1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 129,494 sq km land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than the state of New York
Climate
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Coastline
910 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Environment--current issues
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; Hurricane Mitch damage
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates
13 00 N, 85 00 W
Irrigated land
880 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Land use
arable land: 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 27% other: 17% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 44% (male 1,037,269; female 1,018,909) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,236,326; female 1,297,356) 65 years and over: 2% (male 54,706; female 72,566) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
35.04 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.6 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Infant mortality rate
40.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Spanish (official) note: Englishand Amerindian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 67.08 years male: 64.7 years female: 69.56 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 65.7% male: 64.6% female: 66.6% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan
Net migration rate
-1.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
4,717,132 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.84% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.14 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
15 departments (departamentos, singular--departamento), 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular--region autonomista); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*
Capital
Managua
Constitution
9 January 1987
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua
Data code
NU
Executive branch
chief of state: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note--in July 1995 the term of the office of the president was amended to five years party]--includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 51.03%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 37.75%, Guillermo OSORNO (PCCN) 4.10%, Noel VIDAURRE (PCN) 2.26%, Benjamin LANZAS (PRONAL) 0.53%, other (18 other candidates) remaining 4.33%
Flag 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
Government type
republic
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, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco AGUIRRE Sacasa chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 666026, 666027, 666032, 666033
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), 12 judges elected for seven-year terms by the National Assembly Political parties and leaders: OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC Saavedra] Political pressure groups and leaders: National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions: Sandinista Workers Central or CST; Farm Workers Association or ATC; Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD; National Union of Employees or UNE; National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN; Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO; and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions: Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS; Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A; Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I; and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups
Legal system
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--Liberal Alliance (ruling party--includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party--Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PNC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 Alliance 1
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, cassava (tapioca), citrus, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products
Budget
revenues: $389 million expenditures: $551 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Currency
1 gold cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos
Debt--external
$6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$839.9 million (1995)
Economy--overview
Prior to Hurricane Mitch in the fall of 1998, Nicaragua had been pursuing a number of impressive economic reforms and had begun to shed the legacy of a decade of civil war and economic mismanagement by posting strong annual growth numbers. The storm has put the reform effort on hold and has changed economic forecasts for the foreseeable future--Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America was one of the hardest hit by the hurricane. Nicaragua sustained approximately $1 billion in damages and will probably see GDP growth slow by at least one percentage point in 1999. Hardest hit was the all-important agriculture sector, which is responsible for the majority of exports. As a result, the trade deficit is likely to balloon in 1999 to roughly $900 million. Significant aid and relief have helped to stabilize the country. In addition, the Paris Club and other creditors have offered substantial debt relief. Nevertheless, additional financing will be needed to restore the economy to its pre-Mitch condition.
Electricity--consumption
1.665 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
1.665 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 48.95% hydro: 21.02% nuclear: 0% other: 30.03% (1996)
Exchange rates
gold cordobas (C$) per US$1--11.14 (December 1998), 10.58 (1998), 9.45 (1997), 8.44 (1996), 7.55 (1995), 6.72 (1994)
Exports
$704 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities
coffee, seafood, meat, sugar, gold, bananas
Exports--partners
US, Central America, Germany, Canada
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$11.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 32% industry: 24% services: 44% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$2,500 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
4% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 39.8% (1993)
Imports
$1.45 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities
consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products
Imports--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)
16% (1998 est.)
Labor force
1.5 million
Labor force--by occupation
services 54%, agriculture 31%, industry 15% (1995 est.)
Population below poverty line
50.3% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
14%; underemployment 36% (1997 est.)
Communications
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
3 (in addition, there are seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
260,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
184 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 171 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 143 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 16,382 km paved: 1,818 km unpaved: 14,564 km (1998 est.)
Merchant marine
none
Pipelines
crude oil 56 km Ports and harbors: Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur
Waterways
2,220 km, including 2 large lakes
Military and Security
Military branches
Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$26 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.2% (1998)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 1,108,146 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 681,495 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 53,508 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
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
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US