STATISTICS: NICARAGUA

Nicaragua Official name: Repblica de Nicaragua (Republic of Nicaragua). Form of government: unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (National Assembly ). Head of state and government: President. Capital: Managua. Official language: Spanish. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 crdoba oro (C$){2} = 100 centavos; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = C$10.86; 1 = C$18.49. Demography Population (1998): 4,763,000. Density (1998){3}: persons per sq mi 101.6, persons per sq km 39.2. Urban-rural (1995): urban 54.4%; rural 45.6%. Sex distribution (1995): male 49.28%; female 50.72%. Age breakdown (1994): under 15, 44.2%; 15-29, 28.7%; 30-44, 15.5%; 45-59, 7.2%; 60-74, 3.6%; 75 and over, 0.8%. Population projection: (2000) 5,045,000; (2010) 6,429,000. Doubling time: 26 years. Ethnic composition (1991): mestizo (Spanish/Indian) 69.0%; white 17.0%; black 9.0%; Amerindian 5.0%. Religious affiliation (1995): Roman Catholic 73.0%; Protestant 16.5%, of which Evangelical 15.0%; nonreligious 8.4%; other 2.1%. Major cities (1995){4}: Managua 864,201; Len 123,865; Chinandega 97,387; Masaya 88,971; Granada 71,783; Estel 71,550. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1996): 33.8 (world avg. 25.0). Death rate per 1,000 population (1996): 6.0 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1996): 27.8 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1996): 4.0. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1991): 3.3. Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1991): 0.4. Life expectancy at birth (1996): male 63.4 years; female 68.1 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1991){5}: diseases of the circulatory system 142.0; infectious and parasitic diseases 100.0; accidents and violence 93.0; diseases of the respiratory system 73.0; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 56.0. National economy Budget (1995). Revenue: C$3,929,000,000 (tax revenue 74.6%, of which import duties 17.3%, excise taxes on petroleum products 14.6%; grants 20.2%). Expenditures: C$4,526,000,000 (current expenditure 62.8%, development expenditure 33.6%; net lending 3.6%). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$5,122,000,000. Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): sugar cane 2,948,000, corn (maize) 332,600, rice 219,100, sorghum 127,300, dry beans 102,900, bananas 88,000, oranges 72,000, coffee 55,000, soybeans 24,100, sesame 14,800; livestock (number of live animals) 1,807,000 cattle, 410,000 pigs; roundwood (1995) 3,809,000 cu m; fish catch (1995) 13,503, of which shrimp 5,425. Mining and quarrying (1995): gold 42,300 troy oz. Manufacturing (value added in C$'000,000; 1995{6}): food, beverages, and tobacco 3,129; machinery and metal products 319; refined petroleum and rubber products 231; chemicals and chemical products 124. Construction (completed; 1991): 569 cu m. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1995) 1,726,000,000 (1,130,000,000); coal, none (none); crude petroleum (barrels; 1994) none (4,178,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) 540,000 (582,000); natural gas, none (none). Tourism (in U.S.$'000,000; 1995): receipts 54.6; expenditures 40. Population economically active (1994): total 1,407,700; activity rate of total population 34.8% (participation rates: over age 15 62.0%; female 33.2%; unemployed 16.6%). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1995) 5.8; income per household: n.a.; sources of income: n.a.; expenditure: n.a. Gross national product (1996): U.S.$1,705,000,000 (U.S.$380 per capita). Land use (1994): forested 26.3%; meadows and pastures 45.3%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 10.5%; other 17.9%. Foreign trade{7} Imports (1996): U.S.$1,119,900,000 (capital goods 24.9%, consumer goods 24.7%, petroleum 14.1%). Major import sources (1995): U.S. 31.2%; CACM 23.9%; Venezuela 11.6%; Japan 5.2%. Exports (1996): U.S.$634,800,000 (industrial products 24.4%, coffee 17.5%, crustaceans 10.9%, beef 6.9%, raw sugar 6.0%). Major export destinations: U.S. 38.1%; CACM 15.1%; Germany 10.4%; Spain 7.2%; The Netherlands 5.9%. Transport Transport. Railroads: {8}. Roads (1995): total length 17,146 km (paved 10%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 72,413; trucks and buses 68,090. Air transport (1994){9}: passenger-km 72,172,000; metric ton-km cargo 6,964,000; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 10. Education and health Educational attainment: n.a. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 1,574,000 (65.7%); males literate 727,000 (64.6%); females literate 847,000 (66.6%). Health (1994): physicians 2,577 (1 per 1,566 persons); hospital beds 4,413 (1 per 914 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1996) 45.8. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 2,311 (vegetable products 92%, animal products 8%); 103% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1996): 17,000 (army 88.2%, navy 4.7%, air force 7.1%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 2.2% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$8. {1} Includes three unsuccessful 1996 presidential candidates meeting special conditions. {2} The crdoba oro (gold crdoba), introduced in August 1990, circulated simultaneously with the new crdoba until April 30, 1991, when the new crdoba ceased to be legal tender; on April 30, 1 crdoba oro equaled 5,000,000 new crdobas. The new crdoba had been introduced in February 1988 at the rate of 1 new crdoba to 1,000 (old) crdobas. {3} Based on land area. {4} Final figures. {5} Projected rates based on about 45% of total deaths. {6} At prices of 1980. {7} Imports f.o.b. in balance of trade and c.i.f. in commodities and trading partners. {8} Railroad service ended in January 1994. {9} Nica only.