Irrigated land: 850 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
natural hazards: destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and
occasionally severe hurricanes
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea

People
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Population: 4,272,352 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 951,254; female 938,599)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,105,069; female 1,164,144)
65 years and over: 3% (male 49,027; female 64,259) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.67% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 33.83 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 45.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.72 years
male: 63.41 years
female: 68.13 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.03 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic divisions: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white
17%, black 9%, Indian 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%

Languages: Spanish (official)
note: English- and Indian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 65.7%
male: 64.6%
female: 66.6%

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
local short form: Nicaragua

Data code: NU

Type of government: republic

Capital: Managua

Administrative divisions: 15 departments (departamentos, singular
- departamento), 2 autonomous regions* (regions autonomista,
singular - region autonomista); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega,
Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya,
Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Atlantica Norte*, Atlantica Sur*, Rio San
Juan, Rivas

Independence: 15 September