Nicaragua - Country information


		Nicaragua	Population Government Economy Geography Communication Transportation

Population		Top of page

Inhabitants		Life expectancy
5,675,356 (July 2007 est.)		total population: 70.92 years male: 68.82 years female: 73.13 years (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups		Religions
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%		Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%, Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census)

Languages		Literacy
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)		definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.5% male: 67.2% female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Government		Top of page

Government type		Capital
republic		Managua

Independance		National day
15 September 1821 (from Spain)		Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution		Legal system
9 January 1987; reforms in 1995, 2000, and 2005		civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Economy		Top of page

GDP (purchasing power parity)		Growth rate
$5.37 billion (2006 est.)		3.7% (2006 est.)

GDP per inhabitant		Unemployment rate
$3,000 (2006 est.)		3.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line		Inflation rate
48% (2005)		9.4% (2006 est.)

Exports		Imports
$1.714 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)		$3.202 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold		Currency
$903.5 million (January 2007 est.)		gold cordoba (NIO)

Military expenditures
0.6% (2006)

Geography		Top of page

Location		Area
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras		129,494 sq km

Climate		Natural resources
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands		gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

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