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COUNTRY INFORMATION - NICARAGUA

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Location of Nicaragua:
Nicaragua borders Honduras to the north, Costa Rica to the south, to the east lies the Caribbean, and to the west the Pacific. In the north are the Isabella Mountains, while the country’s main feature in the south-west is Lake Nicaragua, 92 miles long and about 34 miles at its widest. The island of Ometepe is the largest of the 310 islands on the lake. These islands have a reputation for great beauty and are one of the country’s main tourist attractions. Lake Managua is situated to the north-west. Volcanoes, including the famous Momotombo, protrude from the surrounding lowlands north-west of the lakes. The country’s main rivers are the San Juan, the lower reaches of which form the border with Costa Rica, and the Rio Grande.

Airports:
Managua international airport is 7 miles north of the city and the travel time is around 15 minutes. Bus and taxi services run to the city.

Language:
Spanish. Along the Mosquito Coast (Costa de Mosquito), there are English-speaking communities in which African or mixed African and indigenous Indians predominate.

Places To Go:
Nicaragua has three main eco-regions - Pacific, Central and Atlantic: the Pacific region is home to volcanoes, lakes, tropical forests, beaches and mangrove systems; the Central region is home to mountains, rivers and agricultural areas; and the Atlantic region contains rainforests, marine lagoons, mangrove systems and coral reefs. Tourists are well catered for in these areas.

Managua: The centre of the capital was completely destroyed by an earthquake in December 1972 and there was further severe damage during the civil wars of 1978-1979. The Government has now decided that it will rebuild the old centre, adding parks and recreational facilities. In the old centre of Managua, one can still see examples of colonial architecture in the National Palace and the Cathedral. There are several museums of note in Managua, one of the most interesting of which is Las Huellas de Acahualinca which houses the site where 9,000-year-old footprints were found & #8211; testimony to Nicaragua’s pre-historic past. There are several volcanic crater lagoons in the environs of Managua & #8211; centres of waterspouts and residential development with boating, fishing and picnicking facilities. Laguna de Xiloa is the most popular of these lagoons. Boats can be hired on the shores of Lake Managua for visiting the still-smoking Momotombo volcano and the shore villages. On Tiscapa Lagoon, there is a recreation centre.

Leon: This is the & #8216;intellectual’ capital of Nicaragua, with a university, religious colleges, the largest cathedral in Central America and several colonial churches. A number of projects are currently underway that will highlight the historical and cultural roots of the city.

Granada: Located at the foot of the Mombacho volcano, Granada has many beautiful buildings and has faithfully preserved its Castilian traditions. The cathedral has been rebuilt in neo-classical style. Also of interest are the Church of La Merced, the Church of Jalteva and the fortress-church of San Francisco.

Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (INTUR)
Hotel Intercontinental,
1 c Sur,
1 c Oeste,
Managua,
Nicaragua
Tel: 222 3333.
Fax: 222 6610.
E-mail: promocion@intur.gob.ni
Website: www.intur.gob.ni

Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua
Vicarage House,
Suite 31,
58-60 Kensington Church Street,
London
W8 4DB,
UK
Tel: (020) 7938 2373.
Fax: (020) 7937 0952.
E-mail: emb.ofnicaragua@virgin.net
Website: http://freespace.virgin.net/emb.ofnicaragua
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1600.

British Embassy
Plaza Churchill,
Reparto 'Los Robles',
Managua,
Apartado A-169.
Nicaragua
Tel: 278 0014 or 278 0887 or 267 4050.
Fax: 278 4085.
E-mail: britemb@ibw.com.ni

CIA World Factbook - Nicaragua

YOUR LINK HERE