1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

13 00 N, 85 00 W -- Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than New York State

land area

120,254 sq km

total area

129,494 sq km

Climate

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Coastline

910 km

Environment

current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes

Geographic coordinates

13 00 N, 85 00 W

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; maritime boundary dispute with Honduras

Irrigated land

850 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

total

1,231 km

Land use

arable land

9%

forest and woodland

35%

meadows and pastures

43%

other

12%

permanent crops

1%

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

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

25-nm security zone

continental shelf

natural prolongation

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

highest point

Mogoton 2,438 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 951,254; female 938,599) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,105,069; female 1,164,144) 65 years and over: 3% (male 49,027; female 64,259) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

33.83 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

6.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Indian 5%

Infant mortality rate

45.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official)

note

English- and Indian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast

Life expectancy at birth

female

68.13 years (1996 est.)

male

63.41 years

total population

65.72 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

66.6%

male

64.6%

total population

65.7%

Nationality

adjective

Nicaraguan

noun

Nicaraguan(s)

Net migration rate

-1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

4,272,352 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.67% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

4.03 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento), 2 autonomous regions* (regions autonomista, singular - region autonomista); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Atlantica Norte*, Atlantica Sur*, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Capital

Managua

Constitution

9 January 1987

Data code

NU

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Roberto Genaro MAYORGA Cortes

consulate(s) general

Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

telephone

[1] (202) 939-6570

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet

chief of state and head of government

President Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (since 25 April 1990) was elected for a six-year term (amended to a five-year term in July 1995) by universal suffrage; Vice President Julia MENA Rivera (since 22 October 1995) replaced Virgilio GODOY, who resigned to run for the presidency in 1996 as required by law; election last held 25 February 1990 (next to be held 20 October 1996); results - Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO) 54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 40.8%, other 4.5%

FAX

[505] (2) 669074

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)

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, 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, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges elected for a six-year term (amended to a seven-year term in July 1995) by the National Assembly

Legal system

civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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 25 February 1990 (next to be held NA October 1996); results - UNO coalition 53.9%, Sandinista bloc 40.8%, PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats - (92 total) UNO coalition 53 (Center Group 9, UDC 6, PSD 5, APC 5, PLC 5, PLI 4, PND 3, PAN 3, PNC 3, MDN 2, PCdeN 2, independents 6) and Sandinista bloc 39 (MRS 16, BUS-Sandinista 9, FSLN 8, Sandinista Group of Reflection 4, FSLN-independents 2)

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

center left

Christian Democratic Union (UDC), Luis Humberto GUZMAN; Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN), Alfredo GUZMAN; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Adolfo JARQUIN; National Justice Party (PJN), Jorge DIAZ Cruz; National Action Party (PAN), Delvis MONTIEL; Renovating Action Movement (MAR), Pablo HERNANDEZ; Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS), Sergio RAMIREZ; Social Christian Party (PCS), Erick RAMIREZ; Democratic Action Party (PAD), Eden PASTORA; "Up with Nicaragua" (Arriba Nicaragua), Alvaro ROBELO; National Democratic Party (PND), Alfredo CESAR Aquirre; Communist Party of Nicaragua (PCdeN), Eli ALTIMIRANO Perez

center right

Neoliberal Party (PALI), Ricardo VEGA Garcia; Nicaraguan Resistance Party (PRN), Fabio GADEA, Enrique QUINONEZ; Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Wilfredo NAVARRO; National Project (PRONAL), Antonio LACAYO Oyanguren; Nicaraguan Democratic Alliance Party (PADENIC), Pedro MAYORGA Knilands; Nationalist Liberal Party (PLN), Roberto CASTILLO Quant; Party for Liberal Unity (PUL), Haroldo MONTEALEGRE; Fuerza '96, Francesco MAYORGA

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; Central American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS Echaverry

note

the UNO coalition that won the 1990 elections no longer exists; the different blocs that formerly were united under the UNO umbrella and their opposition to the Sandinistas now act and vote independently

right

Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Arnold ALEMAN; Conservative Popular Alliance Party (APC), Myriam ARGUELLO; Independent Liberal Party for National Unity (PLIUN), Carlos GUERRA Gallardo; Conservative Action Movement (MAC); Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCN - formed in 1992 by the merger of the Conservative Social Party or PSC with the Democratic Conservative Party or PCD and the Conservative party of Labor or PCL), Fernando AGUERO; National Conservative Party (PNC), Adolfo CALERO, Noel VIDUARRE

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

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 through 666013, 666015 through 18, 666026, 666027, 666032 through 33

Agriculture

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, cassava (tapioca), citrus, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Budget

expenditures

$551 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

revenues

$389 million

Currency

1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic overview

The Nicaraguan economy, devastated during the 1980s by economic mismanagement and civil war, is beginning to rebound. Since March 1991, when President CHAMORRO launched 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. After rising again to an estimated 20% in 1993, the annual inflation rate was 11.7% in 1994 and 11.4% in 1995. While economic growth was flat in 1992 and negative in 1993, the 1995 growth rate is about 4%, thanks to surges in most export categories. Recent legislation (November 1995) authorizing the privatization of the TELCOR telecommunications company and resolving the issue of property confiscated by the previous Sandinista government may reassure potential investors. The government's efforts to liberalize trade include a December 1995 decision to stop requiring exporters to bring their foreign exchange earnings into Nicaragua. On the debt front, the Nicaraguan Government launched a successful debt buyback program in 1995, purchasing 73% of its $1.373 billion commercial debt inherited from previous governments. Progress also occurred on reducing bilateral debt in November 1995 as Nicaragua reached an agreement with Germany, reducing Nicaragua's $616 million debt to the former GDR by 80%. Debt reduction agreements with Paris Club creditors and rescheduling with the US also took place. Unemployment remains a pressing problem, however, with roughly half the country's population unemployed or underemployed.

Electricity

capacity

460,000 kW

consumption per capita

376 kWh (1993)

production

1.64 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

gold cordobas (C$) per US$1 - 7.98 (December 1995), 6.72 (1994), 5.62 (1993), 5.00 (1992), 4.27 (1991)

Exports

$525.5 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

meat, coffee, cotton, sugar, seafood, gold, bananas

partners

US, Central America, Canada, Germany

External debt

$11.7 billion (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$1,700 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4.2% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US

Imports

$870 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities

consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products

partners

Central America, US, Venezuela, Japan

Industrial production growth rate

1.4% (1994 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.4% (1995 est.)

Labor force

1.086 million

by occupation

services 43%, agriculture 44%, industry 13% (1986)

Unemployment rate

20% substantial underemployment (1995 est.)

Branches

Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $28.1 million, NA% of GDP (1996)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

988,883

males fit for military service

608,753

males reach military age (18) annually

47,786 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 45, FM 0, shortwave 3

Radios

1.037 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System

domestic

wire and microwave radio relay

international

satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

66,810 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

7 (1994 est.)

Televisions

260,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

148

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

3

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

107

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

32 (1995 est.)

Highways

note

there is a 368.5 km portion of the Pan-American Highway which is not included in the total

paved

4,000 km

total

26,000 km

unpaved

22,000 km (1993 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Pipelines

crude oil 56 km

Ports

Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur

Railways

narrow gauge

0 km 1.067-m gauge; note - part of the previous 376 km system was closed and dismantled in 1993 and, in 1994, the remainder was closed, the track and rolling stock being sold for scrap

total

0 km

Waterways

2,220 km, including 2 large lakes