Part 610

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use: arable land : 9% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 46% forests and woodland: 27% other : 17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 880 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

@Nicaragua:People

Population: 4,386,399 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 963,878; female 949,658) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,147,565; female 1,207,386) 65 years and over : 4% (male 50,910; female 67,002) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 33.01 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.83 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 44.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.17 years male: 63.83 years female : 68.6 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.9 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant 5%

Languages: Spanish (official) note: English- and Amerindian-speaking minorities on Atlantic coast

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 65.7% male : 64.6% female: 66.6% (1995 est.)

@Nicaragua:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form : Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form : Nicaragua

Data code: NU

Government type: republic

National capital: Managua