Nicaragua’s Society
Society
Bordered by Costa Rica on the South and Honduras on the North, Nicaragua is the largest Central American republic. The vast Pacific Ocean forms her western border, the balmy Caribbean Sea the east. Is is a warm and friendly land of lakes and mountains; rivers and volcanoes, sea and sun. The country is divided into three geographic regions: the Pacific Lowlands on the west, the mountainous Central Region and the Atlantic Lowlands on the east.
The “Nicas” are friendly and obliging people, with a matriarchal society.
The country is multi-ethnic with no official religion.
Nicaragua’s population is very young, 60 percent is under 17 years of age
Mestizos of mixed Indian and Spanish blood make up the majority of the population and they are the originators of Nicaragua’s colorful folklore, music and much of its religious tradition
The national language is Spanish, although many residents of the Caribbean coastal areas also speak English and indigenous languages. The climate is hot and humid, with the “summer” dry season running mid-November through mid-May and the “winter” rainy season running from mid-May through mid-November.
Full country name: Republic of Nicaragua
Area: 129,494 sq km
Population: 5,785,846
Capital City: Managua
People: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, White 17%, Black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Language: Spanish
Religion: Roman Catholic, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian Government: constitutional democratic republic
Education and Literacy: Educational system underfunded and generally inadequate. Access to education improved during 1980s, with introduction of free education, but large majority of population was not completing primary schooling in 1993. Literacy reported at about 50 percent at end of Somoza regime. Literacy campaign in 1980 reportedly raised functional literacy rate to about 77 percent.
Health and Welfare: Health indicators generally poor; life expectancy at birth 62 years in 1991; infant mortality rate 72 per 1,000 live births in 1989; high incidence of malnutrition; high incidence of infectious diseases, mainly enteritis, malaria and tuberculosis; relatively low incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Health care system inadequate despite modest improvement during 1980s; Welfare indicators generally poor; approximately 70 percent of population below poverty line; nearly 50 percent unemployed or underemployed; access to safe drinking water and basic public services generally poor, especially in rural areas and Caribbean coast; quality of housing poor in urban shantytowns, with acute housing shortage in capital.
Human Rights
The 2009 US Human Rights Report on Nicuragua states:
Nicaragua is a constitutional democracy with a population of approximately 5.9 million. In January 2007 Daniel Ortega Saavedra of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) was sworn in as president for his second term, following the 2006 election that international observers characterized as generally free and fair. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were some instances in which elements of these forces acted independently.The most significant human rights abuses during the year included: unlawful killings by security forces; harsh and overcrowded prison conditions; police abuse; lengthy pretrial detention; lack of respect for the rule of law and widespread corruption and politicization of the judiciary, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), and other government organs; erosion of freedom of speech and press, including government intimidation and harassment of journalists; widespread irregularities, fraud, and abuses during the January municipal elections in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) and government interference with the operation of political parties for regional elections; government harassment and intimidation of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); increasing violence against women; discrimination against ethnic minorities and indigenous communities; and violation of trade union rights.