Nicaragua

1
Nicaragua
República de Nicaragua
National Flag Blue for the oceans on either side,
and white for purity, and for the land.
Coat of Arms
2
(No Transcript)
3
Climate
LOWLANDS (Areas near the ocean)? Hot, tropical,
and humid Temperature typically ranges from 72
to 86 Fahrenheit
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS Most temperate of the three
regions. Temperature typically ranges from 63 to
77 Fahrenheit.
NORTHERN HIGHLANDS Cooler and drier than the
other regions. Temperature typically ranges from
54 to 68 Fahrenheit
- Tropical climate - Two main seasons dry
season from January to June, and rainy season
from July to December.
4
People
Population 5,675,356
Spoken Language Spanish Literacy rate
67.5 Education 6 year compulsory, 5 year
secondary (3 years basic, 2 years focused)?
5
Government
EXECUTIVE BRANCH Chief of State/Head of
Government President 5 year terms, election by
popular vote Cabinet Appointed by the President
JUDICIAL BRANCH Supreme Court 12 members,
elected to 7 year terms by the national assembly
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH National Assembly 93 seats,
elected to 5 years terms by proportional
representation
Current president Michelle Bachelet Jeria
(elected March 2006)?
6
Economy
GDP 11.6 billion
MAJOR INDUSTRIES Food processing, chemicals,
machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing,
petroleum refining and distribution, beverages,
footwear, wood
EXPORTS Coffee, shrimp, lobster, cotton, tobacco,
bananas, beef, sugar, gold
IMPORTS Machinery and equipment, raw materials,
petroleum products, consumer goods
7
Early History

• Spanish conquistador Gil Gonzalez Davila attempts
  to conquer Nicaragua in 1522
• Gonzalez is driven from Nicaragua by natives that
  same year, after successfully exploring much of
  the area.
• Spanish begin establishing colonies in 1524
• Natives begin contracting diseases from the
  colonists, and the Spanish begin selling them
  into slavery
• Native population is reduced by nearly a
  hundred-fold by the introduction of new illnesses
  and the slave trade over the next thirty years

8
Independence

• Independence movements throughout South and
  Central America around 1811 stir up revolutionary
  thoughts in the Nicaraguan colonies
• Negotiations for independence begin in 1811, and
  end when Nicaragua formally declares independence
  from Spain on September 15, 1821
• Nicaragua becomes part of the United Provinces of
  Central America in 1826
• Nicaragua declares independence from the UPCA on
  April 30, 1838

9
The 19th-20th Centuries

• Sporadic civil war occurs between the liberal
  parties in Leon and conservative parties in
  Granada from around 1840 to 1860
• American William Walker rigs elections in 1856,
  and becomes president of Nicaragua Walker is
  driven out the following year
• José Santos Zelaya is elected in 1893, and begins
  negotiations with Japan and Germany to possibly
  construct a canal through Nicaragua
• At the start of the 20th century, the US is
  denied the right to build a canal through
  Nicaragua, and intervenes to avoid the
  possibility of a competing canal through Central
  America by encouraging revolt against President
  Zelaya
• US sends troops and warships to Nicaragua to
  secure the victory of the revolutionaries, and
  President Zelaya resigns
• US Marines occupy Nicaragua from 1912 to 1933

10
The 20th century

• Anastasio Somoza becomes president in 1937
  through rigged elections, alters the constitution
  to give himself full control of the government,
  and stays in power for 20 years, when he is
  assassinated
• Anastasio's son Luis Somoza Debayle becomes
  president in 1957
• In 1963, a new president is elected, but he
  remains largely a puppet ruler under the powerful
  Somoza family
• In 1967, Anastasio Somoza Debayle, Luis Somoza's
  brother, becomes president, again through rigged
  elections after his term is up in 1972, he
  passes on the leadership of the country to a
  triumvirate
• A devastating earthquake that same year in
  Managua causes much of the country to go
  homeless, and kills thousands the Somoza family
  keeps relief money for itself, not allowing it to
  pass on to the affected citizens
• Anastasio Somoza Debayle alters the constitution
  yet again, allowing himself to be reelected

11
The 20th century (cont.)?

• A group called the Sandinistas, a resistance
  group against the Somoza regime, kidnaps
  influential Somoza leaders in 1974, gaining a
  large ransom
• Struggles continue between the Somozas and the
  Sandinistas, until the Sandinistas capture the
  palace in 1978, effectively initiating the spread
  of resistance throughout the country
• On July 17th, 1978, the Somozas surrender, and
  Luis resigns and successfully escapes from
  Nicaragua
• Under suspicion of communist sympathies in 1981,
  the Reagan administration began to fund Contra
  forces in Nicaragua, insurgents against the
  Sandinista government
• Occasional conflict results between the Contra
  and the Nicaraguan government
• In 1987 the US ends its financial backing of the
  Contra forces in Nicaragua, and a peace treaty is
  signed that greatly reduces the amount of
  military conflict in Nicaragua

12
The 20th century (cont.)?

• The US declares a trade embargo against
  Nicaragua, and proceeds to use its swaying power
  to keep international loans from the Nicaraguan
  government
• Nicaragua begins an economic collapse due to US
  actions and Sandinista economic policies
• Elections are held in 1990, and a non-Sandinista
  president is elected, turning the government
  around, and introducing several important reforms
• The post-Sandinista government negotiates with
  the Contra forces, and successfully cuts the
  amount of Contra troops to a fifth of their
  former size
• Spiraling inflation from the Sandinistas was
  brought under control, but the economy remains
  very poor today