95 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.54 years
male: 61.67 years
female: 67.53 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.17 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Caucasian) 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: 16 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada,
Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio
San Juan, Rivas, Zelaya

Independence: 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

Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Violeta Barrios de
CHAMORRO (since 25 April 1990); Vice President Virgilio GODOY Reyes
(since 25 April 1990); election last held 25 February 1990 (next to be
held November 1996); results - Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO)
54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 40.8%, other 4.5%
cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional): elections last held 25 February
1990 (next to be held November 1996); results - UNO 53.9%, FSLN 40.8%,
PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats - (92 total) UNO 41, FSLN 39, "Centrist"
(Dissident UNO) 12

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders:
far right: Liberal Constitutionalist Party* (PLC), Arnold ALEMAN;
Conservative Popular Alliance Party (APC), Myriam ARGUELLO; Central
American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS Echaverry; Independent
Liberal Party for National Unity (PLUIN), Alfonso MOCADO Guillen;
Conservative Party of N