by Eileen Swee Lian Goh

Created on: February 06, 2009   Last Updated: February 12, 2009

OVERVIEW

Also known as the "Land of Lakes and Volcanoes", Nicaragua offers many attractions to her visitors. Forming part of the land bridge between North and South America, the country boasts flora and fauna from both continents and was the meeting-place of the prehistoric Mesoamerican and Andean cultures. Today, Nicaragua's rich history, culture and biodiversity as well as her unspoiled coastal beaches and pristine tropical rainforests make the country an exciting tourist destination.

LOCATION AND TERRAIN

With a total area of 129494 square kilometers, Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, and lies at longitude 85 00 W, between latitudes 11 00 N and 15 00 N. She shares a common border of 530 kilometers with her northern neighbor, Honduras; the country's southern border with Costa Rica stretches 313 kilometers. Nicaragua is flanked by the North Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east, giving her a coastline of 910 kilometers, and claims 200 nautical miles of territorial waters.

There are 78 protected areas or "national nature reserves" in Nicaragua, accounting for more than 18% of her land mass or 21000 square kilometers of territory. The two largest forest reserves in Central America are located in Nicaragua.

The country can be divided into three distinct regions:-

1. Atlantic lowlands. There are many large lagoons and deltas along the country's jagged eastern coastline, from which a vast rainforest belt extends interiorly. The 7300-square-kilometer Bosawas Biosphere Reserve found here is the largest rainforest north of the Brazilian Amazon. At the northernmost aspect runs the largest river in Central America, the Rio Coco, which forms part of the common border between Nicaragua and Honduras.

2. Central highlands. Nicaragua's Atlantic rainforests give way to her mountainous central region, the highest point of which is Mogoton at 2438 meters above sea level.

3. Pacific lowlands. Along her Pacific coastline are found most of Nicaragua's beaches such as San Juan del Sur, Maderas, Masachapa and Pochomil, which are excellent territory for surfing, swimming and scuba diving. From the beaches, vast fertile plains extend interiorly to reach the central highlands.

Cutting through her Pacific lowlands and running almost parallel to the coastline from her north-western border with Honduras is Nicaragua's Avenue of Volcanoes, a chain of some 58 volcanoes belonging to the Marrabios mountain range. Mombacho and Momotombo are two of the seven active

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next Page >>