1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed)
Religions
Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)
Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)
Languages
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)
Exports
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts
agricultural products, food products, oil products, chemical products, plastics and rubber, skins and leather, wood and cork, wood pulp and paper, textile materials, clothing, footwear, minerals and mineral products, base metals, machinery and tools, vehicles and other transport material, and optical and precision
External Debt
$5,228,000,000 $
$548,300,000,000 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)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
2.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
2
Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain
Area
130,370 km sq
92,090 km sq
Coastline
910 km
1,793 km
Climate
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south
