as, and Nicaragua
likely would be required
Climate:
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Terrain:
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior
mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Natural resources:
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Land use:
arable land:
9%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
43%
forest and woodland:
35%
other:
12%
Irrigated land:
850 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
natural hazards:
subject to destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and
occasionally severe hurricanes
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

@Nicaragua, People

Population:
4,096,689 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.68% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
34.66 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
6.69 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
52.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
64.02 years
male:
61.18 years
female:
66.96 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.33 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Nicaraguan(s)
adjective:
Nicaraguan
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Indian 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%
Languages:
Spanish (official)
note:
English- and Indian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1971)
total population:
57%
male:
57%
female:
57%
Labor force:
1.086 million
by occupation:
services 43%, agriculture 44%, industry 13% (1986)

@Nicaragua, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form:
Nicaragua
local long form:
Republica de Nicaragua
local short form:
Nicaragua
Digraph:
NU
Type:
republic
Capital:
Managua
Administrative divisions:
17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Boaco,
Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon,
Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, North Atlantic Coast Autonomous
Zone (RAAN), Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, South Atlantic C