o relay and wire system being
expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1
Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
320,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ni

Internet hosts:
7,094 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2000)

Internet users:
90,000 (2002)

Transportation Nicaragua

Railways:
total: 6 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
total: 19,032 km
paved: 2,094 km
unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)

Waterways:
2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997)

Pipelines:
oil 54 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino,
Rama, San Juan del Sur

Merchant marine:
none

Airports:
176 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 165
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 141 (2004 est.)

Military Nicaragua

Military branches:
Army (includes Navy), Navy

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 1,399,356 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 858,022 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 61,869 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$30.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Nicaragua

Disputes - international:
territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San
Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; the 1992 ICJ
ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution
to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which
considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over
navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

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