Independence Day Recently Celebrated in Central America

People all across several countries in Central America — COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, and NICARAGUA — celebrated Independence Day on Tuesday, September 15th. All five countries achieved independence from Spain in 1821. Happy belated Independence Day!

Nicaragua Exports

According to MIT's Observatory of Economic Complexity (atlas.media.mit.edu), the following items are major exports of NICARAGUA: asphalt, baked goods, bananas, bovine and equine hides, candles, cassava, cement, ceramics, clothing and textiles, cocoa beans, coffee and tea extracts, coffee, copper bars, dairy products, dried legumes, electric batteries, flavored water, frozen meat, furniture, gold, groundnut oil, groundnuts, image projectors, insulated wire, large construction vehicles, leather footwear, liquor, malt extract, medical instruments, medical supplies, molasses, oilseeds, palm oil, pesticides, petroleum coke, postage stamps, recycled paper, refined petroleum, salt, scrap metal, scrap plastic, seafood, silver, soybean oil, spark-ignition engines, sugarcane, telephones, tobacco, toilet paper, wheat flour, and wood. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include the United States (top importer), El Salvador, Venezuela, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, the United Kingdom, Panama, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Dominican Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, the Netherlands, Japan, China, and Switzerland.

Nicaragua Endangered Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for NICARAGUA in Central America lists 1 extinct species (West Indian Monk Seal), 12 critically endangered species, and 39 endangered species. The Arrow Cichlid fish, Atherinella jiloaensis silverside fish, Craugastor ranoides frog, Dark-Rumped Petrel bird, Elkhorn Coral, Goliath Grouper, Hawksbill Turtle, Largetooth Sawfish, Lonchocarpus phaseolifolius legume plant, Lonchocarpus yoroensis legume plant, Mollinedia ruae plant, and Staghorn Coral are Nicaragua's critically endangered species. Endangered species include the American Eel, Boulder Star Coral, Brown Sea Cucumber, Geoffroy's Spider Monkey (Mono Colorado; Spanish: Mono Araña), Oaxacan Spiny-Tailed Iguana, Pygmy Blue Whale, Westfall Knobtail dragonfly, and Zanthoxylum belizense plant. Species named after Nicaragua include the Nicaragua Giant Glass Frog, Nicaragua Pine, Nicaraguan Grackle bird, Nicaraguan Harvest Mouse, Nicaraguan Pocket Gopher, Nicaraguan Seed Finch, and Nicaraguan Woodrat.

Léon Cathedral, Nicaragua

Situated in the middle of its namesake city in western NICARAGUA, the 18th-or-19th-century Léon Cathedral (Spanish: Catedral de Léon) marks a transition from Baroque to Neoclassical architecture and was designed by Diego José de Porres Esquivel of Guatemala. Visitors might note the abundance of natural light radiating inside the rather subduedly decorated interior. For visitors who enjoy vibrant interior design, the sanctuary's vault and altar are thankfully decorated with ornate yet elegant Baroque elements. As the Google Earth 3D image above shows, Léon Cathedral features several towers and at least 20 cupolas (mini towers). Máximo Jerez. Nicaraguans would know that earthquakes are always possible threats, but at least the Léon Cathedral is constructed with thick walls and horizontal-oriented layout to withstand earthly tremors. Located immediately east of the Máximo Jerez Monument, this cathedral is protected by UNESCO and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Cosiguina Volcano

One of the westernmost points in NICARAGUA, Cosiguina Volcano (Volcán Cosigüina) last erupted in 1951 and is a stratovolcano now virtually completely covered in forests. Cosiguina's highest point stands at 872 meters and 2,861 feet. It is part of a peninsula stretching westward into the Gulf of Fonseca (Golfo de Fonseca), Guatemala Basin, and North Pacific Ocean and is not too far south of Honduras. Laguna Cosiguina sits in the middle of the volcano's caldera. Finally, the Cosiguina Volcano Natural Reserve surrounds the volcano.

Capital of Nicaragua

The capital of NICARAGUA , a Central American country, is Managua. To discover more about Nicaragua, visit my Nicaragua post!

Nicaragua

With over 6 million residents, NICARAGUA is a Spanish-speaking country located in Central America. Nicaragua's bordering countries are Costa Rica and Honduras. It also borders the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Nicaragua's capital and largest city in terms of population is Managua, which has about 1.3 million residents. The 2nd largest city is León. Lake Nicaragua is the largest lake in Nicaragua and Central America. Another major lake, Lake Managua,
is aptly situated near the capital. The currency is the Nicaraguan Córdoba, and the ISO 4217 currency code is NIO.