Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is a country located between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. This country is very rich in resources and natural formationsso it is known as land of lakes, volcanoes and beaches. Since 1520 the history of Nicaragua has been forged and diversified, it has explored different cultural, political and ideological aspects that join the natural wonders to bring us the best curiosities of Nicaragua. If you want to know more, join us in this new Supercurious article that we have compiled 20 curious facts about Nicaragua, for you to be surprised by this wonderful country.
Curious facts about Nicaragua that you should know
The history of Nicaragua is as interesting as its culture and biodiversity. Although it is the largest country in Central America, It is the one with the lowest population density. It has more than 130 thousand km² of surface, but its population is only 6.2 million inhabitants, which gives an average of 50 inhabitants per km². Curiously, in the capital, Managua, a density of 442 inhabitants per km² is reached, thus being a very important economic, political and cultural center for the country.
1. Why is it called Nicaragua?
The first of our curious facts about Nicaragua has to do with its name. According to most researchers, it comes from the language Nahuatl, from the expression “nic-anahuac” which would mean “the Anahuacs arrived here” or “land surrounded by water”, according to other versions. In addition to this, there are other hypotheses that say that it derives from the name of the indigenous leader Nícaro, who received the Spaniards next to a large lake. So, the name would come from Nícaro plus water; Nicaragua.
2. Nicaragua’s water resources
The best interesting facts about Nicaragua can be found in its various sources of water, The two most important lakes in the country are Lake Nicaragua or Cocibolca and Lake Managua or Xolotlán. Lake Nicaragua is the largest in Central America and the third in Latin America since it has an area of 8,264 square kilometers. In addition, the country is bathed by both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, to take advantage of all these water sources, it was thought to contact them through the Nicaragua canal; Although this project started in 2014, it has not been finished due to different controversies.
3. Bull sharks
Another of the most striking Nicaraguan curiosities has to do with one of these lakes. The lake Cocibolca is the only freshwater lake in the world where you can find sharks. According to a BBC articlethis phenomenon is due to the bull sharks going up to the lake through the San Juan River, swimming against the current, from the Caribbean Sea.
4. The Mogotón and the Momotombo
One of the curious facts of Nicaragua is the Mongotón. This mountain is the highest point in the country, since it has a height of 2,107 meters above sea level and its chasm shares a border with Honduras. The conditions of the Mongotón allow an enormous biodiversity to exist there and gives one of the best views of the country. In addition, another of the interesting facts about Nicaragua is the Momotombo, although it is not that high, since it rises to 1297 meters, it is one of the most recognized points in the country. It is a young volcano (4,500 years old) whose last eruption dates back to 1610.
5. The Masaya
Definitely, we cannot talk about the curiosities of Nicaragua without mentioning that the country has more than 70 protected areas and among them the “Masaya Volcano National Park” stands out, which covers an area of 54 square km and of which the Masaya, one of the 7 volcanoes that are still active in the country. This volcano has a crater called “Santiago” and a lava lake persists inside. Near that crater is the Cross of Bobadilla that according to legend protects one of the entrances to hell on Earth. If you want to know the legend, be sure to read the article: La Cruz de Bobadilla, 500 years guarding the entrance to hell.
6. What is your official currency?
One of the curious facts about Nicaragua is that the official currency there is the “Córdoba”.. It began to be used in 1912 and owes its name to the second surname of the Spanish conquistador Francisco Hernández de Córdoba who founded the cities of Santiago de Granada and León Santiago de los Caballeros in the country.
7. About your typical food
The typical Nicaraguan food It also presents a wide range of flavors and preparations. One of the national dishes is the “Gallo Pinto”. In it, white rice is combined with some small red beans. However, the staple food of Nicaraguans is corn. They eat it mostly in the form of Nacatales, which are corn balls stuffed with vegetables and cooked wrapped in banana leaves, although they also use it in sweet sandwiches.
8. León Viejo and the Cathedral of León
Another of the interesting facts about Nicaragua is that there you will find two enclaves declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: León Viejo and the Cathedral of León. The first is one of the oldest colonial settlements that exist in America and its ruins date back to the 16th century. The second is the Cathedral of León, built between 1747 and 1814, and which is the largest in Central America.
9. The Mosquito Coast
The Caribbean coast of Nicaragua is swampy and is called “Mosquito Coast”. The name is another of the curiosities of Nicaragua; It is not because of the insects, but because of the tribes that inhabited this area ancestrally. It was the land of the “Misquitos” and possibly by metonymy and transliteration, the Spanish called that coastal strip the “Costa de los Mosquitos” instead of the “Costa de los Miskitos”. It is the area of the country that receives the greatest amount of rain.
10. What does your flag represent?
The Nicaraguan flag is made up of three symbolic stripes: the two outer ones are cobalt blue and the central one is white. Blue symbolizes justice, courage, loyalty, strength and brotherhood, but also the blue of the sky and the color of its wonderful lakes: Xolotlán and Cocibolca, as well as the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. White symbolizes purity, peace, integrity and other spiritual values, which characterize the history of Nicaragua.
11. Ometepe Island
It is not surprising that we continue to find curious facts about Nicaragua in Lake Cocilcaba, even the conquistadors called it “The Sea of Sweet Water”. Within this lake we can find two volcanoes and more than 400 islets and three islands, among them, Ometepe Island which has been classified as the largest volcanic island within a lake in the world.
12. The nameless streets of Managua
One of the most peculiar curiosities of Nicaragua is that most of the streets in Managua do not have names or any nomenclature. However, citizens have devised different ways and reference points to indicate any meeting point. To reference places, you can use anything from recognized monuments to simpler things like trees and bars.
13. Sports
One of the interesting facts about Nicaragua is that there The sport par excellence is baseball. although the acclaimed soccer has been gaining popularity in recent years. After baseball, boxing is the second favorite sport.
14. Ruben Dario
If you are a lover of literature and poetry, surely you know some Ruben Dario quotes, the acclaimed poet of the 20th century. This celebrity gives us several curious facts about Nicaragua. First of all, his hometown, Metapa, officially changed its name to Ciudad Dario on February 25, 1920. Secondly, he left a great legacy in the history of Nicaragua by being known as “the prince of Castilian letters” and the “father of modernism”.
15. The Torch of Liberty
The next of our curiosities is about the history of Nicaragua, this country became independent from Spain in 1821 on September 15 and to celebrate it the Nicaraguans take out the well-known torch of freedom that makes a journey that goes from Guatemala to Costa Rica. This tour is carried out by various people, such as schools and public institutions. It serves as commemoration of the tour that was made announcing the independence of Central America.
16. Joy for life
Among the curiosities of Nicaragua we come across the Carnival “Joy for life”, this is the festival The most important event in the country, it is held every year in the city of Managua. With more than 200 floats and more than 400 activities, from the different regions of the country, Nicaraguan culture is celebrated through different artistic manifestations, such as dance, music, clothing and food. In each new version thousands of people come to this festival full of music and color.
If you are in the mood to celebrate, we share these phrases of joyshare them with all your relatives.
17. About the capital
As we have mentioned, Managua has been the capital since 1858, however, the history of Nicaragua tells us that this was not planned that way. Interestingly, this happened after the liberators and conservatives reached an agreement after great and long conflicts. The Nicaraguan cities that were in dispute to be the capital were León and Granada.
18. Footprints of Acahualinca
Among the curious facts of Nicaragua, the traces of Acahualinca have caught our attention, because they are about human footprints that have become fossilized near Lake Managua. It is believed that these were formed between 232 and 8 BC. C. and were discovered in 1847. These footprints are one of the oldest evidence of prehistoric human existence in America.
19. What are Nicaraguans called?
Although it is true that the name of the country’s inhabitants is Nicaraguan, they are also known in other ways. The first one is unique in that it is simply an abbreviation, but to these They are also often called pinorelos, due to their high consumption of Pinol, a corn powder that is used for breading.
20. Land of Stars
We end our list of interesting facts about Nicaragua with a curiosity that lovers of the stars will love. From the earth it is possible to see some 88 constellations, and 86 of them are possible to see from Nicaragua. Amazing!
Other Curiosities of America | By Countries
Do you want to discover more curiosities of America? So, explore the following list with the most amazing information on the American continent distributed by country. Expand your knowledge and let yourself be amazed!
What have you thought about these curious facts about Nicaragua? The beauty, wealth and history of Nicaragua is splendid and fascinating despite being a country hit by earthquakes, volcanoes and hurricanes. Surely you have been wanting to know this wonderful country. If you know of any other curiosity about Nicaragua, do not hesitate to share it with us. We will be happy to read you! 😊