22 Facts About Nicaragua That Will Make You Want to Travel There

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, which is home to one of the most diverse and scenic countries. This interesting nation is home to millions of diverse citizens, various wildlife species, and an astounding landscape.

Nicaragua is popularly known as “The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes”. It has some of the most fascinating coastal areas with a lot of lakes, beaches, and volcanoes. Let’s learn more about this extraordinary country.

Here Are Some of the Most Extraordinary Nicaragua Facts

1. Nicaragua Shares Its Borders with Two Countries and Two Bodies of Water

Located in Central America, Nicaragua is a scenic country sharing its borders with two other countries: Costa Rica in its South and Honduras in its Northwest. It also shares its borders with the Pacific Ocean in its Southwest and the Caribbean Coast in its East.

2. Nicaragua Is Even Smaller Than New York

Nicaragua is the biggest country in Central America stretching for over 130,000 km. However, it is still smaller than the state of New York in the U.S.

3. Nicaragua Is Named After a Group of Indigenous People, Combined with Water

Nicaragua is a combination of two words. The first part, Nicarao is named after a group of indigenous people who used to live in the Nation when the Spanish came. Later on, this name was combined by the colonists with Agua, the Spanish word for water.

4. The Official Language of Nicaragua Is Spanish

Although Spanish is the official language of Nicaragua, it has a huge community of natives who speak several different indigenous languages including Sumo, Rama, and Moskito.

The residents of Bluefields also speak English. This colony is a part of the British colonies from the past located near the Moskito coast. The residents of this area share many cultural traditions with the fellow British colonies of the Caribbean.

5. Nicaragua Is an Incredibly Diverse Country

Home to a population of more than 6 million people, Nicaragua is considered to be the most diverse country in Central America.

Most of the residents belong from the indigenous groups of the region. You will also find people from African, European, and Asian heritages.

6. Managua Is the Capital of Nicaragua

Managua is the capital of Nicaragua and the biggest city of the country.

Managua is home to more than one million people and is located on the south shore of Lake Managua. Other notable cities of Nicaragua include Granada, Leon, and Masaya.

7. Cordoba – The Official Currency of Nicaragua

The official currency of Nicaragua is Cordoba, which is named after the Spanish conqueror Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba. Cordoba is divided into 100 centavos.

8. Nicaragua gets rain for about 7 months in a year

Nicaragua enjoys hot and tropical weather. The average temperature in the. Country is 27 degrees Celsius all year. The rainy season lasts from May to November. Whereas the rest of the months are dry. This rain is essential for farming as the country largely relies on agriculture.

9. Nicaragua Became Independent in 1821

Like most of the Central American and South American countries, Nicaragua was occupied by Spanish colonists. The country became independent from the Spanish in 1821 to join the Federal Republic of Central America.

10. Nicaragua Is a Popular Tourist Destination in Central America

Although Nicaragua had political instability in the post, it has now become a politically stable nation. It is considered as one of the safest nations in Central America with rich culture and friendly people.

Due to its astonishing landscapes, beautiful lakes, high mountains, coastal areas, and dense rainforests, Nicaragua has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Central America.

Some of the most popular tourist attractions in Nicaragua include its Caribbean and Pacific coastal beaches, the volcanic islands in Lake Nicaragua, and the great architectural sites in Leon and Granada, inspired by the Spanish buildings.

The volcanic islands of Ometepe and Zapatera have archaeological remains belonging to the pre-colonial civilizations.

11. Nicaragua Has the Largest Lake in Central America

Nicaragua has the largest lake in Central America. Lake Nicaragua stretches over 8,264 sq km and goes as deep as 26 meters. The lake is situated between the Southwestern volcanoes and the central mountain ranges of Nicaragua, separating the two regions. The water from this huge lake falls into the Caribbean Sea, flowing through the San Juan River. Lake Managua and Lake Apanas are other large lakes in the country.

 

12. Nicaragua Has More than 40 Volcanoes

Nicaragua has some of the most surreal geographic features in the world. The nation’s Pacific coast is lined with more than 40 volcanoes, a few of which are still active.

13. Nicaragua Is Home to Some of the Most Interesting Animals

The dense rainforests of Nicaragua have some of the most interesting animal species in the world. You can find several species of monkeys, even spider monkeys!

You can even spot the majestic jaguar, which is considered to be one of the largest animals found in the Nicaraguan jungles. There are also many species of cougars, puma, and ocelots, hiding deep in the Nicaraguan forests.

14. You Can Easily Get Lost in Nicaragua

Nicaragua has no street names in any of its cities or towns. So as a tourist, you can easily get lost in the country as you are not aware of the local landmarks.

The locals use famous landmarks to distinguish each street and give directions. You may need to speak Spanish or bring along a dictionary to communicate with the locals about the directions.

15. Nicaraguan Flag Has Blue and White Stripes

The flag of Nicaragua has two blue stripes that sandwich a white stripe. These blue stripes represent the Pacific and Caribbean oceans that surround the country. Whereas the white stripe represents peace.

There is also a coat of arms in the middle of the flag, which is drawn with a rainbow that stretches over the five volcanoes, representing the beautiful landscape of Nicaragua.

16. Baseball Is a Big Part of Nicaragua

Baseball is the most popular sport in Nicaragua. There are hundreds of baseball pitches all across Nicaragua. Football, boxing, and swimming are the other popular sports in Nicaragua. However, the football team of Nicaragua has never made it to the FIFA World Cup.

17. Nicaragua Has the Most Delicious Cuisine

Influenced by its indigenous culture, Nicaraguan cuisine comprises the most delicious dishes. The national dish of this country is gallo pinto, which is a dish of fried rice with spices and beans.

18. Nicaraguan Painters and Folk Music Are Quite Popular

The country became known for its art during the revolutionary period of 1979-1990. Art flourished in Nicaragua as a way to celebrate its people and culture. Many talented painters of the country created artwork that resonated with the positive vibes of this period. Nicaraguan folk music is also very popular. The country’s famous poet, Ruben Dario is considered to be one of the founders of Central American literature and is thought to be a national hero.

19. Nicaraguan Waters Are Home to Various Sea Turtle and Fish Species

The waters of and around Nicaragua are home to a diverse range of sea turtle species. There are also more than 600 species of fish.

20. Most of the Nicaraguan People Are Roman Catholics

About half of the Nicaraguan population practices the Roman Catholic religion. The rest of the population comprises many Protestants, and other religious communities.

21. Corn Is Very Popular in the Nicaraguan Diet

Corn is considered to be the staple in most Nicaraguan cuisines. Most of their meals contain corn tortillas or cornmeal dough. Whereas the eastern part of Nicaragua shares Afro-Caribbean cuisine.

22. Nicaragua Produces Some of the Most High-Quality Coffee Beans

Nicaragua is one of the most popular coffee-growing nations of the world. The Nicaraguan coffee beans are of high quality and complex flavor. It is known as bittersweet and pungent.

You can easily smell the sweet and bitter taste in the Nicaraguan coffee beans. They have a medium to smooth body with a mild but diminishing acidity. It exhibits notes of vanilla and nuts.

Video: Geography Now! NICARAGUA

Welcome to Geography Now! This is the first and only Youtube Channel that actively attempts to cover profiles on every single country of the world. In this video about Nicaragua, we will share some of the most interesting things about Nicaragua.

Summary

Nicaragua is one of the most diverse countries with scenic landscapes in all of Central America. From majestic volcanoes and dense forests to large lakes and beautiful beaches, you will find everything that you expect from a great tourist destination.

This “land of lakes and volcanoes” is a great place to visit. We hope these facts helped give you an overview of the diverse culture and landscape of Nicaragua.

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