Nicaragua

A

Ethnic Groups

Nicaragua has a diverse ethnic mix. The majority, 69 percent, are mestizos; 17 percent are classified as white; 9 percent are of African descent; and 5 percent are Native American. The African and Native American populations are concentrated in the thinly settled eastern lowlands, where they are the dominant group.

The major Native American group in Nicaragua is the Miskito. Concentrated in the northeast, Miskito people live on both sides of the border with Honduras. Although many Miskito have some African ancestry, they have preserved their native language and much of their culture. Many Miskito speak English, because the Mosquito Coast was under British influence from the late 17th until the late 19th century. Most of the Miskito are Protestants, in part due to the activity of Moravian Church missionaries. There are much smaller Native American groups of Sumo and Rama, and a very small group of mixed African-indigenous ancestry known as Garifuna.

Nicaraguans of African descent, known as Creoles, dominate the towns along the Caribbean coast. Coming from the British West Indies, notably Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, they speak English and are largely Protestants. Although relations between Creoles and Miskito have been strained, they share a common dislike of the mestizo population of western Nicaragua, a population that is predominantly Spanish-speaking and Roman Catholic. In response to rising discontent among ethnic groups, Nicaragua's 1987 constitution established two autonomous zones on the east coast, giving greater powers and freedom to local governments. Reversing a history of exploitation and discrimination, Nicaragua's governments have begun efforts to recognize and strengthen indigenous cultures.

B

Language

Almost all Nicaraguans speak Spanish, which is the official language. Many Nicaraguans on the country's east coast speak Miskito or English at home, but most also speak Spanish.

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C

Religion

Since the Spanish conquest in the early 1500s, the great majority of Nicaraguans have been Roman Catholics. Protestant denominations have grown very rapidly in recent decades, however, and 12 percent of the population identifies itself as Protestant. The majority of these are Pentecostal churches, but there are many other groups, including Moravians, Baptists, and Seventh-day Adventists. Nicaragua’s constitution guarantees religious freedom.

D

Education

Before 1980 educational opportunities in Nicaragua were limited and, in rural areas, often unavailable. Adult literacy in 1971 was only 57 percent. In 1980 the Sandinista government launched a national literacy crusade, and spending on primary education more than doubled. Literacy rates climbed to 87 percent by 1985, and by 1990 the government claimed that virtually all children of primary age were enrolled in school. The 1987 constitution declared primary education free and obligatory, and schools were established in most rural areas.

However, education suffered during the warfare and economic problems of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Nicaragua remains a poorly educated nation. Education budgets declined in the late 1980s and remain low. Literacy rates have fallen sharply, to 81 percent. Many children who are enrolled in primary school rarely attend. Some 61 percent are reported to attend secondary school.

University enrollments almost tripled in the 1980s, but most students attend part-time, and many never graduate. Slightly over half of those enrolled in higher education are women. Nicaragua has two major universities, the National University in León, founded in 1812, and the Central American University in Managua, founded by the Catholic Church in 1961. In addition, there are several state technical universities, and six private universities opened in the 1990s.

E

Way of Life

A few elite families, descended primarily from Spanish settlers, dominate Nicaragua's economy and much of its political and cultural life. But nearly half of the country's people live in poverty.

Family relations are extremely important in Nicaraguan life, as they are in many other regions of Latin America. Extended family ties play a major role in determining status, political loyalties, jobs, and other opportunities. Nicaraguans feel a sense of responsibility toward family members. Many children grew up without fathers during the 1980s and 1990s as a result of the civil war that killed so many men. Many widows and their children lived with other family members. A system known as compadrazgo also creates important social and economic links between a child's family and his or her godparents. People call on their godparents for help finding jobs or getting through difficult times.

Women have made more progress in Nicaragua than they have in most of Central America, in part because of Sandinista efforts to organize them and in part because Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, elected in 1990, was the first woman to serve as president of a Central American nation. Women are active in politics, and women's groups are strong lobbying forces for various social issues.

Baseball is Nicaragua's national sport, reflecting U.S. influence. Cycling, basketball, volleyball, and soccer are also popular. The typical diet of the region is based on rice, beans, yucca, and tortillas. The nation is known for its variety of tropical fruits.

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