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Nicaragua is a Central American country. Bathed by the
Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the
west, it borders Honduras to the north, and Costa Rica
to the south. It has an area of 129 494 km2. The
most important cities are Managua, the capital, with 1
186 600 inhabitants (2004), León (170 100 inhab.),
Chinandega (133 700 inhab.), Masaya (122 200 inhab.),
Granada (98 600 inhab.) and Estelí (98 200 inhab.).
The climate is tropical with a dry season between
January and May and a wet season between May and
December.
Economy
Nicaragua has an economy based on agriculture, industry
and trade. The dominant crops are sugar cane, corn,
rice, banana, sorghum, beans, orange, manioc, coffee,
pineapple, sesame and cotton. The industry covers food
products, beverages, tobacco, construction materials and
rubber products. The country's natural resources include
large reserves of gold, copper and silver. Exports are
made up of coffee, cotton, bananas and sugar. The
increase in exports of products from agriculture
naturally reflects on plant cover, particularly the
forest, which in the 1980s saw its extension reduced by
2.1% per year. The imported products are foodstuffs,
fuels and equipment for industry and transport.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide
emissions, per capita (metric tons, 1999), is
0.8.
Population
The population was, in 2006, 5 570 129 inhabitants,
which corresponded to a density of approximately 42.2
inhab./km2. The birth and death rates are,
respectively, 24.51% and 4.45%. Average life expectancy
is 70.63 years. The value of the Human Development Index
(HDI) is 0.643 and the value of the Gender-adjusted
Development Index (IDG) is 0.636 (2001). It is estimated
that, in 2025, the population will be 7 269 000
inhabitants. The main ethnicities are mestizo (69%),
white (17%) and black (9%). The religion with the
greatest expression is Catholic (77%), followed by
Protestant (15%). The official language is Castilian.
History
Christopher Columbus arrived in the territory in 1502
and, some time later, the cities of León and Granada
were established. During the colonial period, an intense
rivalry between the two cities developed. León was the
provincial capital and developed as a liberal and
intellectual center, while Granada developed like an
agricultural center. The two cities continued
hostilities until 1826, when the country became a member
of the United Provinces of Central America. In 1838, the
country gained independence and abandoned the
federation. In the century that followed, Nicaragua's
politics were dominated by power struggles between the
liberals of León and the conservatives of Granada. For
this reason, in a commitment signed in 1857, the capital
became Managua. Conservatives ruled during the second
half of the 19th century, but in 1893 the Liberals won
the presidency and started a persecution of the former
executive. They remained in power until 1909, when US
pressure brought conservatives back to power. To support
the new Government, somemarines to the
territory. In 1925 the military detachment withdrew and
the struggle between liberals and conservatives gave
rise to a civil war. The marines were sent back
to the country in order to end the conflict, which
happened in 1927.
In 1928 and 1932, the USA oversaw the elections that
elected two liberal presidents. American troops left the
country in 1933, after training the Nicaraguan National
Guard in order to maintain internal order. The following
year, the head of the National Guard, Anastasio Somoza
García, instigated the assassination of the liberal
rebel leader, César Augusto Sandino. In 1936 Somoza won
the presidential election and, for twenty years, ruled
the country with an iron fist. However, Sandino's
followers continued to form guerrillas. The president
was assassinated in 1956 and was replaced by his son,
Luís Somoza. In 1962 the guerrilla formed the Sandinista
National Liberation Front (FSLN), with the aim of making
a revolution and removing the Somoza from power. A few
years later, Luis Somoza was replaced by his brother.
For forty years the Somoza family remained at the
head of a dictatorial regime, supporting their own
commercial interests and increasing their personal
fortunes. In 1979, after much violence, dictator Somoza
was forced to go into exile in Paraguay, where he was
eventually murdered. FSLN established a provisional
national reconstruction board, led by Daniel Ortega
Saavedra, who published the guarantee of civil rights
and defended the creation of a Council of State, an
Assembly and a new Constitution. In 1989 an electoral
council was formed to prepare for the 1990 elections.
After the victory of Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, of the
National Opposition Union (UNO), the Sandinista rebels
resumed the armed struggle. Several protests followed
against rising inflation, unemployment and the
widespread economic crisis.
The 1996 and 2001 elections continued along the same
lines, always defeating the Sandinistas.
In 1998, Hurricane Mitch greatly shook the country's
economy, which had recovered significantly during the
1990s.
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