:Nicaragua Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Nicaragua
Type:
republic
Capital:
Managua
Administrative divisions:
9 administrative regions encompassing 17 departments (departamentos,
singular - departamento); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli,
Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, North Atlantic
Coast Autonomous Zone (RAAN), Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, South
Atlantic Coast Autonomous Zone (RAAS)
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Constitution:
January 1987
Legal system:
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Executive branch:
president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) and municipal courts
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (since 25 April 1990); Vice President
Virgilio GODOY (since 25 April 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
ruling coalition:
National Opposition Union (UNO) is a 14-party alliance - National
Conservative Party (PNC), Silviano MATAMOROS; Conservative Popular Alliance
Party (PAPC), Myriam ARGUELLO; National Conservative Action Party (PANC),
Hernaldo ZUNIGA; National Democratic Confidence Party (PDCN), Augustin
JARQUIN; Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Wilfredo NAVARRO; Neo-Liberal
Party (PALI), Andres ZUNIGA; Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Jose
Ernesto SOMARRIBA; National Action Party (PAN), Eduardo RIVAS; Nicaraguan
Socialist Party (PSN), Gustavo TABLADA; Communist Party of Nicaragua
(PCdeN), Eli ALTIMIRANO; Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC), Luis
Humberto GUZMAN; Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN), Roberto URROZ; Social
Democratic Party (PSD), Guillermo POTOY; Central American Integrationist
Party (PIAC), Alejandro PEREZ
opposition parties:
Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), Daniel ORTEGA; Central American
Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS; Democratic Conservative Party of
Nicaragua (PCDN), Jose BRENES; Liberal Party of National Unity (PLUIN),
Eduardo CORONADO; Movement of Revolutionary Unity (MUR), Francisco SAMPER;
Social Christian Party (PSC), Erick RAMIREZ; Revolutionary Workers' Party
(PRT), Bonifacio MIRANDA; Social Conservative Party (PSOC), Fernando
AGUERRO; Popular Action Movement - Marxist-Leninist (MAP-ML), Isidro TELLEZ;
Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC), Mauricio DIAZ
Suffrage:
universal at age 16
:Nicaragua Government
Elections:
President:
last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held February 1996); results -
Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO) 54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN)
40.8%, other 4.5%
National Assembly:
last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held February 1996); results - UNO
53.9%, FSLN 40.8%, PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats - (92 total) UNO 51, FSLN 39,
PSC 1, MUR 1
Communists:
15,000-20,000
Other political or pressure groups:
National Workers Front (FNT) is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor
unions: Sandinista Workers' Central (CST), Farm Workers Association (ATC),
Health Workers Federation (FETASALUD), National Union of Employees (UNE),
National Association of Educators of Nicaragua (ANDEN), Union of Journalists
of Nicaragua (UPN), Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional
Associations (CONAPRO), and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers
(UNAG); Permanent Congress of Workers (CPT) is an umbrella group of four
non-Sandinista labor unions: Confederation of Labor Unification (CUS),
Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN-A), Independent General
Confederation of Labor (CGT-I), and Labor Action and Unity Central (CAUS);
Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN) is an independent labor union; Superior
Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) is a confederation of business groups
Member of:
BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LORCS,
NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Ernesto PALAZIO; Chancery at 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 939-6570
US:
Ambassador Harry W. SHLAUDEMAN; Embassy at Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur.,
Managua (mailing address is APO AA 34021); telephone [505] (2) 666010 or
666013, 666015 through 18, 666026, 666027, 666032 through 34; FAX [505] (2)
666046
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the
national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features
a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and
AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which
features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN
LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of
Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the
white band
:Nicaragua Economy
Overview:
Government control of the economy historically has been extensive, although
the CHAMORRO government has pledged to greatly reduce intervention. Four
private banks have been licensed, and the government has liberalized foreign
trade and abolished price controls on most goods. Over 50% of the
agricultural and industrial firms remain state owned. Sandinista economic
policies and the war had produced a severe economic crisis. The foundation
of the economy continues to be the export of agricultural commodities,
largely coffee and cotton. Farm production fell by roughly 7% in 1989 and 4%
in 1990, and remained about even in 1991. The agricultural sector employs
44% of the work force and accounts for 15% of GDP and 80% of export
earnings. Industry, which employs 13% of the work force and contributes
about 25% to GDP, showed a drop of 7% in 1989, fell slightly in 1990, and
remained flat in 1991; output still is below pre-1979 levels. External debt
is one of the highest in the world on a per capita basis. In 1991 the
inflation rate was 766%, down sharply from the 13,490% of 1990.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $1.6 billion, per capita $425; real growth rate
-1.0% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
766% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
13%; underemployment 50% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $347 million; expenditures $499 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA million (1991)
Exports:
$342 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
coffee, cotton, sugar, bananas, seafood, meat, chemicals
partners:
OECD 75%, USSR and Eastern Europe 15%, other 10%
Imports:
$738 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
petroleum, food, chemicals, machinery, clothing
partners:
Latin America 30%, US 25%, EC 20%, USSR and Eastern Europe 10%, other 15%
(1990 est.)
External debt:
$10 billion (December 1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA; accounts for about 25% of GDP
Electricity:
423,000 kW capacity; 1,409 million kWh produced, 376 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
food processing, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum
refining and distribution, beverages, footwear
Agriculture:
accounts for 15% of GDP and 44% of work force; cash crops - coffee, bananas,
sugarcane, cotton; food crops - rice, corn, cassava, citrus fruit, beans;
variety of animal products - beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy; normally
self-sufficient in food
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $294 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,381 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $3.5 billion
Currency:
cordoba (plural - cordobas); 1 cordoba (C$) = 100 centavos
:Nicaragua Economy
Exchange rates:
cordobas (C$) per US$1 - 25,000,000 (March 1992), 21,354,000 (1991), 15,655
(1989), 270 (1988), 102.60 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Nicaragua Communications
Railroads:
373 km 1.067-meter narrow gauge, government owned; majority of system not
operating; 3 km 1.435-meter gauge line at Puerto Cabezas (does not connect
with mainline)
Highways:
25,930 km total; 4,000 km paved, 2,170 km gravel or crushed stone, 5,425 km
earth or graded earth, 14,335 km unimproved; Pan-American highway 368.5 km
Inland waterways:
2,220 km, including 2 large lakes
Pipelines:
crude oil 56 km
Ports:
Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama
Merchant marine:
2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,161 GRT/2,500 DWT
Civil air:
9 major transport aircraft
Airports:
228 total, 155 usable; 11 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
low-capacity radio relay and wire system being expanded; connection into
Central American Microwave System; 60,000 telephones; broadcast stations -
45 AM, no FM, 7 TV, 3 shortwave; earth stations - 1 Intersputnik and 1
Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT