Short facts about the geography of Nicaragua

Location:

Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:

13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  129,494 sq km land:  120,254 sq km water:  9,240 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than the state of New York

Land boundaries:

total:  1,231 km border countries:  Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline:

910 km

Maritime claims:

continental shelf:  natural prolongation territorial sea:  200 NM

Climate:

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:

extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:  Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:

gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use:

arable land:  9% permanent crops:  1% permanent pastures:  46% forests and woodland:  27% other:  17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

880 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and occasionally severe hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; Hurricane Mitch damage

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Environmental Modification

Source: World Factbook