Geography of Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a country of Central America surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, the Pacific Ocean, the Costa Rica and the Honduras.

The Nicaragua occupies a surface of 129.494 km ² including 120.254 km ² of ground. The country counts approximately 4,8 million inhabitants (July 2000).

Nicaragua is a small relatively mountainous country covered on a third with its surface approximately by two big lakes, the Lac Nicaragua and the Lac of Managua.

the Archipel of the Îles Solentiname is located inside the Lake Nicaragua.
The country is located on a difficult tectonic zone, and is often shaken by earthquakes and eruptions of its many volcanos:
  • the Mogoton culminates to 2.438 Mr.
  • the Mombacho reaches 1.345 Mr.

One divided it into 15 departments (Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas) and 2 autonomous regions (Atlantico Norte, Atlantico On).

Other data

Surface:
total: 129.494 km ²
ground: 120.254 km ²
water: 9.240 km ²

Surface - comparative: slightly smaller than the state of New York

Border S : The borders of Nicaragua on the whole measure 1.231 km, including 309 with the Costa Rica and 922 with the Honduras.

Coasts: 910 km

Coordinated geographical:

maritime Sovereignty:

  • contiguous zone: security zone of 25 miles nautical
  • shelf continental: natural prolongation
  • territorial water: 200 nautical miles (370 km)

Climate: tropical in the low-ground, fresher on the plates

Ground: broad coastal plains on the Atlantic Ocean rising gradually towards the central chain in the middle of the country; narrower plains on the Pacific coasts, stopped by a chain of volcanos; the Lac Nicaragua (or Lake Cocibolca) is the second plus big lake of Latin America.

extreme Altitudes:

  • not low: Pacific Ocean (0 m)
  • culminating point: Mogoton (2 438 m)

Natural resources: Gold, Money, Copper, Tungsten, Lead, Zinc, Wood, Poisson

Use of the grounds:

  • arable land: 9%
  • permanent crops: 1%
  • permanent pastures: 46%
  • forests and woodland: 27%
  • other: 17% (1993)

irrigated Surface: : 880 km ² (1993)

Environment - international engagements:
signatory of: Biodiversity, Convention-tallies of the United Nations on the climate changes, Protocole of Kyōto, Désertification, threatened Espèce, Convention of Basle, Interdiction of the nuclear tests, Protection of the layer of ozone, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Right of the sea

Natural disasters : The country is prone to the ic eruptions Volcan, earthquakes, landslides, and hurricanes.

ecological Problems : Deforestation, Erosion of the grounds, Pollution the water, damage of the Hurricane Mitch…

See too

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