The history and importance of… Nicaragua

1. The history and importance of…Nicaragua By: Molly Guo 4th period

2. Where is Nicaragua?

3. Main facts • POPULATION • - 5,666,301 (July 2011 est.) • -Mestizos= 69% • White= 17% • Black=9% • Amerindian=5% • AGE DISTRIBUTION • 0-14= 31.7% • 15-64=63.8% • 65+= 4.5% • -- MAIN LANGUAGE • - Spanish • - English

4. Fun fact: Nicaragua is the poorest country in central America And second poorest in the southern hemisphere Economics/Demographics - INCOME RATE -lowest 10%: 1.4% - highest 10%: 41.8% (as of 2005) • - UNEMPLOYMENT RATE • Is about 16%; and another 36% are underemployed. • - GINI Coefficient • 43.1 • Country Ranking= 46 • - ECONOMY RATE • Grew about 3% in 2011

5. Important industries Food Processing : bananas, sugar cane, coffee Tobacco Products Textiles and Apparel

6. GOVERNMENT • Year of Independence • - September 15, 1821 (from Spain) REPUBLIC

7. Independence Day (September 15, 1821) • Beginning in 1811, revolutionaries were inspired by struggles in Mexico and El Salvador. • Thus creating a break from Spanish territory in 1821; beginning a part of the United Provinces of Central America.

8. Devastating Earthquake Hit (December 23, 1972) People suffered from the destruction, while Somoza and private friends stole money from international aid funding groups (this is one of the reasons of Somoza’s downfall). - Left 5,000 people dead and 250,000 homeless out of 2.6 million people in the country.

9. The Fall of the Somoza Years (1978) - Beginning in 1974, a anti-Somoza group (Sandinistas) began to apply terror (aka kidnapping, assassinations, etc.) towards the government (in which Somoza was in rule). In July, Somoza fled the country; thus leaving the Sandinistas in rule of Managua.

10. BIANCA JAGGER • Mostly famous for being former Mick Jagger’s Wife, former model and currently being a human rights advocate. Divorced former husband, Mick Jagger, after 7 years because of adultery with model Jerry Hall. Past 30, years has written articles and delivered speeches about numerous issues throughout the world such as women’s rights, war on terror and etc.

11. Current events • Nicaragua is known to have one of the highest adolescent fertility rates in the world. • The problem is that these young women (age ranges from 15-19) don’t need to have children at this young of age. • The result of having children at such a young age results in poverty, higher risks of pregnancy complications and maternal mortality. • About half of the women in Nicaragua give birth (before the age of 20). • However, there are no options of abortion and women are to be kicked out of school if they are pregnant. • With Nicaragua containing some of the highest adolescent fertility rates, many women are left young and poor trying to raise their babies, while they are also very young.

12. Growing Tensions between Costa Rica and Nicaragua • - 62 years ago, Costa Rica made a decision to ‘abolish its Army and entrust its sovereignty and national defense to the untested guardianship of international law’. • However, the Nicaraguan troops have recently ‘invaded the border line’ (from the point of view of Costa Rica). • On the other hand, Nicaragua claims that the crisis only happened because of how unclear the border limits were. • There have always been tension between two countries; if there were, Costa Rica defended themselves with their volunteer militias and diplomatic offensives.

13. Government War on Women’s Rights • Daniel Ortega (president of Nicaragua) had harsh policies of abortion laws (anti-abortion). • However, women right’s activist refuse to let him choose for women around Nicaragua. • Women from all over the world (including USA) are angered by his actions. • They want to denounce him by also bringing up a claimed ‘sexual abuse’ charges 10 years ago by his stepdaughter. However, Ortega deny all charges.

14. Cultural life in Nicaragua Many social events are related with the Roman Catholic Church; such as the celebration of Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (also known as La Purísima). It is known to be the country’s most important holiday that takes 9 days of festivity.

15. US RELATIONS WITH NICARAGUA The relationship is still intact; even though there may be some disputes here and there (U.S. occasionally gets concerned with President Ortega). The US has also helped provided foreign assistance (such as hurricane assistance in 2007).

16. Bibliography • http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9110104?query=nicaragua&ct= • www.google.com/publicdata • http://www.learn-spanish-help.com/nicaragua.html • http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/whic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&disableHighlighting=false&prodId=WHIC&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CCX3410700094&mode=view • https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nu.html • Latin America PPT • http://search.proquest.com/docview/235867658/131C6423573524987AA/7?accountid=2712 • http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/world/americas/24chamber.html?_r=1&ref=danielortega • http://search.proquest.com/docview/849591779/131C6423573524987AA/25?accountid=2712 • http://search.proquest.com/docview/195451230/131C6423573524987AA/19?accountid=2712 • http://school.eb.com/eb/article-277496 • http://school.eb.com/eb/article-277496 • http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RS22836.pdfn