Background: The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
May 3rd 2008Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Isla de Ometepe » Santo Domingo isla de ometepe, island constituated of two active volcanoes that have joined. a little piece of paradise, very relaxed, very calm, hammock life! a little too calm for natasha. we stayed in a farm, wh ... 33 photos[full story]
December 22nd 2007Central America Caribbean » Nicaragua » Isla de Ometepe » Santo Domingo Hello again everyone!
I hope you're all feeling suitably festive and are not having to return to work for a few days. The sun is beating down fiercely here and I've never felt less Christmassy! (Bu ... 22 photos[full story]
Map of Nicaragua
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