Eternal president: Kim Il-sung (deceased) Chairman, National Defence Commission: Kim Jong-il
President: Daniel Ortega
Population
24,589,122
5,727,707
Life Expectancy
69.200 years
72.180 years
Capital City
Managua
Largest city
Pyongyang (population: 3,222,000)
Managua (population: 973,087)
Human Development Index
0
0.699
GDP per capita
$3,200 US
Literacy Rate
99%
67.5%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
2.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
20.1%
18.5%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
7.300%
Death Penalty
NA
Abolished
Political System
Communist state one-man dictatorship
republic
Independence date
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Religions
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom
Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)
Languages
Korean
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Exports
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts
External Debt
$4,073,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
gold cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 19.374 (2008 est.), 18.457 (2007), 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
6
0
Location
Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
