Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and is approximately the size of New York State. It is often referred to by its people as ‘the land of lakes and volcanoes’, and has the largest freshwater lakes in Central America: Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua. These two lakes are joined by the Tipitapa River, which flows south into Lake Nicaragua.
Socio-economic conditions place Nicaragua as the poorest Central American country, and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, only after Haiti. According to UNICEF, 75% of Nicaraguans live below the poverty line. The unemployment rate in most parts of the country exceeds 70%. Cholera, typhoid, malaria, dengue, diarrhea, and respiratory diseases are of epidemic proportions. Less than 1/3 of children have access to potable water and 40% to basic sanitation. The diet of over 70% of Nicaraguans does not provide even 50% of nutritional needs—2/3 of children lack iron and Vitamin A and 40% are anemic. It is difficult to calculate infant mortality rates in Nicaragua, since over 60% of births are not registered.
