Capital: Managua
Administrative divisions: 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, North Atlantic Coast Autonomous Zone (RAAN), Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, South Atlantic Coast Autonomous Zone (RAAS)

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 9 January 1987

Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (since 25 April 1990); Vice President Virgilio GODOY Reyes (since 25 April 1990); election last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held November 1996); results - Violeta Barrios de CHAMORRO (UNO) 54.7%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 40.8%, other 4.5%
cabinet: Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional): elections last held on 25 February 1990 (next to be held November 1996); results - UNO 53.9%, FSLN 40.8%, PSC 1.6%, MUR 1.0%; seats - (92 total) UNO 41, FSLN 39, "Centrist" (Dissident UNO) 12

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema)

Political parties and leaders:
ruling coalition: National Opposition Union (UNO) is a 10-party alliance - moderate parties: National Conservative Party (PNC), Silviano MATAMOROS Lacayo, president; Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC), Jose Ernesto SOMARRIBA, Arnold ALEMAN; Christian Democratic Union (UDC), Luis Humberto GUZMAN, Agustin JARQUIN, Azucena FERREY, Roger MIRANDA, Francisco MAYORGA; National Democratic Movement (MDN), Roberto URROZ;
National Action Party (PAN), Duilio BALTODANO; UNO - hardline parties: Independent Liberal Party (PLI), Wilfredo NAVARRO,Virgilio GODOY Reyes; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Guillermo POTOY, Alfredo CESAR Aguirre, secretary general; Conservative Popular Alliance Party (PAPC), Myriam ARGUELLO; Communist Party of Nicaragua (PCdeN), Eli ALTIMIRANO Perez; Neo-Liberal Party (PALI), Adolfo GARCIA Esquivel
opposition parties: Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), Daniel ORTEGA; Central American Unionist Party (PUCA), Blanca ROJAS; Democratic Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCDN), Jose BRENES; Liberal Party of National Unity (PLUIN), Eduardo CORONADO; Movement of Revolutionary Unity (MUR), Francisco SAMPER; Social Christian Party (PSC), Erick RAMIREZ; Revolutionary Workers' Party (PRT), Bonifacio MIRANDA; Social Conservative Party (PSOC), Fernando AGUERRO; Popular Action Movement - Marxist-Leninist (MAP-ML), Isidro TELLEZ; Popular Social Christian Party (PPSC), Mauricio DIAZ
Other political or pressure groups: National Workers Front (FNT) is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions: Sandinista Workers' Central (CST); Farm Workers Association (ATC); Health Workers Federation (FETASALUD); National Union of Employees (UNE); National Association of Educators of Nicaragua (ANDEN); Union of Journalists of Nicaragua (UPN); Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations (CONAPRO); and the National Union of Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG); Permanent Congress of Workers (CPT) is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions: Confederation of Labor Unification (CUS); Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN-A); Independent General Confederation of Labor (CGT-I); and Labor Action and Unity Central (CAUS); Nicaraguan Workers' Central (CTN) is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP) is a confederation of business groups
Member of: BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), LORCS, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto MAYORGA Cortes
chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: (202) 939-6570
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador John MAISTO
embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur., Managua
mailing address: APO AA 34021
telephone: [505] (2) 666010 or 666013, 666015 through 18, 666026, 666027, 666032 through 34
FAX: [505] (2) 666046

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

NOTE: The information regarding Nicaragua on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Nicaragua Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Nicaragua Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.