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Compare Spratly Islands (2008) - Nicaragua (2003)

Compare Spratly Islands (2008) z Nicaragua (2003)

 Spratly Islands (2008)Nicaragua (2003)
 Spratly IslandsNicaragua
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
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.)
Agriculture - products - coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products
Airports 3 (2007) 176 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
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)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 165


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 141 (2002)
Area total: less than 5 sq km


land: less than 5 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
total: 129,494 sq km


land: 120,254 sq km


water: 9,240 sq km
Area - comparative NA slightly smaller than the state of New York
Background The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim. 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.
Birth rate - 26.29 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget - revenues: $726 million


expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital - Managua
Climate tropical tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Coastline 926 km 910 km
Constitution - 9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Spratly Islands
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua


conventional short form: Nicaragua


local long form: Republica de Nicaragua


local short form: Nicaragua
Currency - gold cordoba (NIO)
Death rate - 4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external - $5.8 billion (2002 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
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
Disputes - international all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands 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
Economic aid - recipient - Substantial foreign support
Economy - overview Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. 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.
Electricity - consumption - 2.388 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 17 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production - 2.549 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 83.9%


hydro: 7.7%


nuclear: 0%


other: 8.4% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
Environment - current issues NA deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
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
Ethnic groups - mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Exchange rates - gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.25 (2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.68 (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998)
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
Exports - NA (2001)
Exports - commodities - coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar, gold
Exports - partners - US 59.4%, El Salvador 7.5%, Honduras 4.8% (2002)
Fiscal year - calendar year
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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $11.16 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 30%


industry: 26%


services: 44% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 1.1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 38 N, 111 55 E 13 00 N, 85 00 W
Geography - note strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
Heliports 3 (2007) -
Highways - total: 19,032 km


paved: 2,094 km


unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: 0.7%


highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing
Imports - NA (2001)
Imports - commodities - machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods
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)
Independence - 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate - 4.4% (2000 est.)
Industries - food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 3.7% (2002 est.)
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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 3 (2000)
Irrigated land 0 sq km 880 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)
Labor force - 1.7 million (1999)
Labor force - by occupation - services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,231 km


border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
arable land: 20.24%


permanent crops: 2.38%


other: 77.38% (1998 est.)
Languages - Spanish (official)


note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Legal system - civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
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
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 69.68 years


male: 67.68 years


female: 71.79 years (2003 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 67.5%


male: 67.2%


female: 67.8% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Map references Southeast Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims NA continental shelf: natural prolongation


territorial sea: 200 NM
Merchant marine - none (2002 est.)
Military - note Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $26 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,347,033 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 825,906 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 59,903 (2003 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality - noun: Nicaraguan(s)


adjective: Nicaraguan
Natural hazards typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Natural resources fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Net migration rate - -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - oil 54 km (2003)
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]
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
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states
5,128,517 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line - 50% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate - 2.03% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur
Radio broadcast stations - AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 6 km


narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)
Religions - Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant
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.)
Suffrage - 16 years of age; universal
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)
Telephones - main lines in use - 140,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 7,911 (1997)
Television broadcast stations - 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain flat extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Total fertility rate - 3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate - 24% plus considerable underemployment (2002 est.)
Waterways - 2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)
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