Everything you need to know about Nicaragua: news, reviews, in-depth analysis, opinion and more
Nicaragua: Multi Ethnic Central American Country
In the beginning of the 16th century the Spanish explorers settled on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua and the Spanish colonialised the whole landmass of Nicaragua after some time. The Spanish dominance ended in 1838 and Nicaragua became an independent republic. The richness and strategic location of Nicaragua attracted the British in beginning of 19th century. By 1978 governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes resulting in violent opposition to the government. This civil unrest continued for years and finally in 1979 Marxist Sandinista came to power. In 1981 the US suspended its aid to Nicaragua charging it with helping Cuba and the Soviet Union in supplying arms to rebels in El Salvador. Finally in 1984 general elections were held and Daniel Ortega, the Sandinista junta coordinator became the new president.
Nicaragua Profile: Overview of Facts and Figures
Geographical Information on Nicaragua:
Nicaragua is located in the Northern Hemisphere 11 degree north of the Equator. The country is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west of the country, the Caribbean Sea to the east.
The climatic condition of Nicaragua is warm and humid but the temperature varies according to the altitudes. The average year round temperature is about 28°C. The rainy season is from May to October and rainfall varies according to altitude.
Culture, Cuisine and Tradition of Nicaragua:
The culture of Nicaragua is a mixture of Hispanic and Native American elements with some regional variations. The western half of the country was colonialised by Spain and influence of Spanish culture and traditions can be seen in this region. While the eastern half of the country was under the British protectorate so the domination of western culture and traditions can be seen in this part.
The cuisine of Nicaragua dates back to pre-Colombian times and the Nicaraguan recipe is enhanced by the mixture of interesting dishes from the Chinese, French, Latin American, and Spanish styles of cooking. The Nicaraguan staple diet revolves around the local fruits and corn. Many of Nicaragua's dishes include indigenous fruits and vegetables such as jocote, mango, papaya, tamarindo, pipian, banana, avocado, yuca, and herbs such as cilantro, oregano and achiote
Tourist Attraction of Nicaragua:
The colonial architectural beauty of Spain and Britain on two different sides of Nicaragua provide a glimpse into their mighty imperialist power. The comparative beauty of both sides of Nicaragua delights the tourists from world over.
Granada: Granada is the beautiful city founded by the Spanish in 1524. It is famous for its architectural beauty and reflects the spirit of colonial power. Its strategic position on the shores of Lake Nicaragua makes it an important trading post, and the fertile farming land makes it a prosperous city in Nicaragua.
The Atlantic Coast: The Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua is famous for its water sports. The high rising waves challenges surfers and daring water divers.
Major Sight-seeing Places in Nicaragua include:
Managua, May 13 (IANS/EFE) An Agence France-Presse photojournalist has been expelled from Nicaragua, Chilean Consul Diego Rivera said.
Managua, May 10 (IANS/EFE) UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova inspected two of the three biosphere reserves in Nicaragua to get a firsthand look at their condition, first lady Rosario Murillo said.
Managua, April 18 (IANS/EFE) An environmental group is calling for a greater government presence in Nicaragua's Caribbean waters following the discovery of a boat with dozens of dead sharks aboard in Little Corn Island.
Mexico City, April 5 (IANS/EFE) Sigma Alimentos, a unit of Mexico's Grupo Alfa, acquired Corporacion de Empresas Monteverde, Costa Rica's leading producer and marketer of cheese, Grupo Alfa representatives told EFE.
Port of Spain (Trinidad), March 8 (IANS/CMC) Trinidad and Tobago will play two Central American opponents later this month as they continue preparations for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July.
Mexico City, Feb 8 (IANS/EFE) Wind power has tremendous potential for growth in Latin America, where demand for renewable energy is high in Central America and the Caribbean, while Mexico has a favourable political environment for the industry, a company official said.
Managua, Feb 2 (IANS/EFE) A subsidiary of Nicaraguan conglomerate Grupo Pellas presented here a novel plastic surgery method for Latin America based on the use of stem cells extracted from the patient's fatty tissue.
Miami, Dec 18 (IANS/EFE) Nearly half a million people viewed the live online broadcast of Alejandro Sanz's Dec 6 concert in Miami, the web site Terra reported Monday.
New York, Dec. 11 (ANI): A sailor from Colombia has claimed that Virgin Mary appeared at the bottom of his coffee cup after he finished off his early-morning drink in Cartagena's The Divine Child workshop last Tuesday.
Managua (Nicaragua), Dec 6 (IANS) Spanish giants Real Madrid plan to open a football school next year in Nicaragua, diplomatic sources said.
Mexico City, Dec 3 (IANS/EFE) Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he has agreed with his Nicaraguan counterpart, Daniel Ortega, "to establish lines of communication" to resolve through diplomatic channels the maritime dispute between the two countries.
Lima, Dec 1 (IANS/EFE) Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said here Friday he hopes to speak in the most respectful, civilized way with Nicaraguan counterpart Daniel Ortega about a world court ruling that awarded Managua waters long claimed by Bogota.
Bogota, Nov 29 (IANS/EFE) President Juan Manuel Santos said Wednesday that Colombia has pulled out of a pact recognizing the International Court of Justice's jurisdiction over its territorial disputes, a step taken in the wake of this month's world?court decision setting new maritime borders with Nicaragua.
New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) One?third of children across the globe are concerned about pollution, and over a quarter of children in India want to participate in afforestation activities, a global survey on children's hopes, aspirations and fears revealed Tuesday.
Geneva, Nov 9 (IANS/EFE) Officials from the European Union and 11 Latin American nations gathered here Thursday at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization to sign a pact ending a two-decade-long dispute over banana tariffs.
Mexico City, Oct 31 (IANS/EFE) New technologies are helping archaeologists to learn more about and protect sites in Mexico's Mayan zone, a popular area for national and international researchers, experts said at a seminar in the Mexican capital.
Bogota, Oct 19 (IANS/EFE) A total of 37 domestic and foreign companies bid a combined $2.64 billion for 49 Colombian oil blocks, mines and energy minister Federico Renjifo said Thursday.
Caracas (Venezuela), Oct 7 (IANS) Under a joint programme promoted by Cuba and Venezuela, more than 1.5 million people from Latin American countries have had free eye surgery since 2004, the Prensa Latina news agency reported.
Santiago, Oct 3 (IANS/EFE) The economy of Latin America and the Caribbean will grow 3.2 percent this year, less than the 3.7 percent projected in June, a UN panel said in a report released here Tuesday.
Washington, Oct. 2 (ANI): American Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, along with fellow gold medalist Conor Dwyer, has filmed a public service announcement (PSA) urging support for greater access to clean water in developing countries, including India.
Bogota, Sep 12 (IANS/EFE) Colombian naval units found nearly a tonne of cocaine on a high-speed boat travelling in Caribbean waters near San Andres Island, the military said Tuesday.
Managua, Sep 8 (IANS/EFE) Nicaragua has signed a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese company on financing for a $30 billion inter-oceanic canal, an official said.
Managua, Sep 3 (IANS/EFE) Nicaraguan police have announced the dishonourable discharge of three officers accused of raping a mentally challenged 12-year-old girl.
Bogota, Sep 1 (IANS/EFE) Around 6.5 million of the 117 million children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean do not attend school, the regional office of Unicef said Friday.
Managua, Aug 28 (IANS/EFE) Eighteen people arrested last week while trying to enter Nicaragua disguised as a news crew from Mexico's Televisa television were carrying $9.2 million in cash, police said.
London, August 25 (ANI): Tsunami created by undersea earthquakes can be made much larger by the "pop-up" movement of large amounts of residue, a new study has suggested.
Quito (Ecuador), Aug 20 (IANS) The Union of South American Nations (Unasur) has voiced its support to Ecuador in granting asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and strongly condemned Britain for "threatening" to storm the country's embassy in London.
Melbourne, August 15 (ANI): Asian countries have been found to be at maximum risk from being devastated by earthquakes, floods, storms and other natural hazards.
Havana, July 12 (IANS) Cuba will see about 11,000 would-be doctors from 60 countries and regions graduate from its colleges this month, the official Granma daily reported.
Melbourne, June 18 (ANI): If you are planning for a holiday and want to ensure it a happy one, Costa Rica could be the best place to go.
Washington, June 13 (ANI): Giant volcanic eruptions in Nicaragua over the past 70,000 years could have injected enough gases into the atmosphere to temporarily thin the ozone layer, say meteorologists.
Mexico City, May 11 (IANS/EFE) Regional wireless giant America Movil, controlled by Mexican multi-billionaire Carlos Slim, said Thursday it has agreed to acquire a 100 percent stake in US wireless carrier Simple Mobile, Inc., a unit of T-Mobile USA.
Washington, May 8 (IANS/EFE) Remittances of emigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean increased last year beyond their levels before the financial crisis to $69.29 billion, according to an Inter-American Dialogue report.
Mexico City, April 23 (IANS/EFE) Poet Javier Sicilia received the Sergio Mendez Arceo Human Rights Prize this weekend for his efforts to promote peace in Mexico.
Washington, Dec 27 (ANI): For the second consecutive year, Lady Gaga has topped the list of most charitable celebs of this year.
Tegucigalpa, July 8 (ANI): Honduran Police has arrested Miss Honduras 2009 Belgica Su rez on money laundering charges.
London, June 20 (ANI): A daredevil mountain biker from Austria has set a new world record for speed by cycling down the side of Nicaragua's 2388 ft Cerro Negro volcano at over 100 mph.
Washington, Mar 5 (ANI): Soon, people would be able to get warning about an impending tsunami within minutes of an earthquake.
Washington, Mar 5 (ANI): Soon, people would be able to get warning about an impending tsunami within minutes of an earthquake.
Washington, Feb 08 (ANI): A new study has concluded that people who communicate using self-developed gestures, called homesigns, were unable to comprehend the value of numbers greater than three because they had not learned a language containing symbols used for counting.
Washington, Nov 26 (ANI): Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, say that a clean energy development initiative in rural Nicaragua demonstrated that there are cost effective steps developing nations can take to reduce carbon emissions and at the same time help the rural poor reduce their energy expenses.
Washington, Nov.8 (ANI): Google Maps is correcting its faulty maps of Nicaragua and Costa Rica after becoming the culprit in the latest border dispute between the two Central American countries.
Nevada (US), Oct 26: School violence costs India annually US 7.42 billion dollars, according to a research report titled "The Economic Impact of School Violence" by United Kingdom headquartered Plan International and Overseas Development Institute (ODI).
Washington, Sep 22 (ANI): Global health and development chiefs in New York have said that immunizing children against preventable diseases is critical to achieving United Nations-led goals to reduce child deaths.
London, Aug 17 (ANI): A Boeing 737 jetliner carrying 121 passengers, including six crew members, crashed in a thunderstorm and broke into three pieces as it slid onto the runway on a Caribbean island on Monday. Everyone onboard "miraculously" survived the tragedy except one passenger who died of a suspected heart attack on the way to hospital.
Washington/Port-au-Prince, Feb.17 (ANI): A study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) has declared and described the devastation caused by the Haiti earthquake as the worst destructive disaster in modern history.
Washington, Feb.13 (ANI): Developing countries are losing approximately 100-billion dollars every year due to trade mispricing, according to a new report available today from Global Financial Integrity (GFI).
London, Feb 13 (ANI): An explorer claims to have found evidence of an ancient water route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which existed hundreds of years before the Panama Canal was conceived.
Jerusalem, Sep.17 (ANI): Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has termed the controversial Goldstone report as a "prize for terrorists" and described the commission, headed by South African Constitutional Court Judge Richard Goldstone, as a "kangaroo court" whose conclusions were drawn up before the hearings even started.
New Delhi, June 1 (ANI): Two pioneering sustainable energy schemes in India will join finalists from the UK, US/China, Africa and Latin America in competing in the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy 2009.
New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) India and Pakistan find themselves on the same side with Sri Lanka as Europe accuses Colombo of 'war crimes' against the Tamils.
Kuala Lumpur, May 24 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president Seri S. Samy Vellu has said the Malaysian government should not support a draft resolution put forth by Sri Lanka at the United Nations.
Kuala Lumpur, May 24 (IANS) Tamils in Malaysia, who form a bulk of the ethnic Indian population, have demanded a war tribunal against Sri Lankan leaders, even as the government has sought to dissuade them from staging protest rallies against what they call the 'genocide' against Tamils in the island nation.
London, May 8 (ANI): A 'hot' new adrenaline sport called 'volcano boarding' has been developed by a group of thrill-seekers.
Bangkok, May 4 (DPA) Thailand has asked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Nicaragua to extradite fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra on 'a reciprocal and voluntary basis', foreign ministry officials said Monday.
London, May 4 (ANI): Highlighting the role of genetics in the development of culture, a new study have found that a bird raised in isolation will, over several generations, produce a song similar to that sung by the species in the wild.
Washington, May 2 (DPA) US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday the US must reach out to Latin American leaders to reverse of the 'disturbing' trend of growing Chinese and Iranian influence in the region.
Port of Spain, April 19 (DPA) President Hugo Chavez Saturday said he was considering restoring Venezuela's diplomatic ties with the US, in light of the change in policy under new US President Barack Obama.
Bangkok, April 18 (DPA) Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra Saturday left the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Nicaragua, where he has been granted a diplomatic passport, media reports said.
Tegucigalpa, April 11 (EFE) Honduran President Mel Zelaya has said that he will sue former US diplomat Otto Reich for slander after the erstwhile official said Honduras' leader had condoned corruption at state-run telephone company Hondutel.
Washington, Feb 16 (ANI): Deaf children are able to develop their own sign language for communicating with others as they grow, just as children with conventional spoken language, according to a new study.
Moscow, Jan 20 (RIA Novosti) A friendship and cooperation agreement between Russia and the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia has come into force, the Russian foreign minister said Tuesday.
Tehran, Jan 17 (DPA) Nobody in Tehran would admit it, but the international isolation since the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in August 2005 has caused Iran enormous problems both politically and economically.
San Jose, Jan 11 (IANS) The toll in Thursday?s devastating earthquake in Costa Rica has risen to 20, while thousands of people lost their homes in the aftermath, EFE reported.
San Jose, Jan 10 (IANS) The toll in Costa Rica's 6.2 magnitude quake has risen to 10, EFE reported.
San Jose, Jan 9 (IANS) A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck north central Costa Rica Thursday, killing two girls and causing widespread damage, EFE news agency reported Friday.
San Jose, Jan 9 (IANS) A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale rocked northern Costa Rica late Thursday night, but there were no reports of any casualty, EFE news agency reported Friday.
United Nations, Nov 19 (IANS) Vying for a permanent member seat at the Security Council, India has called for a 'comprehensive reform' of this powerful body of the United Nations and said it is opposed to any stop-gap or interim arrangement.
United Nations, Nov 19 (IANS) Observing that the UN Security Council is both out of date and out of touch, the General Assembly president, Miguel d'Escoto of Nicaragua, urged countries to hammer out their differences as soon as possible to make the body more representative and reflective of the realities.
New York, Nov 12 (DPA) The UN General Assembly Wednesday opened a two-day conference on religion and peace, with its president launching yet another attack against rich countries for morally bankrupting the rest of the world.
Moscow, Oct 28 (IANS)) In what may be seen as Moscow's growing defence collaboration with Latin American countries, a Russian military delegation is in Cuba to review the island nation's defence preparedness.
Managua, Oct 24 (IANS) At least 23 people have been killed and thousands affected in floods caused by torrential rains over the past 30 days in Nicaragua, EFE news agency reported Friday, citing officials.
New York, Oct 21 (DPA) Just days after US and European leaders agreed to an emergency economic summit on US soil, the UN Monday announced the creation of a task force to review the role of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the worst global finance meltdown since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Moscow, Oct 3 (RIA Novosti) Russian peacekeepers are preparing to withdraw from Georgian buffer zones bordering the breakaway province of South Ossetia in line with international agreements, a senior military official said Friday.
New York, Oct 2 (IANS) The UN secretary general has appreciated India's consistent and long-standing support for the world body's peacekeeping operations. India is one of the leading troop-contributors to UN's peace keeping missions.
Moscow, Oct 3 (RIA Novosti) Russian peacekeepers are preparing to withdraw from Georgian buffer zones bordering the breakaway province of South Ossetia in line with international agreements, a senior military official said Friday.
New York, Oct 2 (IANS) The UN secretary general has appreciated India's consistent and long-standing support for the world body's peacekeeping operations. India is one of the leading troop-contributors to UN's peace keeping missions.
Washington, Sept 12 (ANI): Kids whose mothers are exposed to violence grow less, according to a new study.
London, August 23 (ANI): A new study has suggested that commercial rice bran products contain "inappropriate" levels of the poisonous chemical arsenic.
Washington, August 22 (ANI): A new report has indicated that worldwide corruption driven by mafia-like organizations throughout water industries is forcing the poor to pay more for basic drinking water and sanitation services.
New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today gave its ex-post-facto approval for signing of the agreement between India and El-Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua on exemption from visa requirement for the holders of Diplomatic and official or service passports.
Washington, Jun 29 (ANI): American actor Matthew McConaughey, who had recently lost his flip-flops during a surfing trip to Nicaragua, was in for more bad luck as thieves stole his cell phone and 2,000 dollars in cash.
Ban Ki Moonâ??s unilateral rejection of the application for membership in the international organisation of sovereign states UN has evoked different reactions from international community as well as China. Though China has expressed annoyance over
In the 56th Miss Universe contest, the 20 year old Miss Japan Riyo Mori was crowned the title for the second time for her country. Last yearâ??s winner Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico
