Nicaragua

Official Name:

Republic of Nicaragua (Nicaragua)

Area:

129.494 km ²

Population (2007):

5.675.356 inhabitants

Coastline:

910 km

Capital:

Managua

Maritime Ports and terminals:

Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas,Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur

Maritime claims:

• Territorial sea: 12 nm
• Contiguous zone: 24 nm
• Continental shelf: natural prolongation

Political divisions:

15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Language(s):

Spanish 97,5% (official), Miskito 1,7%, other 0,8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Nationality:

Nicaraguan(s)

Official time:

UTC-6 .

Member of:

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code:

.ni

Economic Profile

Currency:

Gold cordoba (NIO)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

USD3.100 (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

(2006 est.) USD 4.871.000.000

PIB (Real growth rate:

3,7% (2006 est.)

GDP (Composition by sector): (2006 est.)

• Agriculture:17,3%
• Industry: 25,8%
• Services: 56,8%

Labor force:

2.261.000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation (2006):

• Agriculture 29%
• Industry: 19%
• Services 52%

Unemployment rate:

3,8% (2006 est.)

Inflation rate (Consumer prices):

9,4% (2006 est)

Investment (Gross Fixed):

29,8% del PIB (2006 est.)

Budget:

• Revenues: USD1.100.000.000
• Expenditures: USD1.300.000.000

Public debt:

82,7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Current account balance:

USD -883.000.000 (2006 est.)

Exports:

USD 1.714.000.000 FOB (2006 est.)

Exports - Commodities:

Coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts

Exports - Partners:

US 34,1%, El Salvador 14,3%, Honduras 7,9%, Costa Rica 6,1%, Guatemala 5,2%, Mexico 5,1%, Spain 4,2% (2005)

Imports:

USD 3.202.000.000 FOB (2006 est.)

Imports - Commodities:

Consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

US 20,1%, Venezuela 11,9%, Costa Rica 8,9%, Mexico 8,3%, Guatemala 7%, El Salvador 5,1%, Japan 4,5%, Ecuador 4,2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

USD 903.500.000 (2007 est.)

Debt - external:

USD 3.763.000.000 (2006 est.)