to as ''RAAN'' and ''RAAS'', respectively. Until they were granted autonomy in 1985 they formed the single department of [[Zelaya (Nicaragua)|Zelaya]].

Nicaragua has three distinct geographical regions: the [[Pacific]] Lowlands, the North-Central Mountains and the [[Mosquito Coast|Atlantic Lowlands]].

===The Pacific Lowlands===
[[Image:TortugaNica.JPG|left|thumb|Turtles are common in many beaches of Nicaragua when on a yearly basis they arrive to lay eggs all at the same time on the same beach. They are protected by the Nicaraguan government in National Parks]]

Located in the west of the country, these lowlands consist of a broad, hot, fertile plain. Punctuating this plain are several large volcanoes of the [[Maribios]] mountain range, including [[Mombacho]] just outside Granada, and [[Momotombo]] near León. The lowland area runs from the [[Gulf of Fonseca]] to Nicaragua's Pacific border with Costa Rica south of [[Lake Nicaragua]]. This region is the most populous. About 27% of the nation's population lives in and around [[Managua]], the capital city, on the southern shores of Lake Managua.

[[Image:VolcanesdeChinandega.JPG|left|thumb|Nicaragua is known as the land of lakes and volcanes, pictured here are three volcanoes from the Chinandega department, El Chonco, San Cristobal and Casitas]]

In addition to its beach and resort communities, the Pacific Lowlands is also the repository for much of Nicaragua's Spanish colonial heritage. Cities such as [[Granada, Nicaragua|Granada]] and [[León, Nicaragua|León]] abound in colonial architecture and artifacts.

===The Central Region===
[[Image:Guardabarranco.JPG|thumb|''Guardabarranco'' ([[Turquoise-browed Motmot]]): the national bird]]
This is an upland region away from the Pacific coast, with a cooler climate than the Pacific Lowlands. About a quarter of the country's agriculture takes place in this region, with [[coffee]] grown on the higher slopes. [[Oak]]s, [[pine]]s, [[moss]], [[fern]]s and [[orchid]]s are abundant in the [[cloud forest]]s of the region.

Bird life in the forests of the central region includes the [[Resplendent Quetzal]], [[goldfinch]]es, [[hummingbird]]s, [[jay]]s and [[Emerald Toucanet|toucanet]]s.

===The Atlantic Lowlands===
This large [[rainforest]] region, with several large rivers running through it, is very sparsely populated. The [[Río Coco (Honduras/Nicaragua)|Río Coco]] forms the border with Honduras. The Caribbean coastline is much more sinuous than its generally straight Pacific counterpart. Lagoons and deltas make it very irregular.

[[Image:ToucanNica.JPG|left|thumb|Toucan is a very common bird in many of Nicaragua´s Rainforests]]

Nicaragua's [[tropical]] east coast is very different from the rest of the country. The climate is predominantly tropical, with high temperature and high humidity. Around the area's principal city of [[Bluefields]], English is widely spoken along with the official Spanish and the population more closely resembles that found in many typical Caribbean ports than the rest of Nicaragua.

[[Image:PostalesNica.JPG|thumb|These postcards display Nicaragua´s Flora and Fauna]]

A great variety of birds can be observed including [[eagle]]s, [[turkey (bird)|turkey]]s, [[toucan]]s, [[parakeet]]s and [[macaw]]s. Animal life in the area includes several different species of [[monkey]]s, [[ant-eater]]s, white-tailed [[deer]] and [[tapir]]s.

See also:
* [[Volcanoes of Nicaragua]]
* [[List of cities in Nicaragua]]

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Nicaragua}}

[[Image:ometepe_nic.jpg|thumb|170px|[[Ometepe Island|Maderas and Concepcion Volcanoes]], popular tourist destination in Nicaragua]]

Nicaragua's economy has historically been based on the export of [[cash crop]]s such as [[banana]]s, [[coffee]], and [[tobacco]]. Nicaragua's [[rum]] is renowned as among the best in Latin America, and its [[tobacco]] and [[beef]] are also well regarded. During the [[Contra (guerrillas)|Sandinista War]] in the early 1980s, much of the country's infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, and inflation ran for a time at several thousand per cent. Since the end of the war almost two decades ago, many state-owned industries have been [[privatization|privatized]]. Inflation has been brought to manageable levels, and the economy has grown quite rapidly in recent years.

[[Image:CafeNica.jpg|thumb|left|170px|Coffee is one of Nicaragua´s most important exports. It is exproted worldwide throughout The Americas, Europe, Asia and as far as Australia.]]

As in many other developing countries, a large segment of the economically poor in Nicaragua are women. In addition, a relatively high percentage of Nicaragua's average homes have a woman as head of household: 39% of urban homes and 28% of rural homes.

[[Image:BananasNica.jpg|thumb|170px|Bananas and Plantain are also very important exports for Nicaragua and unlike coffe is widely consumed within the national market.]]

The country is still a recovering economy and it continues to implement further reforms, on which aid from the [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]] is conditional. In 2005, finance ministers of the leading eight industrialized nations ([[G-8]]) agreed to forgive Nicaragua's foreign debt, as part of the [[Heavily Indebted Poor Countries|HIPC]] program. As of 2004, Nicaragua has surpassed the economies of Honduras and Bolivia in per capita terms, it is now the 4th poorest nation in the Americas after [[Bolivia]], [[Honduras]] and [[Haiti]], with a per capita [[gross domestic product|GDP]] of around $2,900, where previously it was the second pooreest. [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html] Unemployment is officially around 11%, and another 36% are underemployed.

The Nicaraguan unit of currency is the [[Córdoba (currency)|Córdoba]] (NIO) and was named after [[Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (founder of Nicaragua)|Francisco Hernández de Córdoba]] its national founder.

===Tourism===
In the last 15 years or so, the [[tourism]] sector has seen an economic boom, positively affecting the Nicaraguan life and economy. Since 2001, $600 million dollars have been invested in tourism, most of them coming from Nicaraguan and [[United States|American]] investors. The country is mostly famous for its landscapes, flora and fauna, culture, beaches and of course, its lakes and volcanoes.[[Image:PLAYA_MARSELLA_NICARAGUA.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Pacific beach in Nicaragua]]

According to the Ministry of Tourism of Nicaragua, the colonial city of [[Granada, Nicaragua]] is the preferred spot for tourists. Also, the cities of [[León, Nicaragua|León]], [[Masaya]], [[Rivas]] and the likes of [[San Juan del Sur]], [[Río San Juan (department)|San Juan River]], [[Ometepe]], [[Mombacho Volcano]], [[Corn Island|Corn Island & Little Corn Island]], and others are main tourist attractions. In addition, ecotourism and surfing attract many tourists to Nicaragua.[[Image:PlayaSantoDomingo.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Playa Santo Domingo is a popular white sandy beach on the shores of the largest freshwater island in the world, Ometepe Island, Nicaragua]]

The economic benefits which can be derived from tourism cannot be disputed; today, tourism constitutes around 10% of the Nicaraguan income. More investment and support from the government is expected after the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement was signed.[[Image:MorgansRock.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Five Star Hotel - Morgan´s Rock a very luxurios hotel in Rivas, Nicaragua]]

There primary attractions that Nicaragua offers tourist include sun, tropical beaches, culture, ecotourism, colonial arquitecture and other activities such as volcano climbing, volcano skiing and boarding, sailing, fishing and scuba diving. with improved infrastructure Nicaragua should see the continued growth of this industry as an important factor in its economy.[[Image:NicaSki.jpg|thumb|200px|Skiing down Cerro Negro, a very unique activity which is becoming increasingly popular, practiced primarily by European and North American tourists]]

<br clear="all">

==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of Nicaragua}}
According to the 2005 census, Nicaragua has a population of 5,483,400, an increase of 20% on the 1995 census figure of 4,357,099. [[Mestizos]] are thought to make up the majority of the population of Nicaragua (69%). But [[Afro-Latin American|studies]] like the one carried but the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in 1996 estimates that the population in Nicaragua is "significantly more [[zambo]] than [[mestizo]] and with a mix of all three in many. A majority of Nicaraguans are likely to have Black ancestry."
[[Image:GenteNica.jpg|right|170px|thumb|Agricultural workers of a primarily indigenous background]]

In the nineteenth century, there had been a substantial indigenous minority, but this group was also largely assimilated culturally into the Mestizo mainstream. Primarily in the 19th century, Nicaragua saw several waves of immigration from other European nations. In particular the northern cities of Esteli and Matagalpa have significant fourth generation German communities. Most of the Mestizo and European descent population live in the western regions of the country as in the cities of Managua, Granada and Leon.[[Image:Nicaboy.jpg|left|170px|thumb|School Boys in Nicaragua]]

About 9% of Nicaragua's population is black, or Afronicaragüense, and mainly resides in the country's sparsely populated Caribbean or Atlantic coast. The black population is mostly of West Indian (Antillean) origin, the descendants of indentured labourers brought mostly from Jamaica and Haiti when the region was a British protectorate. Nicaragua has the second largest black population in Central America after Panama. There is also a smaller number of [[Garifuna]], a people of mixed Carib, Angolan, Congolese and Arawak descent.

The remaining 5% is comprised of the unmixed descendants of the country's indigenous inhabitants. Nicaragua's [[pre-Colombian]] population consisted of the [[Nahuatl]]-speaking Nicarao people of the west after whom the country is named, and six other ethnic groups including the [[Miskito]]s, Ramas and [[Sumo (people)|Sumo]]s along the Caribbean coast. While very few pure-blooded Nicarao people still exist, the Caribbean peoples have remained distinct. In the mid-1980s, the government divided the department of [[Zelaya]] - consisting of the eastern half of the country - into two autonomous regions and granted the African and indigenous people of this region limited self-rule within the Republic.
[[Image:GenteNicaragüense.jpg|right|170px|thumb|Office workers in Managua]]

There is also a small [[Middle East]]ern-Nicaraguan community of [[Syrian]], [[Armenians|Armenian]], [[Palestinian]] and [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] people in Nicaragua with a total population of about 30,000, and an [[East Asia]]n community of [[Japan]]ese, [[Taiwan]]ese and [[Han Chinese|Chinese]] people of almost 8,000. These minorities speak Spanish while maintaining their ancestral languages as well.

==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Nicaragua}}

The population of Nicaragua is very young with approx. 36% under 18 years of age. The country has strong folklore, music and religious traditions, deeply influenced by [[Iberian Peninsula]] culture but enriched with Amerindian sounds and flavours. Nicaragua has historically been an important source of [[poetry]] in the Hispanic world, with internationally renowned contributors such as [[Rubén Darío]].
[[Image:gueguense_diriamba.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Distinctive traditional costumes and dance from a very renowned folk dance from Nicaragua, El Güegüense]]

Education is free for all Nicaraguans. Elementary education is free and compulsory, and communities located on the Atlantic Coast have access to education in their native language. Higher education has financial, organic and administrative autonomy, according to the law. Also, freedom of subjects is recognized. Nicaraguan culture can further be defined in several distinct strands. The west of the country was colonized by [[Spain]] and its people are mostly [[Mestizo]]s and [[European]] in composition; Spanish is invariably their first language.

[[Image:gueguense1.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Macho Raton]]

The eastern half of the country, on the other hand, was once a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[protectorate]]. [[English language|English]] is still predominant in this region and spoken domestically along with [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. Both languages are taught in schools. Its culture is similar to that of [[Caribbean]] nations that were or are British possessions, such as [[Jamaica]], [[Belize]], The [[Cayman Islands]], etc. Although recent immigration by [[mestizo]]s has largely influenced younger generations and an increasing number of people are either bilingual at home or speak [[Spanish language|Spanish]] only. There is a relatively large population of people of mixed [[Africa]]n descent, as well as a smaller [[Garifuna]] population. Due to the African influence, in the East Coast, there is a different kind of music. It is the popular [[dance music]] called 'Palo de Mayo', or Maypole, which is celebrated during the Maypole Festival, during the month of May. The music is sensual with intense rhythms. The celebration is derived from the British [[Maypole]] for [[May Day]] celebration, as adapted and transformed by the Afro-Nicaraguans on the Caribbean or [[Mosquito Coast]].
[[Image:ArtesaniaNica.jpg|200px|thumb|An example of typical Nicaraguan artesans which are sold in markets all over the country]]

Of the cultures that were present before [[Europe]]an [[colonization]], the [[Nahuatl]]-speaking peoples who populated the west of the country have essentially been assimilated into the latino culture. In the east, however, several indigenous groups have maintained a distinct identity. The Miskito, Sumo, and Rama peoples still use their original languages, and also usually speak English and/or Spanish. The small [[Garifuna]] people speak their own Garifuna language in addition to English and/or Spanish.

===Language and Religion===
Spanish is spoken by about 90% of the country's population; Nicaraguans speak an Iberoamerican Spanish with some similarities to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras Spanish&mdash;structurally uses "vos" instead of "tu" along with the "[[Voseo|vos]]" conjugation. The black population of the east coast region has [[English language|English]] as its first language. Several indigenous peoples of the east still use their original languages, the main ones being the Miskito, Sumo, and Rama indigenous groups. [[Nicaraguan Sign Language]] is of particular interest to [[linguists]].

[[Roman Catholicism]] is the major religion, but [[evangelism|evangelical]] [[Protestant]] groups have grown recently, and there are strong [[Anglican]] and [[Moravian (religion)|Moravian]] communities on the Caribbean coast. The 1995 census shows religious affiliation as follows: Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, [[Moravians|Moravian]] 1.5%, Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5%.[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/nu.html]

90% of Nicaraguans live in the Pacific lowlands and the adjacent interior highlands. The population is 54% urban. An estimated 800 thousand Nicaraguans live outside of Nicaragua, mainly in the USA and Costa Rica.

==Miscellaneous topics==
* [[Communications in Nicaragua]]
* [[Foreign relations of Nicaragua]]
* [[Military of Nicaragua]]
* [[Miskito]]
* [[Mosquito Coast]]
* [[Nicaraguan Cuisine]]
* [[Nicaraguan Diaspora]]
* [[Transportation in Nicaragua]]
* [[Asociación de Scouts de Nicaragua]]
* [[List of Films and Books about Nicaragua]]
* [[Prison System]]

==References==
<!-- ----------------------------------------------------------
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discussion of different citation methods and how to generate
footnotes using the <ref>, </ref> and <reference /> tags
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<div class="references-small">
<references />
* {{note|Andrew}} Christopher Andrew, Vasili Mitrokhin. ''The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World'', Basic Books, September 20, 2005.
* {{note|Zimmermann}} Matilde Zimmermann. ''Sandinista'', Duke Universtiy Press, 2000.
* {{note|Encyclopedia}}''The Encyclopedia of World History'', Sixth addition, Ed. Peter N. Stearns, 2001. p. 954
</div>
{{Citations missing|date=December 2006}}

== Further reading ==
* ''After Revolution: Mapping Gender and Cultural Politics in Neoliberal Nicaragua'' Florence E. Babb
* ''Bernardo and the Virgin: A Novel'' Silvio Sirias
* ''Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua'' Stephen Kinzer
* ''The Civil War in Nicaragua: Inside the Sandinistas'' Roger Miranda and William Ratliff
* ''Confronting the American Dream: Nicaragua under U.S. Imperial Rule'' Michel Gobat
* ''Contradiction and Conflict : The Popular Church in Nicaragua'' Debra Sabia
* ''The Contras, 1980-1989 : A Special Kind of Politics'' R. Pardo-Maurer
* ''The Country Under My Skin : A Memoir of Love and War'' Gioconda Belli
* ''The Contras' Valley Forge: How I View the Nicaraguan Crisis'' [[Enrique Bermúdez]]'', ''[[Policy Review]]'' magazine, The [[Heritage Foundation]], Summer 1988
* ''Cultivating Coffee: The Farmers of Carazo, Nicaragua, 1880-1930'' Julie A. Charlip
* ''Dark Alliance : The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion'' Gary Webb
* ''The Death of Ben Linder: The Story of a North American in Sandinista Nicaragua'' Joan Kruckewitt
* ''To Die in This Way: Nicaraguan Indians and the Myth of the Mestizaje 1880-1965'' Jeffrey L. Gould
* ''Disparate Diasporas: Identity and Politics in an African Nicaraguan Community'' Edmund T. Gordon
* ''The Grimace of Macho Raton: Artisans, Identity, and Nation in Late-Twentieth Century Western Nicaragua'' Les W. Field
* ''The Jaguar Smile : A Nicaraguan Journey'' Salman Rushdie
* ''Life Is Hard: Machismo, Danger, and the Intimacy of Power in Nicaragua'' Roger N. Lancaster
* ''Life Stories of the Nicaraguan Revolution'' Denis Lynn Daly Heyck
* ''Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media'' Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky
* ''Mothers of Heroes and Martyrs: Gender Identity Politics in Nicaragua 1979 - 1999'' Lorraine Bayard de Volo
* ''My Car in Managua'' Forrest D. Colburn and Roger Sanchez Flores
* ''Nicaragua'' Thomas Walker
* ''Nicaragua Betrayed'' Anastasio Somoza and Jack Cox
* ''Nicaragua: Revolution in the Family'' Shirley Christian
* ''Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq'' Stephen Kinzer
* ''The Patient Impatience: From Boyhood to Guerilla : A Personal Narrative of Nicaragua's Struggle for Liberation'' Tomas Borge
* ''Peasants in Arms: War & Peace in the Mountains of Nicaragua, 1979-1994'' Lynn Horton
* ''The Real Contra War: Highlander Peasant Resistance in Nicaragua'' Timothy C. Brown
* ''Resistance and Contradiction: Miskitu Indians and the Nicaraguan State, 1894-1987'' Charles R. Hale
* ''Sandinista: Carlos Fonseca and the Nicaraguan Revolution'' Matilde Zimmermann
* ''Sandinista Communism and Rural Nicaragua'' Janusz Bugajski
* ''Sandinistas: The Party And The Revolution'' Dennis Gilbert
* '' Sandinistas Speak'' Tomas Borge
* ''The Sandino Affair'' Neill MacAulay
* ''Sandino's Daughters: Testimonies of Nicaraguan Women in Struggle'' Margaret Randall and Lynda Yanz
* ''Twilight Struggle: American Power and Nicaragua, 1977-1990'' Robert Kagan
* ''The War in Nicaragua'' William Walker
* ''Washington, Somoza and the Sandinistas : Stage and Regime in US Policy toward Nicaragua 1969-1981'' Morris H. Morley
* ''Washington's War on Nicaragua'' Holly Sklar
* ''With the Old Corps in Nicaragua'' George B. Clark

==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Nicaragua}}
*[http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/ca/nicaragua/ LANIC: Latin American Network Information Center: Nicaragua]

*[http://www.pronicaragua.org ProNicaragua] Nicaragua Investment Promotion Agency {{en icon}} & {{es icon}}
*[http://www.intur.gob.ni Intur] Nicaragua Tourism Institute {{es icon}} & {{en icon}}
*[http://www.eaai.com.ni Managua International Airport] {{en icon}} & {{es icon}}
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1225218.stm Country profile: Nicaragua] (BBC)
*[http://www.marcaacme.com Marcaacme] Art, Literture & Cultural Events in Nicaragua. {{es icon}}
*[http://www.nicaliving.com NicaLiving.com] A mostly English-language site about living in Nicaragua
* [http://www.nicaraguasurfmaps.com/the%20basics.htm Nicaragua Surf Maps and Surf Spot Guide] Further information of surf spots in Nicaragua.
*[http://www.vianica.com ViaNica.com] Nicaragua travel website {{en icon}} & {{es icon}}
*[http://www.enicaragua.net Nicaragua Online] Arte, historia, politica, y mas...
*[http://www.yoyita.com Atelier yoyita]
*[http://www.artenicaraguense.com Arte Nicaraguense]
*[http://www.yoyita.com/Mauricio.htm Mauricio Rizo]
*[http://www.bildungsservice.at/faecher/geo/Staaten%20und%20Landschaften/Nicaragua/photogalerie_nicaragua_01.htm Bildungsservice Nicaragua Photos (German)]

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[[Category:Central American countries]]
[[Category:Nicaragua| ]]
[[Category:Geographic portmanteaus]]
[[Category:Spanish-speaking countries]]

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Revision as of 23:44, 26 December 2006

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