What is the Capital of Nicaragua? Nicaragua’s capital is Managua. Located in the west of Nicaragua, Managua is the largest city in the country. Established on the south-west of Lake Managua, it is a city in greenery with the wonderful natural scenery. Especially with the mobility of social life, it is like the cultural capital of the country.
When did Managua Become the Capital?
Founded in 1819, the city’s main objective was to serve as a rural fishing village. The efforts of Managua to become Nicaragua’s capital city began in 1824, after officially obtaining the independence of Central American nations from Spain.
Managua’s position between León and Granada’s rival cities made it a logical and ideal compromise area. The city was built in the 1850s when an indigenous community was found. In 1852 it was declared the national capital.
The city witnessed the rise and fall of political forces throughout Nicaragua’s history and suffered catastrophic earthquakes in 1931 and 1972. 1979 Nicaraguan Civil War further demolished the city and economy to overthrow the Somoza Regime and the 1980s Contra War. Even worse, a series of natural catastrophes, including Hurricane Mitch in 1998, further complicated economic recovery. After winning the 1990 elections, the National Opposition Union began to rebuild Managua seriously. In 2006, after the Sandinista National Liberation Front came to power again, literacy, health, and reconstruction programs were expanded.
Features of Managua
It has a population of 2.20 million according to 2016 data. The surface area is 267.2 square kilometers. It also has a tropical climate, as it is in the western part of Nicaragua. The average temperature ranges from 28 to 32 degrees Celsius. There is no precipitation between November and April. Rainfalls occur mostly between May and October. The highest temperatures are in March and April.
Managua is home to many major national and international companies. Managua is also home to all major banks of the country. Many national and international companies operate in the city, which is based on the economy of trade. The number of factories that produce various products such as beer, coffee, textile, shoes is also quite high.
Important Places to See in Managua
In Managua, a wonderful city with wall paintings filled with fabulous nature and streets, you have many choices from cultural heritage to natural parks, from markets set on curved streets to beaches. At the beginning of the places to see are; Masaya Crater, Old Cathedral of Managua and Chocoyero-El Brujo Natural Reserve.