NICARAGUA 



4227 



NICARAGUA 



smaller than the state of New York. It is the 

 most thinly-populated of the Central American 

 republics, how raging only twelve peo- 



ple to the square mile. Its population of 600,- 

 000 in 1910 was only about one-third that of 

 Guatemala and one-fifteenth that of New York. 

 In 1915 its population was estimated to be 703,- 



tid to have been named after 

 an Indian chief named Nicaras, or Nicaragua, 

 who was at one time powerful in the country. 



Climate, Land and Products. Nicaragua, like 

 all CYntral America, is a tropical country, but 

 it- climato. though warm, is healthful in most 

 -. The eastern part of the republic is a 

 . rolling plain crossed by mountains, with 

 highlands toward the northwest. There rain 

 falls nearly every day in the year, averaging 

 over 200 inches annually. Between an eastern 

 and western range of mountains lies a great 

 .io basin, 300 miles long and 100 miles wide. 

 This is the most temperate zone of the country, 

 and it is cooler and drier than the coasts; here 

 most of the industries and population are cen- 

 tered. In the western part of this plain lie 

 Lake Nicaragua, with an area of over 3,000 

 square miles, and Lake Managua, which emp- 

 ;nto the former through the Tipitapa River. 

 The Pacific slope is steep and narrow and along 

 the coast is a chain of volcanic cones, some 

 .-till active, but none reaching more than a 



t of about 6,000 feet above sea level. 

 Nicaragua has numerous rivers, the chief of 

 which flow to the Caribbean Sea. The San 

 which drains the two lakes mentioned 

 above, is of importance for navigation, as is 

 also the Rio Grande, in east-central Nicaragua. 

 The banks of th. latter are lined with banana 

 'at ions, and those crops, the most impor- 

 products of the eastern part of the re- 

 public, are c;inied on the river to Bluefields, 

 for .shipment to America. -In the eaMern sec- 

 cocoanuts, plantains, oranges, pineapples 

 yuccas are also raised, but most of tin 

 food supply for that section is imported from 

 nited States. 



western half of the country produces 

 most of its own food, and coffee, sugar cane, 

 cacao, corn and beans are articles of export. 

 Forest products ureof commercial importa: 



iogany, cedar and other valuable timber, as 

 v-' II as dyewoods, gums and mhcm:d plants, 

 are exported. One of the principal sources of 

 wealth consists of which there were 



'MMX) in l!ll. Th. high plains afford ex- 

 cellent pasturage. Many hides are expc 



Gold mines are worked by American and 

 British companies. Copper, silver, coal, oil and 

 precious stones are also found, and Nicaragua 

 exceeds all other Central American republics 

 in mineral wealth, but mining industries show 

 little activity, owing to exceedingly poor trans- 

 portation facilities and lack of labor. 



Transportation and Commerce. There are 

 few good roads in the country, and communica- 

 tion between the eastern and western sections 

 is almost impossible. Contracts have been let 

 recently, however, for roads which will i 

 rially facilitate intercourse. The only railway 

 in 1914 was the Pacific Railroad, 171 miles long, 

 connecting with steamers plying on the lakes. 



The capital of the republic is Managua. 

 Leon, in the northwest, is the largest city; 

 it is described elsewhere in these volu 

 Corinto and San Juan del Sur are the principal 

 western seaports, and through them pass about 

 eighty-six per cent of the republic's $7,500.000 

 worth of exports, and about sixty-four per cent 

 of its $5,500,000 worth of imports. The opening 

 of the Panama Canal has facilitated commerce 

 with this important western section. The chief 

 eastern ports are Bluefields, Pearl Lagoon and 

 Grey town. 



People and Government. The people of the 

 eastern half of Nicaragua are chiefly Indians 

 and negroes, with only a few Americans and 

 people of Spanish descent. Most of them are 

 inactive and content to lie in their hammocks 

 of grass, living on the fruits of tropical t 

 and plants, working only when absolutely neces- 

 sary. In the western half of the country, al- 

 though there are. many Indians, most of the 

 people are of pure Spanish descent and mixed 

 Spanish and Indian blood. Greater industry is 

 found among the people in that half of the 

 republic. 



There are about 356 elementary schools, ten 

 colleges and two universities, but education is 

 in a very backward itate. Roman Catholicism 

 i- ;he lUfc i lignm. I'ut ''"-re * <>' 

 doni of worship. The Indians still hold to their 

 strange superstitions. Corrupt forms of Span- 

 ish and English are spol. 



.blic is govern, d l.y a IV-idciit. 

 .elected for four years, and a Congress of 

 houses, elected for four years, by populai 

 e. The present constitution was adopted in 



HUtory. The history of Nicaragua is largely 

 that of Central America. The famous plun 

 nm expedition of William n 1855 is 



of the most notable events of interest. 



