nversion - $556 million, 1%
of GDP (FY93/94)

======================================================================

@Nicaragua
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Map
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Location: 13 00 N, 85 00 W -- Middle America, bordering both the
Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and
Honduras

Flag
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Description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white,
and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band;
the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words
REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom;
similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem
encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA
CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of
Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern
centered in the white band

Geography
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Location: Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total area: 129,494 sq km
land area: 120,254 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than New York State

Land boundaries:
total: 1,231 km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline: 910 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 25-nm security zone
continental shelf: natural prolongation
territorial sea: 200 nm

International disputes: territorial disputes with Colombia over
the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de
Fonseca, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) referred the
disputants to an earlier agreement in this century and advised that
some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and
Nicaragua likely would be required; maritime boundary dispute with
Honduras

Climate: tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central
interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by
volcanoes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc,
timber, fish

Land use:
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 43%
forest and woodland: 35%
other: 12%