NICARAGUA

DEVELOPING COUNTRY

RELIGION

• 58.5% Roman catholic
• 23.2% protestant
• 1% jehovah witness
• 1.6% other
• 15.7% no dominant religion

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

• Central America
• Located between Honduras and Costa Rica
• Borders the caribbean sea and Pacific ocean

POPULATION

• 5,848,641
• Country comparison-111
• rate of growth- 1.04%

URBAN GEOGRAPHY

• Urban-57%
• Rural- 43%
• Major city-Managua

LANGUAGE

• Spanish is the official language
• few natives speak miskito
• Nicañol spanish

POLITICAL STRUCTURE

• Gained independence in 1812
• Republic government
• President-Jose Daniel Ortega

CLIMATE

• Mostly tropical wet and dry, tropical wet
• Can vary with elevation

ECONOMICS

• Poorest country in central america
• Relies on services

CURRENT ISSUES

RURAL POVERTY

• poorest country in central america
• $1.00 a day
• Hurricane Mitch
• Overcoming dictatorship

SOLUTIONS

• Economy has grown 30% since the dictatorship diminished
• In 5 years extreme poverty decreased 20%

EMIGRATION

• Due to poverty
• Flee to Costa Rica
• face discrimination

SOLUTIONS

• Improving economy

LAND REFORM

• Poor people arent getting land they need
• Not equally distributed

SOLUTIONS

• Dictatorship diminished

FUTURE OUTLOOK

• Decrease in % below poverty line
• Better education
• Leads to less emigration

SOMETHING INTERESTING

FIESTA DE SAN SEBASTIAN

• January 20th
• Honor patron saint
• Street dancing,theater performances
• Dancers wear elaborate masks and costumes