Irrigated land:
880 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - note:
largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater
body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
People Nicaragua
Population:
5,359,759 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,038,887; female 1,001,518)
15-64 years: 58.9% (male 1,570,494; female 1,586,706)
65 years and over: 3% (male 71,125; female 91,029) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.2 years
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.97% (2004 est.)