| Facts about Nicaragua
Nicaragua Fact File - General Information Population: 5 million Size of country: 46,430 square miles--slightly smaller than New York state. Capital city: Managua Location: Nicaragua is bordered by: Honduras to the north; Costa Rica to the south; the Caribbean to the east; and the Pacific to the west. International airport: Managua (MNMG) Climate: Nicaragua has two main climates--wet (June to October) and dry (November to May). September and October are the wettest months. There is an average daily high of 85 degrees, but in the mountains and on high ground, the temperature stays around the mid-sixties most of the time. Currency: The cordoba. 1 cordoba = 100 centavos. Get the current exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Nicaraguan cordoba here. Language: Spanish; English is often spoken in business circles System of government: Democracy, led by President Enrique Bolaños. Telephone country code: 505 Time zone: One hour behind Eastern Standard Time. What time is it in Nicaragua right now? Click here to find out. Electricity: Nicaragua runs on 110 volts AC, 60 Hz and uses American-style, two-flat-pin plugs. National holidays: New Year's Day (January 1), Holy Thursday (variable), Good Friday (variable), Labor Day (May 1), Sandinista Revolution Day (July 19), Festival of Santo Domingo (August 1), Battle of San Jacinto (September 14), Independence Day (September 15), Immaculate Conception Day (December 8), Christmas Day (December 25) Religion: primarily Roman Catholic Life expectancy at birth: 69.37 years (in the U.S., it's 77.4 years) Business hours: Banks are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday from 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. Most government offices are open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Most businesses are open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2.30 p.m. until 6 p.m. Media: Four major newspapers, five national TV channels, several private and government radio stations. Education: Primary education is free and compulsory for all Nicaraguans. Instruction is in Spanish, except in the autonomous Atlantic regions where native languages are used. Economy: Based on agriculture, principal export items being coffee, cotton, sugar, bananas, beef, tobacco, sesame seed, rice, corn, beans, and sorghum. Exports: $610 million Primary trade partners: United States, Central America, Canada, Germany. Imports: $1.6 billion Gross Domestic Product: $12.3 billion GDP per capita: $2,500 Inflation rate: 7.4% | |
|
|
