Managua

CAPITAL CITY OF Nicaragua: Managua
LANGUAGE OF Nicaragua: Spanish
CURRENCY OF Nicaragua: US dollar (USD)
COMMENTS ABOUT Nicaragua:
Nicaragua is a democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America. Cities : Managua (capital), León, Granada, Esteli, Matagalpa, Jinotega, Juigalpa, Ocotal
Best Places :Isla Ometepe, Big Corn Island, Little Corn Island, Solentiname, Islands, Laguna de Apoyo, Volcan Masaya, Canyon de Somoto, Selva Negra
Electricity : 120V/60Hz (USA plug)
Calling code : +505
Time zone : (UTC-6)
The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
CLIMATE OF Nicaragua: Tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands. The weather during the dry months can be very hot in the Pacific lowlands. The Atlantic coast sees an occasional hurricane each season. In the past, these hurricanes have inflicted a lot of damage.
RELIGION OF Nicaragua: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant
POPULATION OF Nicaragua: 5,359,759 (July 2004 est.)>>>
ECONOMY OVERVIEW OF Nicaragua: Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability over the past few years, GDP annual growth of 1.5% - 2.5% has been far too low to meet the country's need. Nicaragua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Nicaragua has undertaken significant economic reforms that are expected to help the country qualify for more than $4 billion in debt relief under HIPC in early 2004. Donors have made aid conditional on the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. A three-year poverty reduction and growth plan, agreed to with the IMF in December 2002, guides economic policy.