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Background:
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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 the
Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979.
Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused
the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas
through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996,
and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The
country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s,
but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
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Location:
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Central
America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras |
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 00 N, 85
00 W |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
129,494 sq km
land: 120,254 sq km
water: 9,240 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than the state of New York |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,231 km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922
km |
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Coastline:
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910 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial
sea: 200 nm
continental shelf: natural prolongation |
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Climate:
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tropical in
lowlands, cooler in highlands |
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Terrain:
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extensive
Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior
mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by
volcanoes |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m |
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Natural resources:
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gold,
silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 15.94%
permanent crops: 1.94%
other: 82.12% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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880 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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destructive
earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation;
soil erosion; water pollution |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental
Modification |
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Geography - note:
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largest
country in Central America; contains the largest
freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
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Population:
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5,465,100
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 37.2% (male 1,036,487/female 999,226)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 1,623,065/female
1,638,017)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 73,935/female
94,370) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
20.56 years
male: 20.15 years
female: 20.98 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.92% (2005
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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24.88
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.49
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.19
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
29.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 32.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 70.33 years
male: 68.27 years
female: 72.49 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.81
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2003
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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6,400 (2003
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
500 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan |
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Ethnic groups:
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mestizo
(mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%,
Amerindian 5% |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% |
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Languages:
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Spanish
(official)
note: English and indigenous languages on
Atlantic coast |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Managua |
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Administrative divisions:
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15
departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular -
region autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*,
Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada,
Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa,
Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas |
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Independence:
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15
September 1821 (from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence
Day, 15 September (1821) |
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Constitution:
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9 January
1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000 |
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Legal system:
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civil law
system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts |
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Suffrage:
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16 years of
age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since
10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS
Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO
Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president
is both chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president and vice president elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by
November 2006)
election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC)
elected president - 56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN)
42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PCN) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon
elected vice president |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats;
members are elected by proportional representation and
party lists to serve five-year terms; one seat for
previous President, one seat for runner-up in previous
Presidential election
elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be
held by November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party -
Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PCCN, PLC,
PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%;
seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN 38, PCN 1 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year
terms by the National Assembly) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Alliance
for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon, Oscar
WENDOLYN Vargas, Karla WHITE]; Central American Unionist
Party or PUCA [leader NA]; Christian Alternative Party
or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative Party
of Nicaragua or PCN [Mario RAPPACCIOLI]; Independent
Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES
Vallejos]; Independent Liberal Party for National Unity
or PLIUN [leader NA]; Liberal Constitutional Party or
PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal Salvation Movement
or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal Party or
PALI [leader NA]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path
or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina]; Nicaraguan Resistance
Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National
Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra];
Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [leader NA]; Unity
Alliance or AU [leader NA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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National
Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of
eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association
or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes
and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations
or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of
Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE,
National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of
Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of
Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista
labor unions including - Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers
Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or
CUS, 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 |
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International organization participation:
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BCIE, CACM,
FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM,
OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5
December 2003)
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, San Francisco |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE
embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address: APO AA 34021
telephone: [505] 266-6010
FAX: [505] 266-9074 |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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Nicaragua,
one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per
capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external
debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal
on the globe. While the country has made progress toward
macroeconomic stability over the past few years, GDP
annual growth has been far too low to meet the country's
needs. As a result of successful performance under its
International Monetary Fund policy program and other
efforts, Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4
billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Even after
this reduction, however, the government continues to
bear a significant foreign and domestic debt burden. If
ratified, the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)
will provide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract
investment, create jobs, and deepen economic
development. While President BOLANOS enjoys the support
of the international financial bodies, his internal
political base is meager. |
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GDP:
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purchasing
power parity - $12.34 billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing
power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
20.7%
industry: 24.7%
services: 54.6% (2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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28% of GDP
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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50% (2001
est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 1.2%
highest 10%: 45% (2001) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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55.1 (2001) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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9.3% (2004
est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.93
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture
30.5%, industry 17.3%, services 52.2% (2003 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7.8% plus
underemployment of 46.5% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$725.5 million
expenditures: $1.039 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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69.5% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee,
bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame,
soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products |
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Industries:
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food
processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products,
textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution,
beverages, footwear, wood |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4.4% (2000
est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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2.553
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 83.9%
hydro: 7.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 8.4% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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2.318
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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6.8 million
kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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15.3
million kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2003 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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25,770
bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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738 bbl/day
(2003) |
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Oil - imports:
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27,950
bbl/day (2003) |
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Current account balance:
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$-843.1
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$750
million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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coffee,
beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts |
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Exports - partners:
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US 63.5%,
El Salvador 9%, Costa Rica 4.2% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$2.02
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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consumer
goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum
products |
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Imports - partners:
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US 26.3%,
Venezuela 9.6%, Costa Rica 7.5%, Mexico 7.1%, Guatemala
6.1%, El Salvador 4.1% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
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$670
million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$4.573
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$541.8
million (2003) |
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Currency:
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gold
cordoba (NIO) |
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Currency code:
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NIO |
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Exchange rates:
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gold
cordobas per US dollar - 15.937 (2004), 15.105 (2003),
14.251 (2002), 13.372 (2001), 12.684 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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171,600
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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202,800
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by
foreign investment
domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and
wire system being expanded; connected to Central
American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; satellite
earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 63, FM
32, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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Radios:
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1.24
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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3 (plus
seven low-power repeaters) (1997) |
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Televisions:
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320,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ni |
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Internet hosts:
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7,094
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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3 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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90,000
(2002)
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Railways:
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total:
6 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2003) |
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Highways:
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total:
18,712 km
paved: 2,126 km
unpaved: 16,586 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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2,220 km
(including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997) |
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Pipelines:
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oil 54 km
(2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Bluefields,
Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama,
San Juan del Sur |
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Airports:
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176 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
165
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 141 (2004 est.)
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Military branches:
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Army
(includes Navy, Air Force) |
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Military manpower - military age and obligation:
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17 years of
age for voluntary military service (2001) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males
age 17-49: 1,309,970 (2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males
age 17-49: 1,051,425 (2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
65,170 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$32.8
million (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.7% (2004)
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| Transnational
Issues |
Nicaragua |
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Disputes - international:
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Nicaragua
filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against
Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime
boundary involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea,
including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia
and Quita Sueno Bank; 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; legal
dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on
border with Costa Rica |
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