1993 Edition

Area

total area: 129,494 km2 land area: 120,254 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than New York State

Climate

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Coastline

910 km

Environment

subject to destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasional severe hurricanes; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

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 km2 (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

Central 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

Birth rate

35.61 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate

6.94 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

54.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force

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

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 63.5 years male: 60.7 years female: 66.41 years (1993 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

-1.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population

3,987,240 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate

2.74% (1993 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%

Total fertility rate

4.48 children born/woman (1993 est.)

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

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)

Constitution

January 1987

Digraph

NU

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto MAYORGA (since January 1993) chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 939-6570

Duilio BALTODANO; NOU - 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

Executive branch

president, vice president, 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 National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)

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

last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held February 1996); results - UNO 53.9%, FSLN 40.8%, PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats - (92 total) UNO 42, FSLN 39, PSC 1, MUR 1, "Centrist" (Dissident UNO) 9

National holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Other political or pressure groups

National Workers Front (FNT) is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor

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

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

non-Sandinista labor unions

Confederation of Labor Unification (CUS);

unions

Sandinista Workers' Central (CST); Farm Workers Association (ATC);

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),

President

last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held February 1996); results - Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO) 54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 40.8%, other 4.5%

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Ronald GODARD 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

Agriculture

accounts for 15% of GDP and 44% of work force; cash crops - coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton; food crops - rice, corn, cassava, citrus fruit, beans; variety of animal products - beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy; normally self-sufficient in food

Budget

revenues $347 million; expenditures $499 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (1991)

Currency

1 cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $294 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,381 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $3.5 billion

Electricity

434,000 kW capacity; 1,118 million kWh produced, 290 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates

cordobas (C$) per US$1 - 6 (10 January 1993), 25,000,000 (March 1992), 21,354,000 (1991), 15,655 (1989), 270 (1988), 102.60 (1987); note - new gold cordoba issued in 1992

Exports

$280 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: coffee, cotton, sugar, bananas, seafood, meat, chemicals partners: OECD 75%, USSR and Eastern Europe 15%, other 10%

External debt

$10 billion (December 1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

minor transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US

Imports

$720 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: petroleum, food, chemicals, machinery, clothing partners: Latin America 30%, US 25%, EC 20%, USSR and Eastern Europe 10%, other 15% (1990 est.)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%; accounts for about 25% of GDP

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8% (1992)

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.7 billion (1992 est.)

National product per capita

$425 (1992 est.)

National product real growth rate

0.5% (1992 est.)

Overview

Government control of the economy historically has been extensive, although the CHAMORRO government has pledged to greatly reduce intervention. Four private banks have been licensed, and the government has liberalized foreign trade and abolished price controls on most goods. In early 1993, fewer than 50% of the agricultural and industrial firms remain state owned. Sandinista economic policies and the war had produced a severe economic crisis. The foundation of the economy continues to be the export of agricultural commodities, largely coffee and cotton. Farm production fell by roughly 7% in 1989 and 4% in 1990, and remained about even in 1991-92. The agricultural sector employs 44% of the work force and accounts for 15% of GDP and 80% of export earnings. Industry, which employs 13% of the work force and contributes about 25% to GDP, showed a drop of 7% in 1989, fell slightly in 1990, and remained flat in 1991-92; output still is below pre-1979 levels. External debt is one of the highest in the world on a per capita basis. In 1992 the inflation rate was 8%, down sharply from the 766% of 1991.

Unemployment rate

13% underemployment 50% (1991)

Airports

total: 226 usable: 151 with permanent-surface runways: 11 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 12

Highways

25,930 km total; 4,000 km paved, 2,170 km gravel or crushed stone, 5,425 km earth or graded earth, 14,335 km unimproved; Pan-American highway 368.5 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

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 - $40 million, 2.7% of GDP (1992 budget)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 911,397; fit for military service 561,448; reach military age (18) annually 44,226 (1993 est.)