--- title: Nicaragua — English Wikipedia · full text with trees · page 5 description: Wikipedia's «Nicaragua», whole, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics, CC BY-SA 4.0. It begins: Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is a country in Central America, comprising 130,370 km2. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/5/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/) / [en](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/) / Nicaragua # Nicaragua · page 5 From Wikipedia, [«Nicaragua»](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua), revision of the 2026-09-01 dump, [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). The trees and pragmatics of these pages, Mova's parse of that text, are CC BY-SA 4.0 too. [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/) [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/4/) **5** [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/6/) Every year about 60,000 U.S. citizens visit Nicaragua, primarily business people, tourists, and those visiting relatives.[\[239\]](../../page/6/#ref-239 "note 239")[384](../../384/ "tree and pragmatics") Some 5,300 people from the U.S. reside in Nicaragua.[385](../../385/ "tree and pragmatics") The majority of tourists who visit Nicaragua are from the U.S., Central or South America, and Europe.[386](../../386/ "tree and pragmatics") According to the Ministry of Tourism of Nicaragua (INTUR),[\[240\]](../../page/6/#ref-240 "note 240") the colonial cities of [León](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/León,_Nicaragua) and [Granada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granada,_Nicaragua) are the preferred spots for tourists.[387](../../387/ "tree and pragmatics") Also, the cities of [Masaya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaya), [Rivas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivas,_Nicaragua) and the likes of [San Juan del Sur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_del_Sur), [El Ostional](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Ostional), the [Fortress of the Immaculate Conception](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_the_Immaculate_Conception), [Ometepe Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ometepe_Island), the [Mombacho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mombacho) volcano, and the [Corn Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_Islands) among other locations are the main tourist attractions.[388](../../388/ "tree and pragmatics") In addition, [ecotourism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotourism), [sport fishing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreational_fishing) and [surfing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfing) attract many tourists to Nicaragua.[389](../../389/ "tree and pragmatics") According to the TV Noticias news program, the main attractions in Nicaragua for tourists are the beaches, the scenic routes, the architecture of cities such as León and Granada, [ecotourism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotourism), and [agritourism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agritourism) particularly in northern Nicaragua.[\[235\]](../../page/6/#ref-235 "note 235")[390](../../390/ "tree and pragmatics") As a result of increased tourism, Nicaragua has seen its [foreign direct investment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_direct_investment) increase by 79.1% from 2007 to 2009.[\[241\]](../../page/6/#ref-241 "note 241")[391](../../391/ "tree and pragmatics") Nicaragua is referred to as "the land of lakes and volcanoes" due to the number of lagoons and lakes, and the chain of volcanoes that runs from the north to the south along the country's Pacific side.[\[29\]](../../page/6/#ref-29 "note 29")[\[30\]](../../page/6/#ref-30 "note 30")[\[242\]](../../page/6/#ref-242 "note 242")[392](../../392/ "tree and pragmatics") Today, only 7 of the 50 volcanoes in Nicaragua are considered active.[393](../../393/ "tree and pragmatics") Many of these volcanoes offer some great possibilities for tourists with activities such as [hiking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiking), [climbing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climbing), [camping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camping), and [swimming](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_swimming) in crater lakes.[394](../../394/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apoyo_Lagoon_Natural_Reserve) was created by the eruption of the Apoyo Volcano about 23,000 years ago, which left a huge 7 km-wide crater that gradually filled with water.[395](../../395/ "tree and pragmatics") It is surrounded by the old crater wall.[\[243\]](../../page/6/#ref-243 "note 243")[396](../../396/ "tree and pragmatics") The rim of the lagoon is lined with restaurants, many of which have [kayaks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayaks) available.[397](../../397/ "tree and pragmatics") Besides exploring the forest around it, many water sports are practiced in the lagoon, most notably [kayaking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayaking).[\[244\]](../../page/6/#ref-244 "note 244")[398](../../398/ "tree and pragmatics") Sand skiing has become a popular attraction at the [Cerro Negro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_Negro) volcano in [León](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/León,_Nicaragua).[399](../../399/ "tree and pragmatics") Both dormant and active volcanoes can be climbed.[400](../../400/ "tree and pragmatics") Some of the most visited volcanoes include the [Masaya Volcano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaya_Volcano), [Momotombo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momotombo), [Mombacho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mombacho), [Cosigüina](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosigüina) and [Ometepe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ometepe)'s [Maderas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maderas) and [Concepción](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concepción_%28volcano%29).[401](../../401/ "tree and pragmatics") [Ecotourism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecotourism) aims to be ecologically and socially conscious; it focuses on local culture, wilderness, and adventure.[402](../../402/ "tree and pragmatics") Nicaragua's ecotourism is growing with every passing year.[\[245\]](../../page/6/#ref-245 "note 245")[403](../../403/ "tree and pragmatics") It boasts a number of ecotourist tours and perfect places for adventurers.[404](../../404/ "tree and pragmatics") Nicaragua has three eco-regions (the Pacific, Central, and Atlantic) which contain volcanoes, tropical rainforests, and agricultural land.[\[246\]](../../page/6/#ref-246 "note 246")[405](../../405/ "tree and pragmatics") The majority of the eco-lodges and other environmentally-focused touristic destinations are found on Ometepe Island,[\[247\]](../../page/6/#ref-247 "note 247") located in the middle of Lake Nicaragua just an hour's boat ride from Granada.[406](../../406/ "tree and pragmatics") While some are foreign-owned, others are owned by local families.[407](../../407/ "tree and pragmatics") ## Demographics Main article: [Nicaraguans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguans), [Demographics of Nicaragua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Nicaragua) - Population[408](../../408/ "tree and pragmatics") - Year; Pop.[409](../../409/ "tree and pragmatics") - 1850[\[248\]](../../page/6/#ref-248 "note 248"); 300,000[410](../../410/ "tree and pragmatics") - 1950; 1,300,000[411](../../411/ "tree and pragmatics") - 2000; 5,000,000[412](../../412/ "tree and pragmatics") - 2021; 6,850,000[413](../../413/ "tree and pragmatics") According to a 2014 research published in the journal Genetics and Molecular Biology, European ancestry predominates in 69% of Nicaraguans, followed by African ancestry in 20%, and lastly [indigenous ancestry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas) in 11%.[\[249\]](../../page/6/#ref-249 "note 249")[414](../../414/ "tree and pragmatics") A Japanese research of "Genomic Components in America's demography" demonstrated that, on average, the ancestry of Nicaraguans is 58–62% European, 28% Native Nicaraguan, and 14% African, with a very small Near Eastern contribution.[\[250\]](../../page/6/#ref-250 "note 250")[415](../../415/ "tree and pragmatics") Non-genetic data from the [CIA World Factbook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_World_Factbook) establish that from Nicaragua's 2016 population of 5,966,798, around 69% are [mestizo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mestizo), 17% [white](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Latin_Americans), 5% Native Nicaraguan, and 9% [black](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Latin_Americans) and other races.[\[15\]](../../page/6/#ref-15 "note 15")[416](../../416/ "tree and pragmatics") This fluctuates with changes in migration patterns.[417](../../417/ "tree and pragmatics") The population is 58% urban as of 2013.[\[251\]](../../page/6/#ref-251 "note 251")[418](../../418/ "tree and pragmatics") The capital [Managua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managua) [corpus](../../../Managua/ "in our corpus") is the biggest city, with an estimated population of 1,042,641 in 2016.[\[252\]](../../page/6/#ref-252 "note 252")[419](../../419/ "tree and pragmatics") In 2005, over 5 million people lived in the Pacific, Central and North regions, and 700,000 in the Caribbean region.[\[253\]](../../page/6/#ref-253 "note 253")[420](../../420/ "tree and pragmatics") There is a growing expatriate community,[\[254\]](../../page/6/#ref-254 "note 254") the majority of whom move for business, investment or retirement from across the world, such as from the United States, Canada, Taiwan, and European countries; the majority have settled in Managua, [Granada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granada,_Nicaragua) and [San Juan del Sur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_del_Sur).[421](../../421/ "tree and pragmatics") Many [Nicaraguans live abroad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_Diaspora), particularly in Costa Rica, the United States, Spain, Canada, and other Central American countries.[\[255\]](../../page/6/#ref-255 "note 255")[422](../../422/ "tree and pragmatics") Nicaragua has a population growth rate of 1.5% as of 2013.[\[256\]](../../page/6/#ref-256 "note 256")[423](../../423/ "tree and pragmatics") This is the result of one of the highest [birth rates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_rate) in the [Western Hemisphere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Hemisphere): 17.7 per 1,000 as of 2017.[\[257\]](../../page/6/#ref-257 "note 257")[424](../../424/ "tree and pragmatics") The death rate was 4.7 per 1,000 during the same period according to the United Nations.[\[258\]](../../page/6/#ref-258 "note 258")[425](../../425/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Ethnic groups The majority of the Nicaraguan population is composed of mestizos, roughly 69%, while 17% of Nicaragua's population is white,[\[259\]](../../page/6/#ref-259 "note 259") with the majority of them being of Spanish descent, while others are of German, Italian, English, Danish or French ancestry.[426](../../426/ "tree and pragmatics") #### Europeans European immigration to Nicaragua began in 1524 when [Francisco Hernández de Córdoba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Hernández_de_Córdoba_%28founder_of_Nicaragua%29) founded the cities of [León](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/León,_Nicaragua) and [Granada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granada,_Nicaragua).[427](../../427/ "tree and pragmatics") From 1527 to 1821, Nicaragua was a province in the [Captaincy General of Guatemala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captaincy_General_of_Guatemala), thus most of the immigrants were from [Spain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain) [corpus](../../../Spain/ "in our corpus") during this period.[\[260\]](../../page/6/#ref-260 "note 260")[428](../../428/ "tree and pragmatics") In the late 19th century, the Nicaraguan government started to offer land to European immigrants from Germany and nearby countries in an attempt to promote their [coffee industry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_production_in_Nicaragua).[\[261\]](../../page/6/#ref-261 "note 261")[429](../../429/ "tree and pragmatics") The [fincas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finca) were located mostly in rural [Matagalpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matagalpa_Department) and [Jinotega](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinotega_Department) departments, where the high altitudes are suitable for [coffee production](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_production).[430](../../430/ "tree and pragmatics") These settlers eventually grew to be dominant with the majority of large fincas in these two departments owned by people with a foreign migration background by 1909.[\[261\]](../../page/6/#ref-261 "note 261")[431](../../431/ "tree and pragmatics") People from other parts of Europe also settled in Nicaragua after independence, specifically people from [Italy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy) [corpus](../../../Italy/ "in our corpus"), although they were concentrated in urban environments.[432](../../432/ "tree and pragmatics") Today, the majority of white and mestizo Nicaraguans are of Spanish descent, about 75% of the total European admixture.[\[262\]](../../page/6/#ref-262 "note 262")[433](../../433/ "tree and pragmatics") #### Black Creoles About 9% of Nicaragua's population is [black](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Latin_Americans) and mainly resides on the country's Caribbean (or Atlantic) coast.[434](../../434/ "tree and pragmatics") The black population is mostly composed of black English-speaking Creoles who are the descendants of escaped or shipwrecked slaves; many carry the name of [Scottish settlers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_settlers) who brought slaves with them, such as [Campbell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_%28surname%29), [Gordon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_%28surname%29), [Downs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downs_%28surname%29), and [Hodgson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodgson).[435](../../435/ "tree and pragmatics") Although many Creoles supported Somoza because of his close association with the United States, they rallied to the Sandinista cause in July 1979, only to reject the revolution soon afterwards in response to a new phase of "westernization" and imposition of central rule from Managua.[\[263\]](../../page/6/#ref-263 "note 263")[436](../../436/ "tree and pragmatics") There is a smaller number of [Garifuna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_people), a people of mixed [West African](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_African), [Carib](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_Carib) and [Arawak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arawak) descent.[437](../../437/ "tree and pragmatics") In the mid-1980s, the government divided the [Zelaya Department](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelaya_Department) – consisting of the eastern half of the country – into two autonomous regions and granted the black and indigenous people of this region limited self-rule within the republic.[438](../../438/ "tree and pragmatics") #### Indigenous population The remaining 5% of Nicaraguans are indigenous, the descendants of the country's original inhabitants.[439](../../439/ "tree and pragmatics") Nicaragua's [pre-Columbian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Columbian) population consisted of many indigenous groups.[440](../../440/ "tree and pragmatics") In the western region, the Nahuas ([Nicarao people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicarao_people)) were present along with other groups such as the Chorotega people and the [Subtiabas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtiaba) (also known as Maribios or Hokan Xiu).[441](../../441/ "tree and pragmatics") The central region and the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua were inhabited by indigenous peoples who were [Macro-Chibchan language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro-Chibchan_languages) groups that had migrated to and from South America in ancient times, primarily what is now [Colombia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia) [corpus](../../../Colombia/ "in our corpus") and [Venezuela](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela) [corpus](../../../Venezuela/ "in our corpus").[\[264\]](../../page/6/#ref-264 "note 264")[\[265\]](../../page/6/#ref-265 "note 265")[442](../../442/ "tree and pragmatics") These groups include the present-day [Matagalpas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacaopera_people), [Miskitos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miskito_people), [Ramas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama_people), as well as Mayangnas and Ulwas who are also known as [Sumos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumo_people).[\[266\]](../../page/6/#ref-266 "note 266")[\[55\]](../../page/6/#ref-55 "note 55")[443](../../443/ "tree and pragmatics") In the 19th century, there was a substantial indigenous minority, but this group was largely assimilated culturally into the mestizo majority.[444](../../444/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Garifuna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna) and [Miskito Sambu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miskito_Sambu) are also present, mainly on the Caribbean Coast.[445](../../445/ "tree and pragmatics") They are of mixed African and Indigenous descent, also known as [Zambos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zambos)..[\[267\]](../../page/6/#ref-267 "note 267")[446](../../446/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Immigration Main article: [Immigration to Nicaragua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Nicaragua) - Country; Population[447](../../447/ "tree and pragmatics") - 1; 13,110[448](../../448/ "tree and pragmatics") - 2; 11,281[449](../../449/ "tree and pragmatics") - 3; 3,775[450](../../450/ "tree and pragmatics") - 4; 2,557[451](../../451/ "tree and pragmatics") - 5; 1,843[452](../../452/ "tree and pragmatics") - Source: Datos Macro (2020)[\[268\]](../../page/6/#ref-268 "note 268")[453](../../453/ "tree and pragmatics") Relative to its population, Nicaragua has not experienced large waves of immigration.[454](../../454/ "tree and pragmatics") The number of immigrants in Nicaragua, from other Latin American countries or other countries, never surpassed 1% of its total population before 1995.[455](../../455/ "tree and pragmatics") The 2005 census showed the foreign-born population at 1.2%, having risen a mere 0.06% in 10 years.[\[253\]](../../page/6/#ref-253 "note 253")[456](../../456/ "tree and pragmatics") In the 19th century, Nicaragua experienced modest waves of immigration from Europe.[457](../../457/ "tree and pragmatics") In particular, families from Germany, Italy, Spain, France and Belgium immigrated to Nicaragua, particularly the departments in the Central and Pacific region.[458](../../458/ "tree and pragmatics") Also present is a small Middle Eastern-Nicaraguan community of [Syrians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrians), [Armenians](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenians), [Jewish Nicaraguans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_of_Nicaragua), and [Lebanese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_people) in Nicaragua.[459](../../459/ "tree and pragmatics") This community numbers about 30,000.[460](../../460/ "tree and pragmatics") There is an East Asian community mostly consisting of [Chinese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Chinese).[461](../../461/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Chinese Nicaraguan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Nicaraguan) population is estimated at 12,000.[\[269\]](../../page/6/#ref-269 "note 269")[462](../../462/ "tree and pragmatics") The Chinese arrived in the late 19th century but were unsubstantiated until the 1920s.[463](../../463/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Diaspora Main article: [Nicaraguan diaspora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_diaspora) The [Nicaraguan Revolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_Revolution) forced many Nicaraguans to start lives outside of their country.[464](../../464/ "tree and pragmatics") Many people emigrated during the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century due to the lack of employment opportunities and poverty.[465](../../465/ "tree and pragmatics") The majority of the [Nicaraguan Diaspora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_Diaspora) migrated to the United States and [Costa Rica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rica) [corpus](../../../Costa_Rica/ "in our corpus").[466](../../466/ "tree and pragmatics") Today one in six Nicaraguans live in these two countries.[\[270\]](../../page/6/#ref-270 "note 270")[467](../../467/ "tree and pragmatics") The diaspora has seen Nicaraguans settling around in smaller communities in other parts of the world, particularly Western Europe.[468](../../468/ "tree and pragmatics") Small communities of Nicaraguans are found in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.[469](../../469/ "tree and pragmatics") Communities also exist in Australia and New Zealand.[470](../../470/ "tree and pragmatics") Canada, Brazil and Argentina host small groups of these communities.[471](../../471/ "tree and pragmatics") In Asia, Japan hosts a small Nicaraguan community.[472](../../472/ "tree and pragmatics") Due to extreme poverty at home, many Nicaraguans are now living and working in neighboring [El Salvador](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Salvador) [corpus](../../../El_Salvador/ "in our corpus"), a country that has the [US dollar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar) as its currency.[\[271\]](../../page/6/#ref-271 "note 271")[\[272\]](../../page/6/#ref-272 "note 272")[473](../../473/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Languages Main article: [Languages of Nicaragua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Nicaragua) [Nicaraguan Spanish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_Spanish) has many indigenous influences and several distinguishing characteristics.[474](../../474/ "tree and pragmatics") For example, some Nicaraguans have a tendency to replace [/s/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_alveolar_sibilant) with [/h/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiceless_glottal_fricative) when speaking.[475](../../475/ "tree and pragmatics") Although Spanish is spoken throughout, the country has great variety: vocabulary, accents and colloquial language can vary between towns and departments.[\[273\]](../../page/6/#ref-273 "note 273")[476](../../476/ "tree and pragmatics") [Nicaraguan Sign Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_Sign_Language) emerged in the 1970s and 1980s among deaf children as the first special education schools brought them together, and its emergence became of particular interest to linguists as an opportunity to directly observe the creation of a language.[\[274\]](../../page/6/#ref-274 "note 274")[\[275\]](../../page/6/#ref-275 "note 275")[\[276\]](../../page/6/#ref-276 "note 276")[477](../../477/ "tree and pragmatics") On the [Caribbean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbean) coast, indigenous languages, [English-based creoles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English-based_creole_languages), and Spanish are spoken.[478](../../478/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Miskito language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miskito_language), spoken by the [Miskito people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miskito_people) as a first language and some other indigenous and Afro-descendants people as a second, third, or fourth language, is the most commonly spoken indigenous language.[479](../../479/ "tree and pragmatics") The indigenous [Misumalpan languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misumalpan_languages) of Mayangna and Ulwa are spoken by the respective peoples of the same names.[480](../../480/ "tree and pragmatics") Many Miskito, Mayangna, and Sumo people also speak [Miskito Coast Creole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miskito_Coast_Creole), and a large majority also speak Spanish.[481](../../481/ "tree and pragmatics") Fewer than three dozen of nearly 2,000 [Rama people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama_people) speak their [Chibchan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chibchan_languages) [language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama_language) fluently, with nearly all Ramas speaking [Rama Cay Creole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama_Cay_Creole) and the vast majority speaking Spanish.[482](../../482/ "tree and pragmatics") Linguists have attempted to document and revitalize the language over the past three decades.[\[277\]](../../page/6/#ref-277 "note 277")[483](../../483/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Garifuna people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_people), descendants of indigenous and Afro-descendant people who came to Nicaragua from Honduras in the early twentieth century, have recently attempted to revitalize their [Arawakan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arawakan_languages) [language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garifuna_language).[484](../../484/ "tree and pragmatics") The majority speak Miskito Coast Creole as their first language and Spanish as their second.[485](../../485/ "tree and pragmatics") The Creole or Kriol people, descendants of enslaved Africans brought to the [Mosquito Coast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_Coast) during the British colonial period and European, Chinese, Arab, and British West Indian immigrants, also speak Miskito Coast Creole as their first language and Spanish as their second.[\[278\]](../../page/6/#ref-278 "note 278")[486](../../486/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Religion Main article: [Religion in Nicaragua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Nicaragua) Religion plays a significant role in Nicaraguan culture and is afforded special protections in its [constitution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Nicaragua).[487](../../487/ "tree and pragmatics") [Religious freedom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion) (which has been guaranteed since 1939) and [religious tolerance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_tolerance) are officially promoted by the government, but, in recent years, the [Catholic Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church) and the regime led by [Daniel Ortega](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Ortega) have been in open conflict.[488](../../488/ "tree and pragmatics") The latter has been accused of using the police to harass clergy (including bishops),[\[279\]](../../page/6/#ref-279 "note 279") closing down Catholic media outlets, and arresting members of the clergy (including [Bishop Rolando Alvarez](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolando_José_Álvarez_Lagos) of the [Diocese of Matagalpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocese_of_Matagalpa)).[489](../../489/ "tree and pragmatics") Nicaragua has no official [state religion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_religion).[490](../../490/ "tree and pragmatics") Catholic bishops are expected to lend their authority to important state occasions, and their pronouncements on national issues are closely followed.[491](../../491/ "tree and pragmatics") They can be called upon to mediate between contending parties at moments of political crisis.[\[280\]](../../page/6/#ref-280 "note 280")[492](../../492/ "tree and pragmatics") In 1979, Miguel D'Escoto Brockman, a priest who had embraced [Liberation Theology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_Theology), served in the government as foreign minister when the Sandinistas came to power.[493](../../493/ "tree and pragmatics") The largest denomination, and traditionally the religion of the majority, is the [Catholic Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church).[494](../../494/ "tree and pragmatics") It came to Nicaragua in the 16th century with the Spanish conquest and remained, until 1939, the [established faith](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_religion).[495](../../495/ "tree and pragmatics") The number of practicing Catholics has been declining, while membership of [evangelical Protestant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelical_Protestant) groups and [the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints) (LDS Church) has been growing rapidly since the 1990s.[496](../../496/ "tree and pragmatics") There is a significant LDS missionary effort in Nicaragua.[497](../../497/ "tree and pragmatics") There are two missions and 95,768 members of the LDS Church (1.54% of the population).[\[281\]](../../page/6/#ref-281 "note 281")[498](../../498/ "tree and pragmatics") There are also strong [Anglican](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglicanism) and [Moravian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_Church) communities on the Caribbean coast in what once constituted the sparsely populated [Mosquito Coast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_Coast) colony.[499](../../499/ "tree and pragmatics") It was under British influence for nearly three centuries.[500](../../500/ "tree and pragmatics") [Protestantism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism) was brought to the [Mosquito Coast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_Coast) mainly by British and German colonists in forms of [Anglicanism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglicanism) and the [Moravian Church](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_Church).[501](../../501/ "tree and pragmatics") Other kinds of Protestant and other [Christian denominations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_denomination) were introduced to the rest of Nicaragua during the 19th century.[502](../../502/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/) [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/4/) **5** [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/6/) - ← previous: [page 4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/4/) - next →: [page 6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Nicaragua/page/6/) - ↑ back to [English Wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/)