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Nicaragua
presidential republic
The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony 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.
Profile
CapitalManagua
Population6.7M
GDP$53.0B
Area130,370 km²
LanguageSpanish (official) 99.5%, Indigenous 0.3%, Portuguese 0.1%, other 0.1% (2020 est.)
Currencycordobas (NIO) per US dollar -
Leadership
Head of State
Daniel Ortega
Since 2007
At a Glance
Population
6.7M
GDP (PPP)
$53B
