NICARAGUA
Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:59 am
Nicaragua (US i/ˌnɪkəˈrɑːɡwə/ nik-ə-rah-gwə) officially the Republic of Nicaragua (Spanish: República de Nicaragua, pronounced: [reˈpuβlika ðe nikaˈɾaɣwa] ( listen)) is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. The country's physical geography divides it into three major zones: Pacific lowlands, wet, cooler central highlands, and the Caribbean lowlands. On the Pacific side of the country are the two largest fresh water lakes in Central America—Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua. Surrounding these lakes and extending to their northwest along the rift valley of the Gulf of Fonseca are fertile lowland plains, with soil highly enriched by ash from nearby volcanoes of the central highlands. Nicaragua's abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems contribute to Mesoamerica's designation as a biodiversity hotspot.The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and the territory became associated with the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later the Captaincy General of Guatemala. Alongside the Spanish, the British established a protectorate on the eastern seaboard beginning in the middle of the 17th century, and ending roughly two centuries later with the rise of the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Granada on the coast. The eastern seaboard retains its colonial heritage; English and Jamaican Patois are commonly spoken and the culture of the Atlantic region identifies as being more Caribbean. Nicaragua achieved its independence from Spain in 1821 and joined the Federal Republic of Central America from 1823 to 1838.[6] The prospect of a Nicaraguan Canal made the country subject of substantial interest later in the 19th century,[7] and despite the building of the Panama Canal, the prospect of a Nicaraguan route for shipping has remained attractive, leading to the construction of the Ecocanal begun in 2001.[8][9][10][11] From the 1850s Nicaragua also became the center of William Walker's Golden Circle filibustering in Central America.[12][13][14] Since its independence, Nicaragua has undergone periods of political unrest, military intervention by the United States, dictatorship, and fiscal crisis—the most notable causes that lead to the Nicaraguan Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. Although the Somoza family ruled the country in the form of a dictatorship for forty years, Nicaragua was among the first countries to sign the United Nations Charter in 1945.[15] Prior to the revolution, Nicaragua was one of Central America's wealthiest and most developed countries. The revolutionary conflict, paired with a 1972 earthquake reversed the country's prior economic standing. Despite the harsh economic effects of both phenomena, Nicaragua is a representative democratic republic which has experienced economic growth and political stability in recent years. In 1990, Nicaragua elected Violeta Chamorro as its president, making it the first country in Latin American history and the second in the Western Hemisphere to democratically elect a female head of state.The population of Nicaragua, approximately 6 million, is multiethnic. Roughly a quarter of the population lives in the capital city, Managua, making Managua the second largest city in Central America. Segments of the population include indigenous native tribes from the Mosquito Coast, Europeans, Africans, Asians, and people of Middle Eastern origin. The main language is Spanish, although native tribes on the eastern coast speak their native languages, such as Miskito, Sumo, and Rama, as well as English Creole. The mixture of cultural traditions has generated substantial diversity in art and literature, particularly the later given the various literary contributions of Nicaraguan writers, including Rubén Darío, Ernesto Cardenal, and Gioconda Belli.[16] The biological diversity, warm tropical climate, and active volcanoes make Nicaragua an increasingly popular destination.