Nicaragua

[ nik-uh-rah-gwuh ]

noun

1. a republic in Central America. 57,143 sq. mi. (148,000 sq. km). : Managua.
2. Lake. Spanish Lago de Nicaragua. a lake in SW Nicaragua. 92 miles (148 km) long; 34 miles (55 km) wide; 3,060 sq. mi. (7,925 sq. km).

Nicaragua

/ nikaˈraɣwa; ˌnɪkəˈræɡjʊə; -ɡwə /

noun

1. a republic in Central America, on the Caribbean and the Pacific: colonized by the Spanish from the 1520s; gained independence in 1821 and was annexed by Mexico, becoming a republic in 1838. Official language: Spanish. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: córdoba. Capital: Managua. Pop: 5 788 531 (2013 est). Area: 131 812 sq km (50 893 sq miles)
2. Lake Nicaragua
   a lake in SW Nicaragua, separated from the Pacific by an isthmus 19 km (12 miles) wide: the largest lake in Central America. Area: 8264 sq km (3191 sq miles)

Nicaragua

1. Republic in Central America , bordered by Honduras to the northwest and north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Its capital and largest city is Managua.

Notes

After fifty years of guerrilla warfare , the Marxist Sandinistas launched a civil war and assumed power in 1979.

General Anastasio Somoza established a military dictatorship in 1933. He was assassinated in 1956, but his sons continued the Somoza regime until 1979.

During the 1980s, the United States backed anti-Sandinista guerrillas called Contras ( see Iran-Contra Affair ). In 1990, the Sandinistas were defeated in free elections. In 1995, and again in 2001, opponents of the Sandinistas won elections to the nation's presidency.

Other Words From

• Nica·raguan noun adjective

Example Sentences

While rural, landless populations—such as the followers of guerrilla insurgent Augusto Sandino in Nicaragua in the 1920s—would occasionally rise up in popular resistance, more often than not these uprisings were suppressed in violent conflicts.

From Time

In the name of opposing communism, America allied itself with some nasty types from Indonesia to Nicaragua to Argentina.

From Ozy

When Hurricane Eta made landfall in Nicaragua last week, it may have been a Category 5 storm.

From Popular-Science

Hurricane Eta is currently on the same scale as Hurricane Mitch, a 1998 hurricane that had downgraded to a Category 1 level before hitting shore, but still dropped over 30 inches of rain on Honduras and Nicaragua.

From Popular-Science

These include India, Kenya, Nicaragua, Pakistan, the Philippines and Ukraine.

From Science News For Students

The refugees come from Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, and Puerto Rico.

From The Daily Beast

Nicaragua also is one of the safest countries in the region.

From The Daily Beast

He vows that it will create 250,000 jobs, lift Nicaragua out of poverty and make it the maritime capital of the world.

From The Daily Beast

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, and one of the most bio-diverse and beautiful.

From The Daily Beast

President of Costa Rica Oscar Arias laid a calming hand on 1980s El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama.

From The Daily Beast

The priest of Nicaragua with solemn mien strides up the aisle and lights the altar candles with the fire struck from his cigar.

From Project Gutenberg

These Huaves are said to have come originally from the south, from Nicaragua or Peru say some authors.

From Project Gutenberg

We do not condemn Nicaragua because we think Britain ought to be more Nicaraguan.

From Project Gutenberg

He saw, with his swimming eyes, red and yellow, the colours of Nicaragua.

From Project Gutenberg

Affairs in Nicaragua; discovery of gold; proceedings of Mr. Chatfield, the British consul, 557.

From Project Gutenberg