2019 Edition

Background

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 a civic-military coalition, spearheaded by the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas led by Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador prompted the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA was elected president in 2006, 2011, and most recently in 2016. Municipal, regional, and national-level elections since 2008 have been marred by widespread irregularities. Democratic institutions have weakened under the ORTEGA administration as the president has garnered full control over all branches of government, especially after cracking down on a nationwide antigovernment protest movement in 2018.

Area

Land

119,990 sq km

Total

130,370 sq km

Water

10,380 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly larger than Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than New York state

Climate

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Coastline

910 km

Elevation

Highest Point

Mogoton 2,085 m

Lowest Point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Mean Elevation

298 m

Environment Current Issues

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; drought

Environment International Agreements

Party To

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed But Not Ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic Coordinates

13 00 N, 85 00 W

Geography Note

largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

Irrigated Land

1,990 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Costa Rica 313 km, Honduras 940 km

Total

1,253 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

42.2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

12.5% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

2.5% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

27.2% (2011 est.)

Forest

25.3% (2011 est.)

Other

32.5% (2011 est.)

Location

Central 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

24 nm

Continental Shelf

natural prolongation

Territorial Sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanesvolcanism: significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

26.65% (male 827,585 /female 794,086)

15 24 Years

20.67% (male 632,847 /female 624,811)

25 54 Years

41.04% (male 1,186,467 /female 1,310,957)

55 64 Years

6.19% (male 173,674 /female 202,765)

65 Years And Over

5.46% (male 147,324 /female 184,697) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

17.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

4.6% (2012)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

80.4% (2011/12)

Current Health Expenditure

8.7% (2016)

Death Rate

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Despite being one of the poorest countries in Latin America, Nicaragua has improved its access to potable water and sanitation and has ameliorated its life expectancy, infant and child mortality, and immunization rates. However, income distribution is very uneven, and the poor, agriculturalists, and indigenous people continue to have less access to healthcare services. Nicaragua's total fertility rate has fallen from around 6 children per woman in 1980 to below replacement level today, but the high birth rate among adolescents perpetuates a cycle of poverty and low educational attainment.Nicaraguans emigrate primarily to Costa Rica and to a lesser extent the United States. Nicaraguan men have been migrating seasonally to Costa Rica to harvest bananas and coffee since the early 20th century. Political turmoil, civil war, and natural disasters from the 1970s through the 1990s dramatically increased the flow of refugees and permanent migrants seeking jobs, higher wages, and better social and healthcare benefits. Since 2000, Nicaraguan emigration to Costa Rica has slowed and stabilized. Today roughly 300,000 Nicaraguans are permanent residents of Costa Rica - about 75% of the foreign population - and thousands more migrate seasonally for work, many illegally.

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

7.8 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

12.8 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

54.1 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

46.3 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

69.4% of population

Improved Total

87% of population

Improved Urban

99.3% of population

Unimproved Rural

30.6% of population

Unimproved Total

13% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0.7% of population

Education Expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic Groups

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

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.2% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

200 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

9,400 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

15 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

20.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

17.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official) 95.3%, Miskito 2.2%, Mestizo of the Caribbean coast 2%, other 0.5% (2005 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

76.1 years

Male

71.5 years

Total Population

73.7 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

83.2% (2015)

Male

82.4%

Total Population

82.8%

Major Infectious Diseases

Degree Of Risk

high (2016)

Food Or Waterborne Diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

Vectorborne Diseases

dengue fever and malaria (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.055 million MANAGUA (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

198 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

27.1 years

Male

25.3 years

Total

26.2 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

19.2 years (2011/12 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Nicaraguan

Noun

Nicaraguan(s)

Net Migration Rate

-2.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

23.7% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.01 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

6,085,213 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.97% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 50%, Evangelical 33.2%, other 2.9%, unspecified 13.2%, none 0.7% (2017 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

55.7% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

67.9% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

76.5% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

44.3% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

32.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

23.5% of population (2015 est.)

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.01 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.91 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.86 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.8 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.95 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.87 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

12.9% (2014 est.)

Male

6.4%

Total

8.5%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

1.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

58.8% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

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

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

12 08 N, 86 15 W

Name

Managua

Time Difference

UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

yes

Citizenship By Descent Only

yes

Dual Citizenship Recognized

no, except in cases where bilateral agreements exist

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

4 years

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or assent of at least half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires approval by 60% of the membership of the next elected Assembly and promulgation by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2014 (2018)

History

several previous; latest adopted 19 November 1986, effective 9 January 1987

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Republic of Nicaragua

Conventional Short Form

Nicaragua

Etymology

Nicarao was the name of the largest indigenous settlement at the time of Spanish arrival; conquistador Gil GONZALEZ Davila, who explored the area (1622-23), combined the name of the community with the Spanish word "agua" (water), referring to the two large lakes in the west of the country (Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua)

Local Long Form

Republica de Nicaragua

Local Short Form

Nicaragua

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Kevin K. SULLIVAN (since 18 December 2018)

Embassy

Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua

Fax

[505] 2252-7250

Mailing Address

American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021

Telephone

[505] 2252-7100, 2252-7888; 2252-7100 or 8767-7100 (after hours)

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Francisco Obadiah CAMPBELL Hooker (since 28 June 2010)

Consulate's General

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

Fax

[1] (202) 939-6545

Telephone

[1] (202) 939-6570, 6573

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Chief Of State

President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Rosario MURILLO Zambrana (since 10 January 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

Election Results

Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 72.4%, Maximino RODRIGUEZ (PLC) 15%, Jose del Carmen ALVARADO (PLI) 4.5%, Saturnino CERRATO Hodgson (ALN) 4.3%, other 3.7%

Elections Appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits as of 2014); election last held on 6 November 2016 (next to be held by November 2021)

Head Of Government

President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Rosario MURILLO Zambrana (since 10 January 2017)

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; the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America; the blue bands symbolize the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while the white band represents the land between the two bodies of water

Government Type

presidential republic

Independence

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 16 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and constitutional chambers)

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly to serve 5-year staggered terms

Subordinate Courts

Appeals Court; first instance civil, criminal, and labor courts; military courts are independent of the Supreme Court

Legal System

civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 70 members in multi-seat constituencies and 20 members in a single nationwide constituency directly elected by proportional representation vote; 2 seats reserved for the previous president and the runner-up candidate in the previous presidential election; members serve 5-year terms)

Election Results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 71, PLC 14, ALN 2, PLI 2, APRE 1, PC 1, YATAMA 1; composition - men 50, women 42, percent of women 45.7%

Elections

last held on 6 November 2016 (next to be held by November 2021)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Salomon Ibarra MAYORGA/traditional, arranged by Luis Abraham DELGADILLO

Name

"Salve a ti, Nicaragua" (Hail to Thee, Nicaragua)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

National Symbol S

turquoise-browed motmot (bird); national colors: blue, white

Political Parties And Leaders

Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Carlos CANALES] Conservative Party or PC [Alfredo CESAR] Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Jose del Carmen ALVARADO] Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Maria Haydee OSUNA] Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Alejandro MEJIA Ferreti] Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra] Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Suyen BARAHONA] Sons of Mother Earth or YATAMA [Brooklyn RIVERA]

Suffrage

16 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, rice, corn, tobacco, cotton, sesame, soya, beans, beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, lobsters, peanuts

Budget

Expenditures

4.15 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

3.871 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2010

3%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

11.44%

31 December 2017

10.8%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$989 million

2017

-$694 million

Debt External

31 December 2016

$10.87 billion

31 December 2017

$11.31 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2009

45.8

2014

47.1

Economy Overview

Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty. GDP growth of 4.5% in 2017 was insufficient to make a significant difference. Textiles and agriculture combined account for nearly 50% of Nicaragua's exports. Beef, coffee, and gold are Nicaragua’s top three export commodities.The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many Nicaraguan agricultural and manufactured goods.In 2013, the government granted a 50-year concession with the option for an additional 50 years to a newly formed Chinese-run company to finance and build an inter-oceanic canal and related projects, at an estimated cost of $50 billion. The canal construction has not started.

Exchange Rates

2013

26.01

2014

27.257

2015

28.678

2016

28.678

2017

30.11

Currency

cordobas (NIO) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$3.772 billion

2017

$3.819 billion

Exports Commodities

coffee, beef, gold, sugar, peanuts, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, cigars, automobile wiring harnesses, textiles, apparel

Exports Partners

US 44.2%, El Salvador 6.4%, Venezuela 5.5%, Costa Rica 5.5% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

41.2% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

15.3% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

69.9% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-55.4% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

28.1% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

1.7% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

15.5% (2017 est.)

Industry

24.4% (2017 est.)

Services

60% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$13.81 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$5,500

2016

$5,600

2017

$5,900

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$33.17 billion

2016

$34.71 billion

2017

$36.4 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

4.8%

2016

4.7%

2017

4.9%

Gross National Saving

2015

23.6% of GDP

2016

23.2% of GDP

2017

24% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

47.1% (2014)

Lowest 10

1.8%

Imports

2016

$6.384 billion

2017

$6.613 billion

Imports Commodities

consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products

Imports Partners

US 20.8%, China 14.3%, Mexico 11.1%, Costa Rica 7.9%, Guatemala 7%, El Salvador 5.6% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

3.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood, electric wire harness manufacturing, mining

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

3.5%

2017

3.9%

Labor Force

3.046 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

31%

Industry

18%

Services

50% (2011 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2014

$995 million

31 December 2015

$1.209 billion

31 December 2016

$1.568 billion

Population Below Poverty Line

29.6% (2015 est.)

Public Debt

2016

31.2% of GDP

2017

33.3% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$2.448 billion

31 December 2017

$2.758 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$1.043 billion

31 December 2017

$1.162 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$6.159 billion

31 December 2017

$6.461 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$1.043 billion

31 December 2017

$1.162 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

28% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

6.2%

2017

6.4%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

5.405 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

16,180 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

56.6% (2016)

Electrification Total Population

81.8% (2016)

Electrification Urban Areas

99.2% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

3.59 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

17.87 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

56% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

35% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

205 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

1.551 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

4.454 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

37,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

460 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

20,120 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

14,720 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

3 (2017 est.)

Total

210,124

Broadcast Media

multiple terrestrial TV stations, supplemented by cable TV in most urban areas; nearly all are government-owned or affiliated; more than 300 radio stations, both government-affiliated and privately owned (2019)

Internet Country Code

.ni

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

24.6% (July 2016 est.)

Total

1,466,152

Telephone System

Domestic

since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved; fixed-line teledensity roughly 6 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has increased to 136 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

system being upgraded by foreign investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly state-owned telecommunications company; lowest fixed-line teledensity and mobile penetration in Central America; a Russian state corporation is operating in the area; LTE service in 60 towns and cities (2018)

International

country code - 505; landing point for the ARCOS fiber-optic submarine cable which provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

6 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

375,856

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

136 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

8,179,876

Airports

147 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

2 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

3 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

3 (2017)

Total

12 (2017)

Under 914 M

4 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

1 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

15 (2013)

Total

135 (2013)

Under 914 M

119 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

YN (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type

general cargo 1, oil tanker 1, other 3 (2018)

Total

5

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

61,031 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

2 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

1 (2015)

Pipelines

54 km oil (2013)

Ports And Terminals

Bluefields, Corinto

Roadways

Paved

3,346 km (2014)

Total

23,897 km (2014)

Unpaved

20,551 km (2014)

Waterways

2,220 km (navigable waterways as well as the use of the large Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua; rivers serve only the sparsely populated eastern part of the country) (2011)

Military And Security Forces

Army of Nicaragua (Ejercito de Nicaragua, EN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

0.69% of GDP

2015

0.78% of GDP

2016

0.64% of GDP

2017

0.62% of GDP

2018

0.61% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; tour of duty 18-36 months; requires Nicaraguan nationality and 6th-grade education (2012)

Disputes International

the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; Nicaragua and Costa Rica regularly file border dispute cases over the delimitations of the San Juan River and the northern tip of Calero Island to the ICJ; there is an ongoing case in the ICJ to determine Pacific and Atlantic ocean maritime borders as well as land borders; in 2009, the ICJ ruled that Costa Rican vessels carrying out police activities could not use the river, but official Costa Rican vessels providing essential services to riverside inhabitants and Costa Rican tourists could travel freely on the river; in 2011, the ICJ provisionally ruled that both countries must remove personnel from the disputed area; in 2013, the ICJ rejected Nicaragua's 2012 suit to halt Costa Rica's construction of a highway paralleling the river on the grounds of irreparable environmental damage; in 2013, the ICJ, regarding the disputed territory, ordered that Nicaragua should refrain from dredging or canal construction and refill and repair damage caused by trenches connecting the river to the Caribbean and upheld its 2010 ruling that Nicaragua must remove all personnel; in early 2014, Costa Rica brought Nicaragua to the ICJ over offshore oil concessions in the disputed region; Nicaragua filed a case against Colombia in 2013 over the delimitation of the Continental shelf beyond the 200 nautical miles from the Nicaraguan coast, as well as over the alleged violation by Colombia of Nicaraguan maritime space in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit Drugs

transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing