Nicaragua

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

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

Inland waterways

2,220 km, including 2 large lakes

Merchant marine

2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,161 GRT/2,500 DWT

Pan-American highway

368.5 km (not in total)

Pipelines

crude oil 56 km

Ports

Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama

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)

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

Branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $43.0 million, 1.6% of GDP (1992)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 946,177; fit for military service 582,669; reach military age (18) annually 45,555 (1994 est.)

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

Budget

revenues: $375 million (1992) expenditures: $410 million (1992), including capital expenditures of $115 million (1991 est.)

Currency

1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos

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

Electricity

capacity: 434,000 kW production: 1.118 billion kWh consumption per capita: 290 kWh (1992)

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)

Exports

$228 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: foodstuffs, cotton, coffee, chemicals partners: EC 26%, US 26%, Japan, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico (1992)

External debt

$10.5 billion ( 1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US

Imports

$907 million (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: petroleum, food, chemicals, machinery, clothing partners: US 26%, Venezuela, Costa Rica, EC, Guatemala (1992)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%; accounts for 20-25% of GDP

Industries

food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

20% (1993 est.)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $6.4 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$1,600 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

-0.5% (1993 est.)

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.

Unemployment rate

13%; underemployment 50% (1991)

Area

total area: 129,494 sq km land area: 120,254 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than New York State

Climate

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Coastline

910 km

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

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

Irrigated land

850 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

total 1,231 km, Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Land use

arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 43% forest and woodland: 35% other: 12%

Location

Middle America, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean, South America

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 25-nm security zone (status of claim uncertain) continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural resources

gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Terrain

extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

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)

Capital

Managua

Constitution

9 January 1987

Digraph

NU

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

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

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

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Legal system

civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Legislative branch

unicameral

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

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

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

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

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Type

republic

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

Birth rate

34.66 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

6.69 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

mestizo 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Indian 5%

Infant mortality rate

52.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

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

Languages

Spanish (official) note: English- and Indian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.02 years male: 61.18 years female: 66.96 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1971) total population: 57% male: 57% female: 57%

Nationality

noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan

Net migration rate

-1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

4,096,689 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

2.68% (1994 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%

Total fertility rate

4.33 children born/woman (1994 est.)