Country Information on Nicaragua

Terrain The Nicaraguan highlands are situated at an average altitude of 610 m and cross the country in a north-west to south-east direction. The highest mountain range, rising over 2,100 m, is the Cordillera Isabelia. In the west there is a large basin, which contains the largest lake of Middle America, Lago de Nicaragua, and Lago de Managua. The river Tipitapa connects both lakes. Between the lakes and the Pacific coast a range of volcanoes rises, and the area is prone to earthquakes. In the east the Caribbean coastal plain stretches some 72 km inland. Climate The climate in Nicaragua's coastal areas is tropical, with a mean temperature of 25.5°C. In the higher-lying regions in the country's interior temperatures range between 15.5 and 26.5°C. The rainy season lasts from May to November. Nicaragua is frequently hit by violent hurricanes, like in 1998, when Hurricane Mitch caused huge devastation all over the country. Fauna/Flora In Nicaragua tropical and subtropical plant species are found. Thick rain forests extend along the Caribbean coast and on the eastern slopes of the highlands. Oaks, pines, cedars, mahogany trees, wild rubber trees, and approx. 50 different species of fruit-trees grow here. Nicaragua's fauna includes pumas, deer, some kinds of primates, alligators and a large variety of other reptiles. Lago de Nicaragua is the habitat of many unusual species of fish, including the world's only freshwater sharks. Birdlife in the forests is particularly rich: parrots, humming birds, and wild turkeys have their habitat there. Particularly worth mentioning is the quetzal, the holy bird of the Maya. History/Politics Previous to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, the region of present-day Nicaragua was dominated by Chibcha and Maya cultures. The first contact with Europeans came in 1502, when Columbus discovered the coast of Nicaragua. In 1544, the territory was incorporated into the General Captaincy of Guatemala following the colonization of the indigenous population in the early 16th century. In 1821, Nicaragua declared its independence from Spain. One year later, it became part of the Mexican Empire. In 1823, after the deposition of Emperor Agustín de Iturbide, it joined the Central American Federation, leaving the federation in 1839 to become an independent state. Following the landing of a unit of 120 troops led by William Walker in 1856 in Nicaragua, Walker proclaimed himself president. He was defeated by the allied Central American armies in 1857. In 1875 and 1895, the ports of Nicaragua were occupied by Germany and Great Britain by military force in order to use customs revenue for covering respective national debt. In 1928 General José María Moncada, a liberal, was elected president under American supervision. After the American Marines had been withdrawn in 1933 following fierce fighting, the National Guard remained under the leadership of Anastasio Somoza. He seized power in 1937 and remained there to control Nicaragua during the succeeding 20 years. His grandson Anastasio Somoza came to power in the 1970s. Despotic rule by Anastasio Somoza lead to the establishment of the Sandinista National Liberation Front which organized underground armed resistance against the dictatorship. In early 1978, Pedro Joaquín Chamorro, who had opposed Somoza, was assassinated, and in the very same year increasing political unrest led to a civil war. Somoza was pressed to step down in favour of a moderate coalition, and later that year he fled into exile. He first went to Miami, then to Paraguay, where he was assassinated in 1980. The Sandinistas appointed a junta, which was to govern the country. The junta was faced with enormous economic difficulties and tried to get help from abroad. The Contras were driven out of the country and subsequently hit back from secret bases in Costa Rica and Honduras. The 1984 presidential elections were won by the candidate of the Sandinistas, Daniel Ortega Saavedra, by a large margin. In 1985 President Bush imposed a trade embargo and freezed all Nicaraguan assets. In 1990, the Nicaraguans went to the polls, which took place under international supervision, and elected Violeta Barrios de Chamorro (Chamorro's wife) president. She was the leader of the National Union of the Opposition (UNO), an anti-Sandinista coalition supported by the USA. This coalition had now won the majority of seats in the National Assembly. The 1996 presidential elections were won by the candidate of the Liberal Alliance (AL), José Arnoldo Alemán. He was succeeded by Enrique Bolaños, leader of the Constitutional Liberal Party, in November 2001. Economy Until the end of the 1970s, the country's economy kept growing to a considerable extent, then civil unrest impaired economic activities. Agriculture is the economy's strongest pillar, although modern production industries have been established, especially in Managua. The country's chief mineral resource is gold. The state plays a major role in Nicaragua's economy, and foreign financial aid is vital. In the mid-1980s Nicaragua was plagued by food and fuel shortage. According to an international study (which was published in July 1997) Nicaragua is by far the poorest country in Central America. Culture As in other Latin American countries, Spanish culture has left its mark on Nicaraguan culture. Numerous festivals are held in remembrance of patron saints and church holidays. The marimba is popular, and in rural areas old instruments like the chirimía (clarinet), maraca (rattle), and zul (flute) are played. Earthquakes and war have obliterated much tangible evidence of Nicaragua's cultural heritage, especially its colonial architecture - although León retains many fine old buildings. Nicaragua is also renowned for its outstanding poetry. Rubén Darío (1867-1916) is one of the foremost poets. Bluefields, the largely English-speaking town on the Caribbean coast, is a centre for reggae music. The Solentiname Archipelago in Lago de Nicaragua is famous as a haven for artists, poets and craftspeople. Sandinista street art in the form of modernist murals is especially prominent in the university town of León.