Empowering Individuals in the Global Community Through Entrepreneurship
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Whole Planet Foundation currently partners with Pro Mujer in the Esteli-Condega region of Nicaragua where Whole Foods Market sources coffee through Allegro Coffee Company. The Foundation has committed $290,000 to open a new branch in Esteli, enabling 3,841 women through access to microcredit in one of the poorest areas of the country. Pro Mujer Nicaragua is the second organization developed by Pro Mujer, a microfinance network dedicated to empowering Latin American women to lift themselves out of poverty through access to microfinance and health services and training. Learn about our implementing partners around the globe.
Country Information
Nicaragua is the largest nation in Central America yet is the least densely populated. It is bordered by Honduras to the north and by Costa Rica to the south and has a population of about 5.5 million. Esteli and Condega are areas of significant commercial and agricultural activity and yet many women have little or no access to financial capital, health education and basic business training. Access to capital will eanble these women to create or expand small home based businesses to lift themselves and their families out of poverty through their own hard work and creativity. See their stories and experience the power of microcredit.
For more resources see the President's page and Root Causes of Poverty
This light, refreshing drink popularized in Central America is a terrific thirst quencher on a hot summer day. The trick with making agua fresca (Spanish for "fresh water") is to infuse the water with fruit essence without turning it into a smoothie or slushy drink. Feel free to experiment with other flavors such as strawberry, watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew. This recipe was inspired by Maria, a street food vendor and Whole Planet Foundation borrower, who lives in León, Nicaragua.
Ingredients;
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar or honey, more or less to taste
Lime wedge and mint leaves for garnish
Method;
In a blender, combine mango and water and blend until smooth. Pour through a strainer into ice-filled glasses. You should end up with about 1 cup of liquid. Stir in lime juice and agave. Garnish with lime and mint, and serve.
Introduction ::Nicaragua
Background:
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 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. The 2008 municipal elections were characterized by widespread irregularities. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being rebuilt, but democratic institutions face new challenges under the ORTEGA administration.
Geography ::Nicaragua
Location:
Central 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 references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 130,370 sq km
country comparison to the world: 97
land: 119,990 sq km
water: 10,380 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New York state
Land boundaries:
total: 1,231 km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Coastline:
910 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: natural prolongation
Climate:
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Terrain:
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Natural resources:
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land: 14.81%
permanent crops: 1.82%
other: 83.37% (2005)
Irrigated land:
610 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
196.7 cu km (2000)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.3 cu km/yr (15%/2%/83%)
per capita: 237 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
People ::Nicaragua
Population:
5,891,199 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.8% (male 1,013,866/female 976,430)
15-64 years: 62.9% (male 1,847,756/female 1,857,264)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 85,782/female 110,101) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.1 years
male: 21.7 years
female: 22.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.784% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Birth rate:
23.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Death rate:
4.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
Net migration rate:
-1.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Urbanization:
urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.02 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 88
male: 28.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.5 years
country comparison to the world: 128
male: 69.35 years
female: 73.75 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.57 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
7,700 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)
Languages:
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2003)
country comparison to the world: 143
Government ::Nicaragua
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Managua
geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
9 January 1987; revised in 1995, 2000, and 2005
Legal system:
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007)
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 (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecutive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president - 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the previous president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election)
elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential election), MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS); note - as of 1 May 2009: seats by party - FSLN 38, PLC 20, BDN 17, ALN 6, MRS 3, APRE 1, Independent 7
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Conservative Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Idalecio RODRIGUEZ]; Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Nicaraguan Democratic Bloc or BDN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Eliseo NUNEZ Sr.]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Enrique SAENZ Navarrete]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Workers Front or FNT (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 (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 (an independent labor union); Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP (a confederation of business groups)
International organization participation:
BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, PetroCaribe, RG, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charges d'Affaires Alcides J. MONTIEL Barillas
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, 6573
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. CALLAHAN
embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
mailing address: American Embassy Managua, APO AA 34021
telephone: [505] 252-7100, 252-7888; 252-7634 (after hours)
FAX: [505] 252-7304
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
Economy ::Nicaragua
Economy - overview:
Nicaragua has widespread underemployment and the second lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. The US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many agricultural and manufactured goods. Textiles and apparel account for nearly 60% of Nicaragua's exports, but recent increases in the minimum wage will likely erode its comparative advantage in this industry. Nicaragua relies on international economic assistance to meet internal- and external-debt financing obligations. In early 2004, Nicaragua secured some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in October 2007, the IMF approved a new poverty reduction and growth facility (PRGF) program. However, severe budget shortfalls resulting from the suspension of large amounts of direct budget support from foreign donors concerned with recent political developments has caused a slowdown in PRGF disbursements. Similarly, private sector concerns surrounding ORTEGA's handling of economic issues have dampened investment. Economic growth has slowed in 2009, due to decreased export demand from the US and Central American markets, lower commodity prices for key agricultural exports, and low remittance growth - remittances are equivalent to almost 15% of GDP.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$16.83 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
$16.31 billion (2007 est.)
$15.8 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.365 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.2% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
3.2% (2007 est.)
3.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,900 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
$2,900 (2007 est.)
$2,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 16.9%
industry: 25.8%
services: 57.3% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.322 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 19%
services: 52% (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
4.9% (2007 est.)
note: underemployment was 46.5% in 2008
Population below poverty line:
48% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4%
highest 10%: 41.8% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43.1 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 51
60.3 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
34.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
Budget:
revenues: $1.271 billion
expenditures: $1.594 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
74.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
69.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
19.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
11.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA%
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.17% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
13.04% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$507.5 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 94
$465.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.81 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 84
$1.802 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$4.272 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 83
$4.133 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters
Industries:
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
Electricity - production:
3.286 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Electricity - consumption:
2.569 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Oil - exports:
212.5 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Oil - imports:
29,570 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Current account balance:
-$1.475 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
-$1.048 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.675 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$2.313 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts
Exports - partners:
US 32.3%, El Salvador 14.6%, Costa Rica 6.9%, Honduras 6.8%, Mexico 5.3%, Canada 5%, Guatemala 5% (2008)
Imports:
$4.848 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
$4.117 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
US 21%, Venezuela 14.3%, Mexico 8.4%, Costa Rica 8%, China 7.8%, Guatemala 6.1%, El Salvador 5.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.141 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$1.103 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.596 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
$3.341 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 19.374 (2008 est.), 18.457 (2007), 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004)
Communications ::Nicaragua
Telephones - main lines in use:
312,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 114
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.039 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 109
Telephone system:
general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign investment; nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly state-owned telecommunications company
domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags behind other Central American countries; fixed-line teledensity roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership increasing and now exceeds 50 per 100 persons; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 7 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.ni
Internet hosts:
88,742 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 74
Internet users:
185,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 140
Transportation ::Nicaragua
Airports:
143 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 40
Airports - with paved runways:
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 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 132
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 115 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 54 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 19,036 km
country comparison to the world: 113
paved: 2,299 km
unpaved: 16,737 km (2005)
Waterways:
2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 41
Ports and terminals:
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff
Military ::Nicaragua
Military branches:
National Army of Nicaragua (ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,513,312
females age 16-49: 1,507,999 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,277,878
females age 16-49: 1,339,413 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 72,366
female: 70,118 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 157
Transnational Issues ::Nicaragua
Disputes - international:
memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; 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
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing
Data sourced from CIA World Factbook 12/16/09
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