COUNTRY BACKGROUND

Nicaragua is known for its dramatic terrain of lakes, volcanoes, and beaches. Vast Lake Managua and the iconic stratovolcano Momotombo sit north of the capital Managua. Nicaragua is also home to the second-largest rainforest of the Americas. To its south is Granada, noted for its Spanish colonial architecture and an archipelago of navigable islets rich in tropical bird life. The multi-ethnic population of six million includes people of indigenous, European, African, and Asian heritage. The main language is Spanish, but indigenous tribes on the Mosquito Coast speak their own languages and English. The mixture of cultural traditions has generated substantial diversity in folklore, cuisine, music, and literature, particularly the latter given the literary contributions of Nicaraguan poets and writers.

LOCATION:

Central America

GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES:

12.8654° N, 85.2072° W

MAP REFERENCES:

Set between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea

CLIMATE:

A tropical climate can be observed in Nicaragua. Just as in the other Central American countries, there are two seasons: the dry and the raining season.

TOTAL AREA:

129,999 km²

BORDER COUNTRIES:

Nicaragua is bordered by Costa Rica and Honduras, and it shares maritime borders with Colombia and El Salvador.

COASTLINE:

910 km

TERRAIN:

The terrain of Nicaragua is divided into Caribbean coastal plains, central mountains, and a Pacific coastal plain. There are a number of volcanoes on the Pacific side of the country. Major rivers include the Rio Grande and the San Juan.

ELEVATION EXTREMES

LOWEST POINT:

Pass between Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean: 56 m (184 ft)

HIGHEST POINT:

Pico Mogotón: 2,106 m (6909 ft)