ABOUT NICARAGUA

There are many reasons why people come to Nicaragua: to visit family, to do community service, to go surfing, to buy land, to start businesses, to retire. But there are also countless reasons why visitors fall in love with this land, in addition to the warmth of its people: two oceans, dozens of spectacular volcanoes, enormous lakes, magical lagoons, fabulous rivers, captivating rain forests, enchanting cloud forests, myriad plant and animal species, Spanish colonial towns, archeological treasures, natural wonders, brilliant thinkers, lively music, warm nights, and delicious traditional cuisine

Nicaragua in a Nutshell

Official Name: Republic of Nicaragua

Extension: 130,688 KM2 (The largest country in Central America)

Capital: Managua (Population 1.2 Million persons)

Three Main Regions:

Pacific Region: 27,000 KM2
Climate: Dry tropical region, with a six-month rainy season from May to October, and a six-month dry season from November to April.

Central Region: 39,960 KM2
Climate: Highland cooler temperature region with six to eight months of rain fall.

Caribbean Region: 67,039 KM2
Climate: Tropical rainforest with constant rainfall for nine to ten months of the year (Hot and humid).

Click to enlarge

National Population: 5.4 Million inhabitants
Note: 75% of the population is under the age of 30 years old

Ethnic Background:
69% Mestizos (Mix between white and indigenous people)
17% White European Iberian descendent
9% Afro-Caribbean
5% Native American Indians

Religion:
70% Catholic
30% Protestant

Economically active population: 2 Million

Population density: 45 inhabitants per KM2

Education
The Central Government manages the education system through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. Elementary and high-school education is free for all school-age children six and up.

Summary of the Nicaraguan Education System:

Public and Private Universities: 44
Observations:
More than 95,000 students enroll annually in higher education programs (65,000 are in public universities, 30,000 are in private universities). There are four private universities which have English-language programs. There are also several language institutes that teach English.

Technical Education:

There are many technical institutes in the country; however, there is a need for more vocational, technical public schools to train skilled workers.

INATEC (The National Institute for Technology and Training) offers technical and business training programs adapted to satisfy the educational needs for companies.

Main private bilingual high-schools:

• American Nicaraguan School
• German Nicaraguan School
• French Nicaraguan School
• Lincoln Academy School
• Montberkely High School

Structure of the Nicaraguan Political System

Nicaragua is a Republic with a constitutional democracy with 4 governmental branches. Currently the country is trying to improve its institutions to make them more technical and less dependent on the main political parties.

Electoral Results of 2006 National Elections
Note: National Elections are held every 5 years

FSLN (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional)
Orientation: Left (Socialist)
Electoral Result: 38%

ALN (Alianza Liberal Nacional)
Orientation: Right-center
Electoral Result: 28.30%

PLC (Partido Liberal Constitucionalista)
Orientation: Right-center
Electoral Result: 27.11%

MRS (Moviento Renovador Sandinista)
Orientation: Left-center
Electoral Result: 6.29%

National Assembly Seats

FSLN: 38 seats

PLC: 25 seats

ALN: 22 seats

MRS: 5 seats

Source: La Prensa Newspaper, November 22nd, 2006.

The Executive Branch (Poder Ejecutivo)
The President of the Republic is elected to a 5-year term, and it is the head of the State and Government, and the Commander-in-Chief of the National Army.

The Legilative Branch (Poder Legislativo / Asamblea Nacional)
The National Assembly has 92 legislators elected to a 5-term in the National Elections.

The Judicial Branch (Poder Judicial)
The Supreme Court of Justice is the maximum authority of the Judiciary, comprised of 16 magistrates who are appointed by the National Assembly.

The Electoral Branch (Poder Electoral)
The Supreme Electoral Council is the government authority in charge of organizing the national and regional elections. It is formed by magistrates appointed for a 5-year term by the National Assembly through a 3-person slate proposed by the President of the Republic.

Safety Level in Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a very safe country. According to studies by the Inter-American Institute for Human Rights (IIHR), a CLADS / INCAE study and supported by a survey of police institutions in Latin America, Managua is the safest capital in the region, and Nicaragua is the safest country in Central America, and considered to be one of the 2nd safest country in the American Continent after Canada.

The reason for this is that Nicaragua was isolated from the normal evils of tourism industry for a decade due to the civil war of the 80’s. Additionally, the Nicaraguan National police and the army have become non-political institutions that serve the constitution and enjoy very low rates of corruption.

Nicaragua is the Safest Country in Central America

Source: Prof. Niels Ketelhohn, INCAE, “Competitividad en Nicaragua”, September, 2004; UNDP; and MIDEPLAN Costa Rica.

Homicide Rate per 100 Habitants – 2005

Note: This graph does not include manslaughter for Costa Rica. Source: www.desarme.org

Please refer to the link GlobalIncidentMap.com to fully appreciate how safe Nicaragua is in comparison to other regions of the world.

 

Media Quotes about Nicaragua as Tourism Destination

“…Nicaragua has the lowest crime rate in Central America.  You may be safer in Nicaragua than in Miami”-The Miami Herald, February 2003 “Fourteen years ago Nicaragua was unthinkable as a travel destination. Now it’s the safest place in Central America, at the brink of a touristrevolution…”. -MSNBC (Nicaragua: Contra to what you think. This Central American country is on the brink of a 'tourist revolution‘.) August 2005 “In 2004, there was a 16 percent increase in travel to Nicaragua,with the largest share of visitors coming from the United States. It’s the one to watch in 2006 as the media attempt to find the ‘next Costa Rica’”. “There's a cool kid factor to visiting this place --it's safe, the people are very friendly, there's a lot to do, yet it still has this perception of being dangerous. It's going to pop, no doubt.” “WheretoGoNext: Hot Spotsfor2006”.-LonelyPlanet, January2006 “Nicaragua is beginning to emerge as a popular eco-tourist destination…” -The New York Times: Travel, January 2005

Articles about Nicaragua

National Infrastructure

Roads

The majority of the nation’s paved roads are in the Pacific region of Nicaragua. The total kilometer of paved roads is 18,899.95 KM. The Panamerican highway runs noth-south along the western coast and serves as the main route for most of the national land transportation. This highway has 370 KM and connects Nicaragua with Honduras and Costa Rica.

A secondary highway extends from Managua in the Pacific to the city of Rama, which is an inland river port town that offers waterway transportation to the City of Bluefields located in the Caribbean Coast.

Airports

The International Airport is located in Managua, 13 KM from the capital urban center. This airport was recently renovated and it is considered to be one of the most modern and safest in Central America. Also this airport is the central hub for small national flights to the Caribean and San Carlos region near the Costa Rican border.

The main airlines that transit trough the Managua International Airport are:
- TACA
- American Airlines
- Continental Airlines
- Aeromexico
- COPA

Nicaragua Airport

The country also has smaller airports on the Caribbean Coast in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) at Siuna and Cabezas Port, and the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS) at Corn Island and Bluefields.

The other national airports of Nicaragua are in San Carlos (San Juan River port town), Montelimar (a tourism landing field in the Pacific Coast) and other Military controlled landing fields along the Pacific and Central Regions.

Ports and customs points in the country

Ports
- Corinto Port
- The Bluff and the Rama Ports
- Puerto Cabezas
Lakeshore Ports in Lake Nicaragua (Cocibolca Lake)
Customs

Main Ports of Nicaragua
Nicaragua is in the center of the Central American isthmus, with coastlines on the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. On the Pacific coast there is a merchant port (Corinto) with a 13 meters permissible draft or water path, and a smaller river port in Rama town, at the Atlantic Region with a reduced permissible draft of 4.5 meters water depth.

Additionally, the country has access to the Honduran Port of Puerto Cortez and the Costa Rican port of Limon, both of which are a one day drive form Managua capital city.

List of Ocean Ports
Ocean Ports
Corinto (Pacific)
Sandino (Pacific)
Potosi (Fonseca Golf)
El Bluff (South Atlantic)
Esperanza (River – Atlantic)
Cabezas (North Atlantic)

Corinto Port

It is located on the Pacific, aprox. 161 KM form Managua, this is the largest port in the country in cargo management (general and containers), moving about 85% of the country’s freight with modern equipment.

Cargo management facilities
Warehouse 1: 2,990 m2
Warehouse 2: 1,968 m2

There are several tanks available for oil products, chemicals, liquids and molasses. The port has a 15 ton link belt and a 5-ton P&H, and 29 hoists (two 3-tons, eighteen 3.5-tons, and two 7-tons) and 6 tractors. It also has special equipment for bulk freight, such as clamp shells or grain bins.

Container terminal
There is a 20,000 m2 area secured with 21 electric power outlets for Conair containers, a Liebherrhoist for 45 ton containers, a 33 m scope with 20’ and 40’ spreaders, and modern equipment to handle existing freight.

The Bluff and the Rama Ports

These ports are located in the South Atlantic region (RAAS). The main freight handled at El Bluff, located at Bluefields Bay are small shipment of shrimp, lobster, frozen beef and lumber. The port Rama handles general and container shipments.

Cabezas Port
Located on the North Atlantic Region it handles mostly lumber, fish and shrimp.

Lakeshore Ports in Lake Nicaragua (Cocibolca Lake)

The Nicaraguan Lake has several small ports for managing freight operations. These are Granada, San Jorge, Moyogalpa, San Carlos and Altagracia. These ports are small but essential infrastructures that serve freight and passenger needs between different islands in the area. There is a freight and passenger ferry service between all the ports in Lake Nicaragua.

Customs

Air terminal
Managua terminal at the Airport

Land terminals
El Espino, Honduran border
El Guasaule, Pacifica rea in Chinandega
Las Manos, Honduran border
Peñas Blancas, Costa Rican border

Telecommunications

Broadband capacity
The country has two high-quality redundant connections through two international underwater fiber optic systems. These systems are:
Maya 1
Costa Rica – Florida, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.
Arcos 1
Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua – Florida, Central America and the Caribbean

Main Internet Providers
Cablenet
Ideay
IBW

Main Telephone / Cellular Companies
ENITEL (Mexico based global corporation)
MOVISTAR (Spain based global corporation)