| NICARAGUA |
| Full country name: Republic of Nicaragua Area: 129,494 sq km (50,180 sq mi) Population: 5.2 million (growth rate 2.6%) Capital city: Managua (pop 1 million) People: 69% mestizo, 17% European descent, 9% African descent, 5% indigenous peoples Language: Spanish, English Creole, Miskito Religion: Roman Catholic 73%, Protestant 16% Government: Republic President: Enrique Bolanos Time: GMT/UTC minus 6 hours Currency: gold c�rdoba |
| CULTURE Earthquakes and war have obliterated much tangible evidence of Nicaragua's cultural heritage, especially its colonial architecture - although Le�n retains many fine old buildings. Poetry is one of Nicaragua's most beloved arts, and no other Central American country can match its literary output. Rub�n Dar�o (1867-1916) is known as the 'Prince of Spanish-American literature,' and recent work by Nicaraguan poets, fiction writers and essayists can be found in most bookshops. Bluefields, the largely English-speaking town on the Caribbean coast, is a center for reggae music. The Archipi�lago de Solentiname in Lago de Nicaragua is famous as a haven for artists, poets and craftspeople. Sandinista street art in the form of modernist murals is especially prominent in the university town of Le�n. Spanish is the language of Nicaragua, but English and a number of Indian languages are spoken on the Caribbean coast. The main religion is Catholicism, although there are a number of Protestant sects such as the Pentecostals and the Baptists. The Moravian church, introduced by British missionaries, is important on the Caribbean coast. A typical meal in Nicaragua consists of eggs or meat, beans and rice, salad (cabbage and tomatoes), tortillas and fruit in season. Most common of all Nicaraguan foods is gallo pinto, a blend of rice and beans, with cooking water from the beans added to color the rice. Other traditional dishes include bajo, a mix of beef, green and ripe plantains and yucca (cassava), and vigor�n, yucca served with fried pork skins and coleslaw. Street vendors sell interesting drinks such as tiste, made from cacao and corn, and posol con leche, a corn-and-milk drink. Nicaragua boasts the best beer and rum in Central America. |
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