facts about nicaragua

Nicaragua is a beautiful tropical country in Central America. It is bordered by Honduras to the northwest and Costa Rica to the south. The Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea border Nicaragua to the southwest and east respectively.

The country is slowly gaining popularity because of the amazing landscape, natural beauty and friendly people. Let’s learn few more facts about it.

Interesting facts about Nicaragua

1. Nicaragua is Central America’s largest county. It is also the country with the lowest density of population in the region.

2. The Ruins of Leon Viejo in Nicaragua is the oldest city in all of Central America. It is over 1500 years old and is still occupied today. It was founded by the early Spanish settlers.

3. Lake Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America. It is used as a water supply for many parts of the country, and is also huge tourist attraction.

Lake Nicaragua
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/

4. The only freshwater sharks known in the world can be found in Lake Nicaragua.

freshwater sharks
Source: https://animals.mom.me/

5. Nicaragua belongs to the Ring of Fire, an area in the Pacific Ocean with common earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. There are over 400 volcanoes found in Lake Nicaragua. In 1972 an earthquake killed more than 19,120 people in Managua and destroyed 90 percent of the city’s downtown area.

Hurricanes and tropical storms also wreak havoc on the country quite frequently. Hurricane Mitch in 1998 displaced over two million people and killed around 3,000.

Managua
Source: https://travelwiththesmile.com/

6. The infamous Dual Volcano is located in Nicaragua. It is the only volcano in the world that is fed by two separate flows of magma. This makes it possible for it to erupt from two types of magma channels.

7. Everyone loves star gazing and the night sky of Nicaragua is one of the best in the world. Of the 88 constellations that exist in the night sky, a whopping 86 of them can be seen vividly if you’re in Nicaragua.

8. There are no street names in Nicaragua. The address of any place is given by whatever major landmark is nearby. While the locals are used to this system, it is a new experience for the tourists. Well, getting lost is a way to know a place.

9. The name Nicaragua comes from the words “nicarao” and “agua”. The Nicarao were the first Indian tribes to occupy the shores of Lake Nicaragua whereas Agua means water in Spanish. When the Spaniards arrived in the country in the 1500s, they named it after the people they met and the vast amount of water in and around the country.

10. Nicaragua is considered the safest Central American country to travel to. Unlike its neighbors, the crime rates are really low in the country and people feel very comfortable while travelling here.

11. Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is the poorest country in Central America where almost three quarters of the Nicaraguan people live on only $2 per day.

12. Nicaragua has the highest amount of forests in Central America. It has also declared 70 areas as protected regions of water and land in order to protect their endangered species. These species include various monkeys, sloths, and sea turtles.

forests in nicaragua
Source: https://travelwiththesmile.com/

Trip leader Sakshi’s Recommendations if you are visiting Nicaragua:

Hit the beaches in San Juan del Sur. The area is famous for surfing and you can either ride the waves here or laze in the beautiful warm beaches.

San Juan del Sur
Source: https://eternalarrival.com/

Visit Isla de Ometepe. Lake Nicaragua is home to a biosphere unlike any other in the world. Ometepe is a twin volcano island surrounded by fresh water—the only island of its kind on the planet. Hiking, kayaking, cycling, and healthy food are the island’s main draws.

Isla de Ometepe
Source: https://internationalliving.com/

Volcano boarding down Cerro Negro is one of the most unique attractions of the country. Cerro Negro is a young and active volcano. You hike up to the top, which takes around an hour, sit on a piece of wood, and then board down the gravelly slopes of the volcano.

Volcano boarding down Cerro Negro
Source: https://www.tourradar.com/

Swim in the volcano lake crater Laguna de Apoyo. You will find a lake contained inside the crater of the Apoyo Volcano. 20,000 years ago, the volcano imploded on itself and has continued to fill with both rain and subterranean water. The end result is a giant, pristine lake with some of the cleanest and clearest water in Central America.

Laguna de Apoyo
Source: https://www.nomadicmatt.com/

Visa:

Nicaragua Visa Requirements for Indians