|RNational holiday:|N Independence Day, September 15, Anniversary of the Revolution, July 19.
|RNature and climate:|N There are three topographical regions.
By the Pacific Ocean vast plains with volcanoes. Percipitation about 1000 mm in the northern parts.
The central plateau with mountains reaching 2000 m.a.s.l.
And the Caribbean region is low with very high percipitation, up to 6000 mm in southeast.
Tropical climate with an average temperature between 25 and 30°C throughout the year.
|RPeople:|N 69% Mestizo, 17% white, 9% black and 5% Indians.
|REconomy:|N 44% of the labour force is occupied in agriculture, 43% in different services and 13% in industry.
Agriculture is the main industry. The most important crops are cotton, coffee, sugarcane, rice, corn and beans. Extensive stockraising and fishing.
Cotton, coffee, sugar and meat accounts for more than 60% of the export revenues.
Nicaragua have gold, silver, natural gas, iron, tungsten and lead and vast forests of mahogany and rosetrees.
Industry is under development. Foodprocessing is extensive.
Chemical and mechanical manufacturing have been been developed in recent decades.
|RHistory:|N Christopher Columbus visited the Caribbean coast in 1502 and in 1522 the Spaniard de Cordoba started colonization. The whole area was conquered by Spain in 1552 and the local Indian culture was devastated.
Nicaragua gained independence in 1821 and first became a part of Mexico and later a part of the United Provinces of Central America between 1826 and 1838.
During the 19th century Nicaragua was governed by corrupt and incompetent governments and in 1910 the USA intervened. The US paid the national debt and received half of all customs. The US had troops in Nicaragua until 1925 when all debts were paid. In 1927 the US troops came back to stop a threatening civil war. The troops were finally withdrawn in 1933.
In 1937 the Somoza family seized power and ruled Nicaragua as dictators until 1979 when the Sandinist guerilla with foreign help succeeded to oust the dictator.
During the 1980:s the Contras guerilla tried to seize power from the Sandinists but failed and in 1990 the first free elections were held.
