Statistical information Nicaragua 1998

Nicaragua in the World
top of pageBackground: Settled as a colony of Spain in the 1520s Nicaragua gained its independence in 1821. 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 and again in 1996 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
top of pageLocation: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 85 00 W
Map reference:
Central America and the CaribbeanAreaTotal: 129,494 km²
Land: 120,254 km²
Water: 9,240 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New York State
Land boundariesTotal: 1,231 km
Border countries: (2) Costa Rica 309 km;
, Honduras 922 kmCoastline: 910 km
Maritime claimsContiguous zone: 25-nm security zone
Continental shelf: natural prolongation
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Terrain: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Land useArable land: 9%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 46%
Forests and woodland: 27%
Other: 17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 880 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 4,583,379 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.92% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Nicaraguan(s)
Adjective: Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Languages: Spanish (official)
Note: English- and Amerindian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast
Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 44% (male 1,017,190; female 1,000,436)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,191,323; female 1,251,828)
65 years and over: 3% (male 52,836; female 69,766) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.92% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 36.04 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.8 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.09 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 42.26 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 66.62 years
Male: 64.26 years
Female: 69.08 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.28 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 65.7%
Male: 64.6%
Female: 66.6% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
Conventional short form: Nicaragua
Local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
Local short form: Nicaragua
Government type: republic
Capital: Managua
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*
Dependent areasIndependence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution: 9 January 1987
Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 16 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997): ead of
Government: President Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (10 January 1997); Vice President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (10 January 1997)
Cabinet: Cabinet
Elections: president elected 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
Election results: Arnoldo ALEMAN Lacayo (Liberal Alliance) 51.03%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 37.75%, Guillermo OSORNO (PCCN) 4.10%, Noel VIDAURRE (PCN) 2.26%, Benjamin LANZAS (PRONAL) 0.53%, others (18 other candidates) remaining 4.33%
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
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), 12 judges elected for a seven-year term by the National Assembly
Political parties and leadersInternational 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, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Francisco AGUIRRE Sacasa
In the us chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-6,570
In the us consulates general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ
From the us embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur., Managua
From the us mailing address: APO AA 34,021
From the us telephone: [505] (2) 666,010 through 666,013, 666,015 through 18, 666,026, 666,027, 666,032 through 33
From the us fax: [505] (2) 669,074
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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The Nicaraguan economy, devastated during the 1980s by economic mismanagement and civil war, is beginning to rebound. In 1991 President CHAMORRO launched an ambitious economic stabilization program that reduced inflation and obtained substantial economic aid from abroad. Economic growth rose sharply in 1995-97, due to surges in exports and efforts to enhance trade liberalization. The program, however, hit some snags, and a 1994-97 IMF Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) signed by the CHAMORRO administration with the Fund lapsed in September 1996 due to non-compliance. In 1997, however, the IMF resumed negotiations for an ESAF with the ALEMAN administration, and agreed to an ESAF in 1998. IMF approval of the ESAF cleared the way for debt relief by the Paris Club later that year and has opened the way for debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. Implementation of a 1997 property accord_designed to resolve conflict over properties confiscated by the Sandinistas in the 1980s_should also help inspire international investor confidence. Strong growth is forecast for 1998, with implementation of a 1997 free trade agreement with Mexico expected to boost agricultural exports, although the industrial sector may come under pressure from increased Mexican competition.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 6% (1997 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,100 (1997 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 34%
Industry: 21%
Services: 45% (1995)
Agriculture products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, cassava (tapioca), citrus, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products
Industries: food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear
Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (1994 est.)
Labor forceTotal: 1.5 million
By occupation services: 54%
By occupation agriculture: 31%
By occupation industry: 15% (1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: 16%; underemployment 36% (1996 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $389 million
Expenditures: $551 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1996 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$635 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: coffee, seafood, meat, sugar, gold, bananas
Partners: US, Central America, Germany, Canada
Imports: total value:$1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
Commodoties: consumer goods, machinery and equipment, petroleum products
Partners: Central America, US, Venezuela, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $6 billion (1996 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: gold cordobas (C$) per US$1_9.76 (October 1997), 8.44 (1996), 7.55 (1995), 6.72 (1994), 5.62 (1993)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 457,000 kW (1995)
Production: 1.76 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 416 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 66,810 (1993 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)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $27.48 million (1996)
Percent of gdp: 1.35% (1996)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 185 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 13
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 172
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 27
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 144 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 56 km
RailwaysTotal: 0 km
Narrow gauge: 0 km 1.067-m gauge; note_part of the previous 376 km system was closed and dismantled in 1993 and, in 1994, the remainder was closed, the track and rolling stock being sold for scrap
RoadwaysWaterways: 2,220 km, including 2 large lakes
Merchant marine: none
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes 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
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US