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nicaraguamore about nicaragua

nicaragua


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  Nicaragua 
  n  :  a  republic  in  Central  America  [syn:  {Nicaragua}] 
 
  From  The  CIA  World  Factbook  (1995)  [world95]: 
 
  Nicaragua 
 
  Nicaragua:Geography 
 
  Location:  Middle  America,  bordering  both  the  Caribbean  Sea  and  the 
  North  Pacific  Ocean,  between  Costa  Rica  and  Honduras 
 
  Map  references:  Central  America  and  the  Caribbean 
 
  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 
  continental  shelf:  natural  prolongation 
  territorial  sea:  200  nm 
 
  International  disputes:  territorial  disputes  with  Colombia  over  the 
  Archipelago  de  San  Andres  y  Providencia  and  Quita  Sueno  Bank;  with 
  respect  to  the  maritime  boundary  question  in  the  Golfo  de  Fonseca  the 
  International  Court  of  Justice  (ICJ)  referred  the  disputants  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:  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 
 
  Nicaragua:People 
 
  Population:  4,206,353  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Age  structure: 
  0-14  years:  44%  (female  921,356;  male  930,594) 
  15-64  years:  53%  (female  1,146,485;  male  1,097,811) 
  65  years  and  over:  3%  (female  62,607;  male  47,500)  (July  1995  est.) 
 
  Population  growth  rate:  2.61%  (1995  est.) 
 
  Birth  rate:  33.73  births/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Death  rate:  6.45  deaths/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Net  migration  rate:  -1.19  migrant(s)/1,000  population  (1995  est.) 
 
  Infant  mortality  rate:  50.3  deaths/1,000  live  births  (1995  est.) 
 
  Life  expectancy  at  birth: 
  total  population:  64.54  years 
  male:  61.67  years 
  female:  67.53  years  (1995  est.) 
 
  Total  fertility  rate:  4.17  children  born/woman  (1995  est.) 
 
  Nationality: 
  noun:  Nicaraguan(s) 
  adjective:  Nicaraguan 
 
  Ethnic  divisions:  mestizo  (mixed  Amerindian  and  Caucasian)  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) 
 
  Nicaragua:Government 
 
  Names: 
  conventional  long  form:  Republic  of  Nicaragua 
  conventional  short  form:  Nicaragua 
  local  long  form:  Republica  de  Nicaragua 
  local  short  form:  Nicaragua 
 
  Digraph:  NU 
 
  Type:  republic 
 
  Capital:  Managua 
 
  Administrative  divisions:  16  departments  (departamentos,  singular  - 
  departamento);  Boaco  Carazo  Chinandega  Chontales  Esteli  Granada, 
  Jinotega  Leon,  Madriz,  Managua,  Masaya,  Matagalpa  Nueva  Segovia,  Rio 
  San  Juan,  Rivas,  Zelaya 
 
  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  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  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: 
  far  right:  Liberal  Constitutionalist  Party*  (PLC),  Arnold  ALEMAN; 
  Conservative  Popular  Alliance  Party  (APC),  Myriam  ARGUELLO  Central 
  American  Unionist  Party  (PUCA),  Blanca  ROJAS  Echaverry  Independent 
  Liberal  Party  for  National  Unity  (PLUIN),  Alfonso  MOCADO  Guillen 
  Conservative  Party  of  Nicaragua  (PCN  -  formed  in  1992  by  the  merger  of 
  the  Conservative  Social  Party  (PSC)  with  the  Democratic  Conservative 
  Party  (PCD)  and  PCL,  the  Conservative  party  of  Labor),  Fernando 
  AGUERO  National  Justice  Party  (PJN),  Jorge  DIAZ  Cruz;  National 
  Conservative  Party*  (PNC),  Adolfo  CALERO 
  center  right:  Neoliberal  Party*  (PALI),  Adolfo  GARCIA  Esquivel 
  National  Action  Party*  (PAN),  Delvis  MONTIEL  Independent  Liberal 
  Party*  (PLI),  Wilfredo  NAVARRO 
  center  left:  Christian  Democratic  Union  (UDC),  Luis  Humberto  GUZMAN; 
  Nicaraguan  Democratic  Movement  (MDN),  Roberto  URROZ  Social  Democratic 
  Party  (PSD),  Adolfo  JARQUIN  Movement  of  Revolutionary  Unity  (MUR), 
  Pablo  HERNANDEZ;  Sandinista  Renovation  Movement  (MRS),  Sergio  RAMIREZ 
  Democratic  Action  Movement  (MAD),  Eden  PASTORA;  Communist  Party  of 
  Nicaragua*  (PCdeN),  Eli  ALTIMIRANO  Perez 
  far  left:  Sandinista  National  Liberation  Front  (FSLN),  Daniel  ORTEGA; 
  Revolutionary  Workers'  Party  (PRT),  Bonifacio  MIRANDA;  Popular  Action 
  Movement-Marxist-Leninist  (MAP-ML),  Isidro  TELLEZ;  Nicaraguan 
  Socialist  Party  (PSN),  Gustavo  TABLADA  Unidad  Nicaraguense  de 
  Obreros  Campesinos  y  Profesionales  (UNOCP),  Rosalio  GONZALEZ  Urbina 
  note:  parties  marked  with  an  asterisk  belong  to  the  National 
  Opposition  Union  (UNO),  an  alliance  of  moderate  parties,  which 
  however,  does  not  always  follow  a  unified  political  agenda 
 
  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  ICRM,  IDA,  IFAD,  IFC,  IFRCS  ILO,  IMF,  IMO,  INTELSAT,  INTERPOL, 
  IOC,  IOM,  ITU,  LAES,  LAIA  (observer),  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  Genaro  MAYORGA  Cortes 
  chancery:  1627  New  Hampshire  Avenue  NW  Washington,  DC  20009 
  telephone:  [1]  (202)  939-6570 
  consulate(s)  general:  Houston,  Los  Angeles,  Miami,  New  Orleans,  New 
  York,  San  Francisco 
 
  US  diplomatic  representation: 
  chief  of  mission:  Ambassador  John  F.  MAISTO 
  embassy:  Kilometer  4.5  Carretera  Sur.,  Managua 
  mailing  address:  APO  AA  34021 
  telephone:  [505]  (2)  666010,  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.  A  rise 
  in  exports  of  coffee  and  other  products  led  growth  in  1994. 
 
  National  product:  GDP  -  purchasing  power  parity  -  $6.4  billion  (1994 
  est.) 
 
  National  product  real  growth  rate:  3.2%  (1994  est.) 
 
  National  product  per  capita:  $1,570  (1994  est.) 
 
  Inflation  rate  (consumer  prices):  19.5%  (1994  est.) 
 
  Unemployment  rate:  21.8%;  underemployment  50%  (1993) 
 
  Budget: 
  revenues:  $375  million  (1992) 
  expenditures:  $410  million  (1992),  including  capital  expenditures  of 
  $115  million  (1991  est.) 
 
  Exports:  $329  million  (f.o.b.,  1994  est.) 
  commodities:  meat,  coffee,  cotton,  sugar,  seafood,  gold,  bananas 
  partners:  US  Central  America,  Canada,  Germany 
 
  Imports:  $786  million  (c.i.f.,  1994  est.) 
  commodities:  consumer  goods,  machinery  and  equipment,  petroleum 
  products 
  partners:  Central  America,  US  Venezuela,  Japan 
 
  External  debt:  $11  billion  (1993) 
 
  Industrial  production:  growth  rate  -0.8%  (1993  est.);  accounts  for  26% 
  of  GDP 
 
  Electricity: 
  capacity:  460,000  kW 
  production:  1.6  billion  kWh 
  consumption  per  capita:  376  kWh  (1993) 
 
  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  -  7.08  (December  1994), 
  6.72  (1994),  5.62  (1993),  5.00  (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 
 
  Nicaragua:Transportation 
 
  Railroads: 
  total:  376  km  note  -  majority  of  system  is  nonoperational 
  standard  gauge:  3  km  1.435-m  gauge  line  at  Puerto  Cabezas  note  -  does 
  not  connect  with  mainline 
  narrow  gauge:  373  km  1.067-m  gauge 
 
  Highways: 
  total:  15,286  km 
  paved:  1,598  km 
  unpaved:  13,688  km 
  note:  there  is  a  368.5  km  portion  of  the  Pan-American  Highway  which  is 
  not  in  the  total 
 
  Inland  waterways:  2,220  km  including  2  large  lakes 
 
  Pipelines:  crude  oil  56  km 
 
  Ports:  Bluefields,  Corinto,  El  Bluff,  Puerto  Cabezas  Puerto  Sandino, 
  Rama,  San  Juan  del  Sur 
 
  Merchant  marine:  none 
 
  Airports: 
  total:  198 
  with  paved  runways  over  3,047  m:  1 
  with  paved  runways  2,438  to  3,047  m:  1 
  with  paved  runways  1,524  to  2,437  m:  3 
  with  paved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  3 
  with  paved  runways  under  914  m:  149 
  with  unpaved  runways  1,524  to  2,438  m:  2 
  with  unpaved  runways  914  to  1,523  m:  39 
 
  Nicaragua:Communications 
 
  Telephone  system:  60,000  telephones;  low-capacity  radio  relay  and  wire 
  system  being  expanded;  connection  into  Central  American  Microwave 
  System 
  local:  NA 
  intercity:  wire  and  radio  relay 
  international:  1  Intersputnik  and  1  INTELSAT  (Atlantic  Ocean)  earth 
  station 
 
  Radio: 
  broadcast  stations:  AM  45,  FM  0,  shortwave  3 
  radios:  NA 
 
  Television: 
  broadcast  stations:  7 
  televisions:  NA 
 
  Nicaragua:Defense  Forces 
 
  Branches:  Ground  Forces,  Navy,  Air  Force 
  note:  total  strength  of  all  branches  -  14,500 
 
  Manpower  availability:  males  age  15-49  982,345;  males  fit  for  military 
  service  604,721;  males  reach  military  age  (18)  annually  47,064  (1995 
  est.) 
 
  Defense  expenditures:  exchange  rate  conversion  -  $32  million,  1.7%  of 
  GDP  (1994),  8.1%  of  government  budget 
 
 
 




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