Nicaragua




                                 Geography


Location:
     Middle America, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Map references:
     Central America and the Caribbean, South America
Area:
total area:
     129,494 sq km
land area:
     120,254 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly larger than New York State
Land boundaries:
     total 1,231 km, Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Coastline:
     910 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
     25-nm security zone (status of claim uncertain)
continental shelf:
     not specified
territorial sea:
     200 nm
International disputes:
     territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres
     y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; International Court of Justice
     (ICJ) referred the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca
     to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that some
     tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua
     likely would be required
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
Land use:
arable land:
     9%
permanent crops:
     1%
meadows and pastures:
     43%
forest and woodland:
     35%
other:
     12%
Irrigated land:
     850 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
     deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution




natural hazards:
     subject to destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and
     occasionally severe hurricanes
international agreements:
     party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
     Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
     Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea


                                  People


Population:
     4,096,689 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     2.68% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     34.66 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     6.69 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     -1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     52.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     64.02 years
male:
     61.18 years
female:
     66.96 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     4.33 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Nicaraguan(s)
adjective:
     Nicaraguan
Ethnic divisions:
     mestizo 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Indian 5%
Religions:
     Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%
Languages:
     Spanish (official)
note:
     English- and Indian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast
Literacy:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
total population:
     57%
male:
     57%
female:
     57%
Labor force:
     1.086 million




by occupation:
     services 43%, agriculture 44%, industry 13% (1986)


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Republica de Nicaragua
local short form:
Digraph:
     NU
Type:
     republic
Capital:
     Managua
Administrative divisions:
     17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Boaco,
     Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon,
     Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, North Atlantic Coast Autonomous
     Zone (RAAN), Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, South Atlantic Coast
     Autonomous Zone (RAAS)
Independence:
     15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
     9 January 1987
Legal system:
     civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
Suffrage:
     16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
     President Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (since 25 April 1990); Vice
     President Virgilio GODOY Reyes (since 25 April 1990); election last
     held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held November 1996); results -
     Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO) 54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN)
     40.8%, other 4.5%
cabinet:
     Cabinet
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional):
     elections last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held November
     1996); results - UNO 53.9%, FSLN 40.8%, PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats -
     (92 total) UNO 41, FSLN 39, "Centrist" (Dissident UNO) 12
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)




Political parties and leaders:
ruling coalition:
     National Opposition Union (UNO) is a 10-party alliance - moderate
     parties: National Conservative Party (PNC), Silviano MATAMOROS Lacayo,
     president; Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Jose Ernesto
     SOMARRIBA, Arnold ALEMAN; Christian Democratic Union (UDC), Luis
     Humberto GUZMAN, Agustin JARQUIN, Azucena FERREY, Roger MIRANDA,
     Francisco MAYORGA; National Democratic Movement (MDN), Roberto URROZ;
     National Action Party (PAN), Duilio BALTODANO; UNO - hardline parties:
     Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Wilfredo NAVARRO,Virgilio GODOY
     Reyes; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Guillermo POTOY, Alfredo CESAR
     Aguirre, secretary general; Conservative Popular Alliance Party
     (PAPC), Myriam ARGUELLO; Communist Party of Nicaragua (PCdeN), Eli
     ALTIMIRANO Perez; Neo-Liberal Party (PALI), Adolfo GARCIA Esquivel
opposition parties:
     Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), Daniel ORTEGA; Central
     American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS; Democratic Conservative
     Party of Nicaragua (PCDN), Jose BRENES; Liberal Party of National
     Unity (PLUIN), Eduardo CORONADO; Movement of Revolutionary Unity
     (MUR), Francisco SAMPER; Social Christian Party (PSC), Erick RAMIREZ;
     Revolutionary Workers' Party (PRT), Bonifacio MIRANDA; Social
     Conservative Party (PSOC), Fernando AGUERRO; Popular Action Movement -
     Marxist-Leninist (MAP-ML), Isidro TELLEZ; Popular Social Christian
     Party (PPSC), Mauricio DIAZ
Other political or pressure groups:
     National Workers Front (FNT) is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight
     labor unions: Sandinista Workers' Central (CST); Farm Workers
     Association (ATC); Health Workers Federation (FETASALUD); National
     Union of Employees (UNE); National Association of Educators of
     Nicaragua (ANDEN); Union of Journalists of Nicaragua (UPN); Heroes and
     Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations (CONAPRO); and the
     National Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG); Permanent Congress of
     Workers (CPT) is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor
     unions: Confederation of Labor Unification (CUS); Autonomous
     Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN-A); Independent General Confederation
     of Labor (CGT-I); and Labor Action and Unity Central (CAUS);
     Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN) is an independent labor union;
     Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) is a confederation of
     business groups
Member of:
     BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
     IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU,
     LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
     UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Roberto MAYORGA Cortes
chancery:
     1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
     (202) 939-6570
consulate(s) general:
     Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco




US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador John MAISTO
embassy:
     Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur., Managua
mailing address:
     APO AA 34021
telephone:
     [505] (2) 666010 or 666013, 666015 through 18, 666026, 666027, 666032
     through 34
FAX:
     [505] (2) 666046
Flag:
     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


Overview:
     Since March 1991, when President CHAMORRO began an ambitious economic
     stabilization program, Nicaragua has had considerable success in
     reducing inflation and obtaining substantial economic aid from abroad.
     Annual inflation fell from more than 750% in 1991 to less than 5% in
     1992. Inflation rose again to an estimated 20% in 1993, although this
     increase was due almost entirely to a large currency devaluation in
     January. As of early 1994, the government was close to finalizing an
     enhanced structural adjustment facility with the IMF, after the
     previous standby facility expired in early 1993. Despite these
     successes, achieving overall economic growth in an economy scarred by
     misguided economic values and civil war during the 1980s has proved
     elusive. Economic growth was flat in 1992 and slightly negative in
     1993. Nicaragua's per capita foreign debt is one of the highest in the
     world; nonetheless, as of late 1993, Nicaragua was current on its
     post-1988 debt as well as on payments to the international financial
     institutions. Definition of property rights remains a problem;
     ownership disputes over large tracts of land, businesses, and homes
     confiscated by the previous government have yet to be resolved.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent  - $6.4 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     -0.5% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
     $1,600 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     20% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     13%; underemployment 50% (1991)




Budget:
revenues:
     $375 million (1992)
expenditures:
     $410 million (1992), including capital expenditures of $115 million
     (1991 est.)
Exports:
     $228 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
     foodstuffs, cotton, coffee, chemicals
partners:
     EC 26%, US 26%, Japan, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico (1992)
Imports:
     $907 million (c.i.f., 1992)
commodities:
     petroleum, food, chemicals, machinery, clothing
partners:
     US 26%, Venezuela, Costa Rica, EC, Guatemala (1992)
External debt:
     $10.5 billion ( 1992)
Industrial production:
     growth rate NA%; accounts for 20-25% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     434,000 kW
production:
     1.118 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
     290 kWh (1992)
Industries:
     food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing,
     petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear
Agriculture:
     crops account for about 15% of GDP; export crops - coffee, bananas,
     sugarcane, cotton; food crops - rice, corn, cassava, citrus fruit,
     beans; also produces a variety of animal products - beef, veal, pork,
     poultry, dairy products; normally self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs:
     transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US
Economic aid:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-92), $620 million; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
     $1.381 billion
Currency:
     1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
     gold cordobas (C$) per US$1 - 6 (10 January 1993), 5 (1992); note -
     gold cordoba replaced cordoba as Nicaragua's currency in 1991
     (exchange rate of old cordoba had reached per US$1 - 25,000,000 by
     March 1992)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year




                              Communications


Railroads:
     373 km 1.067-meter narrow gauge, government owned; majority of system
     not operating; 3 km 1.435-meter gauge line at Puerto Cabezas (does not
     connect with mainline)
Highways:
total:
     25,930 km
paved:
     4,000 km
unpaved:
     gravel, crushed stone 2,170 km; graded earth 5,425 km; unimproved
     earth 14,335 km
Pan-American highway:
     368.5 km (not in total)
Inland waterways:
     2,220 km, including 2 large lakes
Pipelines:
     crude oil 56 km
Ports:
     Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama
Merchant marine:
     2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,161 GRT/2,500 DWT
Airports:
total:
     208
usable:
     149
with permanent-surface runways:
     11
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     13
Telecommunications:
     low-capacity radio relay and wire system being expanded; connection
     into Central American Microwave System; 60,000 telephones; broadcast
     stations - 45 AM, no FM, 7 TV, 3 shortwave; earth stations - 1
     Intersputnik and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 946,177; fit for military service 582,669; reach
     military age (18) annually 45,555 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $43.0 million, 1.6% of GDP (1992)