CHINANDEGA

town, northwestern Nicaragua, in the Pacific coastal lowlands. Its central section was destroyed during a revolutionary outbreak in 1927, and the town was a scene of heavy fighting between Sandinista guerrillas and government troops in 1978-79, with serious damage to property. As a commercial and manufacturing centre, Chinandega processes a variety of crops-chiefly cotton, sugarcane, and bananas-from the agricultural hinterland and has sawmills, tanneries, and metalworks. Its manufactures include furniture, perfume, and toilet water. The Pacific Railway runs through Chinandega, and a branch line leads to the port of Corinto. Chinandega is linked by highway to Len city and Managua, the national capital. Pop. (1985 est.) 67,792.