Nicaragua (2003) | Qatar (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas | 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Salal |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 37.7% (male 984,719; female 949,282)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,510,352; female 1,527,991) 65 years and over: 3% (male 68,332; female 87,841) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
25.77% (male 101,155; female 97,086) 15-64 years: 71.75% (male 391,178; female 160,665) 65 years and over: 2.48% (male 13,625; female 5,443) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish |
Airports | 176 (2002) | 4 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
total:
2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 165
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 141 (2002) |
total:
2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 129,494 sq km
land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 sq km |
total:
11,437 sq km land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than the state of New York | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
Background | The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. | Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe. |
Birth rate | 26.29 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 15.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $726 million
expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues:
$3.9 billion expenditures: $4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | Managua | Doha |
Climate | tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands | desert; hot, dry; humid and sultry in summer |
Coastline | 910 km | 563 km |
Constitution | 9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000 | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua |
conventional long form:
State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar |
Currency | gold cordoba (NIO) | Qatari rial (QAR) |
Death rate | 4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $5.8 billion (2002 est.) | $13.1 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE
embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 266-6010, 266-2298, 266-6013 FAX: [505] 266-9074 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Elizabeth Davenport MCKUNE embassy: 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 note: workweek is Saturday-Wednesday |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5 December 2003)
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6542 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
Disputes - international | territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica | in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and adjusted its maritime boundary with Qatar; a final border resolution was agreed to with Saudi Arabia in March of 2001 |
Economic aid - recipient | Substantial foreign support | $NA |
Economy - overview | Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability over the past few years, a banking crisis and scandal has shaken the economy. Nicaragua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Donors have made aid conditional on the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. Nicaragua met the conditions for additional debt service relief in December 2000. Growth should move up moderately in 2003 because of increased private investment and exports. | Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 66% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore petroleum and the diversification of the economy. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $6 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.388 billion kWh (2001) | 8.37 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 17 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 2.549 billion kWh (2001) | 9 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 83.9%
hydro: 7.7% nuclear: 0% other: 8.4% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5% | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% |
Exchange rates | gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.25 (2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.68 (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998) | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president - 56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president |
chief of state:
Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in March 1999 Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services |
Exports | NA (2001) | $9.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar, gold | petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel |
Exports - partners | US 59.4%, El Salvador 7.5%, Honduras 4.8% (2002) | Japan 52%, Singapore 9%, South Korea 8%, US, UAE (1998) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $11.16 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $15.1 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 30%
industry: 26% services: 44% (2002 est.) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 49% services: 50% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $20,300 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.1% (2002 est.) | 4% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 00 N, 85 00 W | 25 30 N, 51 15 E |
Geography - note | largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: 19,032 km
paved: 2,094 km unpaved: 16,938 km (2000) |
total:
1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 48.8% (1998) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | US 23.7%, Costa Rica 10.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Guatemala 7.8%, Mexico 6.7%, El Salvador 6%, South Korea 4.6% (2002) | UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, US 6%, Italy 6% (1998) |
Independence | 15 September 1821 (from Spain) | 3 September 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.4% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement |
Infant mortality rate | total: 31.39 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 35.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
21.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.7% (2002 est.) | 2.5% (2000) |
International organization participation | BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 3 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 880 sq km (1998 est.) | 80 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly) | Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 1.7 million (1999) | 233,000 (1993 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | total: 1,231 km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km |
total:
60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km |
Land use | arable land: 20.24%
permanent crops: 2.38% other: 77.38% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 0% other: 94% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast |
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language |
Legal system | civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law is significant in personal matters |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1 |
unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have their terms extended every four years since |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69.68 years
male: 67.68 years female: 71.79 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
72.62 years male: 70.16 years female: 75.21 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5% male: 67.2% female: 67.8% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 79% female: 80% (1995 est.) |
Location | Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Middle East |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: natural prolongation
territorial sea: 200 NM |
contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total:
25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 677,992 GRT/1,049,447 DWT ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force | Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $26 million (FY98) | $723 million (FY00/01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.2% (FY98) | 10% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,347,033 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
312,116 note: includes non-nationals (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 825,906 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
163,642 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 59,903 (2003 est.) | males:
6,797 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 15 September (1821) | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) |
Nationality | noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan |
noun:
Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari |
Natural hazards | destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common |
Natural resources | gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish | petroleum, natural gas, fish |
Net migration rate | -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 20.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | oil 54 km (2003) | crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km |
Political parties and leaders | Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio GODOY]; Liberal Alliance (ruling alliance including Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC, New Liberal Party or PALI, Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN, and Central American Unionist Party or PUCA) [leader NA]; National Conservative Party or PC [Pedro SOLARZANO, Noel VIDAURRE]; National Project or PRONAL [Benjamin LANZAS]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Unity Alliance or AU [Alejandro SERRANO]; Union Nacional Opositora 96 or UNO-96 [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including - Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups | none |
Population | 5,128,517 (July 2003 est.) | 769,152 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 50% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.03% (2003 est.) | 3.18% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | 256,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 6 km
narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant | Muslim 95% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.43 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.5 male(s)/female total population: 1.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 16 years of age; universal | suffrage is limited to municipal elections |
Telephone system | general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment
domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 140,000 (1996) | 142,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 7,911 (1997) | 43,476 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997) | 2 (plus three repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel |
Total fertility rate | 3 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 3.17 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 24% plus considerable underemployment (2002 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | 2,220 km (including 2 large lakes) | none |