Alexa Brillith

With the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east, Nicaragua is the second largest country in Central America, after Mexico. The country has three different geographic regions: the Pacific lowlands, the north-central mountains and the Caribbean lowlands, also called the Mosquito Coast or Mosquitía. The climate is tropical in the lowlands and cooler in the highlands. The Mosquito Coast is an outlet for many of the large rivers originating in the central mountains. It is a sparsely populated rainforest area. Seventeen percent of the country has been given national park status. The Nicaraguan population, mostly of indigenous and European ancestry, is more urban than rural. Spanish is the official language but on the Caribbean coast, Creole English and indigenous languages are also spoken. Poetry is one of Nicaragua’s most loved arts. Even though most Nicaraguans are Catholic, during the 20th century Protestant denominations increased their membership, particularly in the western half of the country. In 1524, Hernandez de Cordoba founded the first permanent Spanish settlements in the region. Nicaragua gained independence from Spain in 1821, briefly becoming a part of the Mexican Empire. In 1838, Nicaragua became an independent republic. The country began free-market reforms in 1991, after 12 years of economic free fall under the Sandinista regime. Despite some initial setbacks, Nicaragua has made dramatic progress. Nicaragua is primarily an agricultural country but construction, mining, fisheries, exports and general commerce have added to its stability and the well-being of its people. In November 1998, Hurricane Mitch ravaged Nicaragua. Heavy rains followed and triggered a mudslide at Volcán Casita that buried several villages. Over 3,000 Nicaraguans died as a result of the hurricane. Several nations cancelled Nicaragua’s debt in late 1999 as a result of the tragedy and the country is rebuilding slowly.