ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: (Updated July, 2006) A valid U.S. passport is required to enter Nicaragua. U.S. citizens must have an onward or return ticket and evidence of sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay. Tourist card fees and airport departure taxes must be paid in U.S. dollars. A visa is not required for U.S. citizens; however, a tourist card must be purchased ($5.00) upon arrival. Tourist cards are typically issued for 30 to 90 days. A valid entry stamp is required to exit Nicaragua. The departure tax is currently $32.(*)

CRIME:  Violent crime in Managua and other cities is increasing, and street crimes are common. Pick pocketing and occasional armed robberies occur on crowded buses, at bus stops and in open markets, particularly the large Mercado Oriental. Gang activity is rising in Managua, though not at levels found in neighboring Central American countries.(*) (Top)

HEALTH INFORMATION:  Medical care is limited, particularly outside Managua. Basic medical services are available in Managua and in many of the smaller towns and villages. Mosquito-borne illnesses are an ongoing problem in Nicaragua. All persons traveling in Nicaragua, even for a brief visit, are at risk of contracting malaria year-round if they travel outside of Managua to low-lying areas. Take a prophylactic regimen best suited to your health profile. The country regularly suffers from outbreaks of dengue fever during the rainy season. Travelers should take precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes to reduce the chance of contracting such illnesses.

Individuals traveling to Nicaragua should ensure that all their routine vaccinations are up to date. Vaccination against Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B is strongly recommended. Tap water in Managua has been tested and found safe for drinking; however, you are urged to drink bottled water, especially when traveling outside of the capital.(*) (Top)

PEOPLE (Updated July 2006)
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Nicaraguan(s).
Population (2005 est.): 5.48 million.
Annual growth rate (est.): 1.75%. Density-- 42 per sq. km.
Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed European and indigenous) 69%, white 17%, black (Jamaican origin) 9%, indigenous 5%.
Religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic, with rapidly growing percentage of Evangelical Protestants.
Languages: Spanish (official), English and indigenous languages on Caribbean coast.
Education: Years compulsory--none enforced (28% of first graders eventually finish sixth grade). Literacy—67.5%.
Health: Life expectancy--70 yrs. Infant mortality rate—35.50/1,000.
Work force (2004 est): 1.9 million. Unemployed--12%; underemployed--35%. (Top)

GOVERNMENT
Type: Republic.
Independence: 1821.
Constitution: The 1987 Sandinista-era constitution was changed in 1995 to provide for a more even distribution of power among the four branches of government and again in 2000 to increase the Supreme Court and the Controller General's Office and to make changes to the electoral laws.
Branches: Executive--president and vice president. Legislative--National Assembly (unicameral). Judicial--Supreme Court; subordinate appeals, district, and local courts; separate labor and administrative tribunals. Electoral--Supreme Electoral Council, responsible for organizing and holding elections.
Administrative subdivisions: 15 departments and two autonomous regions on the Atlantic coast; 145 municipalities.
Major political parties: Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC); Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). Other political parties: Conservative Party (PC); National Resistance Party (PRN); Camino Cristiano; Alliance for the Republic (APRE). Regional parties in the Atlantic Coast include YATAMA (Yapti Tasba Masraka Nanih Asla Takanka) and PMUC (Partido Movimiento de Unidad Costeña).
Suffrage: Universal at 16. (*) (Top)

GEOGRAPHY
Area: 129,494 sq. km. (59,998 sq. mi.); slightly larger than New York State.
Cities: Capital--Managua (pop. 1 million). Other cities--Leon, Granada, Jinotega, Matagalpa, Chinandega, Masaya.
Terrain: Extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes.
Climate: Tropical in lowlands; cooler in highlands. (Top)

ECONOMY
GDP (2004 est.): PPP $12.3 billion.
GDP real growth rate (2004 est.): 4%.
Per capita GDP (2004 est.): $2,300.
Inflation rate (2004 est.): 9.3%.
Natural resources: Arable land, livestock, fisheries, gold, timber.
Agriculture (22% of GDP): Products--corn, coffee, sugar, meat, rice, beans, bananas.
Industry (21% of GDP): Types--processed food, beverages, textiles, petroleum, and metal products.
Services (58% of GDP): Types--commerce, construction, government, banking, transportation, and energy.
Trade (2004 est): Exports--$755 million (f.o.b.): coffee, seafood, beef, sugar, industrial goods, gold, bananas, sesame. Markets--U.S. 35%, European Union 14%, Central American Common Market (CACM) 33%, Mexico 5%. Imports--$2.02 billion (f.o.b.): petroleum, agricultural supplies, manufactured goods. Suppliers--U.S. 22%, CACM 23%, Venezuela 14%, European Union 7%. (*) (Top)