English- and Indian-speaking
minorities on Atlantic coast

_#_Literacy: 57% (male 57%, female 57%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1971)

_#_Labor force: 1,086,000; service 43%, agriculture 44%, industry 13%
(1986)

_#_Organized labor: 35% of labor force

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Republic of Nicaragua

_#_Type: republic

_#_Capital: Managua

_#_Administrative divisions: 9 administrative regions encompassing 16
departments (departamentos, singular--departamento); Boaco, Carazo,
Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas,
Zelaya; note--Zelaya may have been replaced by 2 autonomous regions
(regiones autonomistas, singular--region autonomista) named
North Atlantic Coast and South Atlantic Coast

_#_Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

_#_Constitution: January 1987

_#_Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review
administrative acts

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

_#_Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)

_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema) and municipal courts

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government--President Violeta
Barrios de CHAMORRO (since 25 April 1990);
Vice President Virgilio GODOY (since 25 April 1990)

_#_Political parties and leaders:

ruling coalition--National Opposition Union (UNO) is a
14-party alliance--National Conservative Party (PNC), Silviano MATAMOROS;
Conservative Popular Alliance Party (PAPC), Myriam ARGUELLO;
National Conservative Action Party (PANC), Hernaldo ZUNIGA;
National Democratic Confidence Party (PDCN), Augustin JARQUIN;
Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Wilfredo NAVARRO;
Neo-Liberal Party (PALI), Andres ZUNIGA;
Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Jose Ernesto SOMARRIBA;
National Action Party (PAN), Eduardo RIVAS;
Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN), Gustavo TABLADA;
Communist Party of Nicaragua (PCdeN), Eli ALTIMIRANO;
Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC), Luis HUMBERTO;
Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN), Roberto URROZ;
Social Democratic Party (PSD), Guillermo POTOY;
Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC), Alejandro PEREZ;

opposition parties--Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN),
Daniel ORTEGA;
Central American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS;
Democratic Conserva