Nicaragua Facts

When anyone mentions the words Latin America, the first thing that comes to anyone's mind is sunny beaches, bright flowers, gorgeous women and macho men. Well, if that's what people think about the whole of Latin America, then it is quite obvious that the largest country in Latin America will exhibit some of those traits (if not all). Which country are we referring to? Nicaragua, of course! We're sure you'll be interested in some facts and history about Nicaragua. That's what you'll get in this article. There is interesting information about Nicaragua that you'll love to read. So go ahead!

Nicaragua: Facts and Figures

• The official name of Nicaragua is the Republic of Nicaragua.
• The total area of this country is 50,193 mi².
• It celebrates its independence day on 15th September.
• Nicaragua's freedom was declared in 1821, from Spain.
• Area-wise, Nicaragua is the largest country in Latin America.
• The density of Nicaragua's population is appropriately 114 per mi².
• The borders of the country include the Caribbean Sea to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south.
• The capital of Nicaragua is Managua.
• Nicaragua's currency is called Cordoba.

Nicaragua Quick Facts

Given below is some information about Nicaragua's history and geography, followed by a look into the culture of this country.

History

• The country derives its name from an Aztec language. It was named after Chief Nicarao, who was the ruler of the land between the Pacific Ocean and the Nicaragua Lake.
• The history of Nicaragua is filled with a 2 century long struggle for freedom.
• The British conquered Nicaragua and named it the Mosquito Kingdom in the 16th Century.
• The endeavor for independence was fulfilled only 2 centuries later though.
• The form of government in Nicaragua is a presidential republic.
• Politics in Nicaragua is always a division of opinions between the Liberals and the Conservatives.

Geography

• The country is divided into three regions; namely the Pacific Lowlands, the North Central Mountains and the Atlantic Lowlands.
• The geographic co-ordinates of Nicaragua are 12º 09' N and 86º 17' W.
• Most of the land in the country has been declared as 'protected' and many regions are designated as parks, reserves, etc.
• Nicaragua is home to Lake Nicaragua, which is the second largest lake in Latin America.
• Also, this lake is a great tourist attraction as the only freshwater sharks in the world live in this lake. They are called the Nicaraguan sharks.
• There are a lot of active volcanoes in Nicaragua. The Ometepe Island of Nicaragua Lake is home to a dual volcano, Madras and Conception. This is the largest lake island in the world.
• There are as many as 9 lakes which have six craters each, in Nicaragua. This is the highest in the world.

Culture

• Spanish is the official language here.
• Gallopinto, which is a favorite Latin American dish, is a combination of cooked rice, onions and spices like pepper, cilantro etc., and is the national dish of Nicaragua.
• The flag of Nicaragua has two horizontal blue stripes, symbolizing the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with a white stripe in between, symbolizing the land (Nicaragua) which lies in between the two water bodies.
• As far as art is concerned, street art is what flourishes in the city of León.
• Another place that is quite popular among artists is the Archipiélago de Solentiname in Lago de Nicaragua.
• Roman Catholicism is the most followed religion in Nicaragua.
• Palo de May is a very popular form of Latin dance that has its roots in Nicaragua.
• Reggae, Tonada and Mexican style music is what Nicaraguans like.
• Soccer is the most popular sport in Nicaragua.
• Luis Enrique, a popular Latin American singer is Nicaraguan.
• Ruban Dario, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century was also Nicaraguan.
• As far as clothing is concerned, men wear pants or jeans with light-weight shirts owing to the hot climate. Women wear pants with t-shirts or loose shirts. Alternatively, women wear light dresses.
• Nicaragua has the lowest crime rate of all the Latin American countries.

Well, those were some of the most basic and easy to follow facts about Nicaragua that you can share with your friends and relatives. Plan a Latin American vacation and have a gala time exploring this beautiful country.