Nicaragua Government

What is the capital of Nicaragua?

Country Name	Nicaragua
Full Country Name	Republic of Nicaragua
Local - Long	República de Nicaragua
Local - Short	Nicaragua
Etymology- history of name	Nicarao was the name of the largest indigenous settlement at the time of Spanish arrival; conquistador Gil GONZALEZ Davila, who explored the area (1622-23), combined the name of the community with the Spanish word "agua" (water), referring to the two large lakes in the west of the country (Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua)
Government Type	presidential republic
Capital Name	Managua
Capital - geographic coordinate	12 08 N, 86 15 W
Capital Time Difference	UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National Holiday	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution	history: several previous; latest adopted 19 November 1986, effective 9 January 1987 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or assent of at least half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires approval by 60% of the membership of the next elected Assembly and promulgation by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2021

Nicaragua Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Nicaragua Government and Politics

Who is the president of Nicaragua?

Executive Branch:	chief of state: President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Rosario MURILLO Zambrana (since 10 January 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Rosario MURILLO Zambrana (since 10 January 2017) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified plurality vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 7 November 2021 (next to be held on 1 November 2026) election results: 2021: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president for a fourth consecutive term; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 75.9%, Walter ESPINOZA (PLC) 14.3%, Guillermo OSORNO (CCN) 3.3%, Marcelo MONTIEL (ALN) 3.1%, other 3.4% 2016: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president for a third consecutive term; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 72.4%, Maximino RODRIGUEZ (PLC) 15%, Jose del Carmen ALVARADO (PLI) 4.5%, Saturnino CERRATO Hodgson (ALN) 4.3%, other 3.7%
Citizenship Criteria:	citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent: yes dual citizenship recognized: no, except in cases where bilateral agreements exist residency requirement for naturalization: 4 years
Legal System:	civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
Suffrage:	16 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch:	description: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 statutory seats, current 91; 70 members in multi-seat constituencies, representing the country's 15 departments and 2 autonomous regions, and 20 members in a single nationwide constituency directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote; up to 2 seats reserved for the previous president and the runner-up candidate in the previous presidential election; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 7 November 2021 (next to be held on 1 November 2026) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FSLN 75, PLC 10, ALN 2, APRE 1, PLI 2, YATAMA 1; composition - men 45, women 46, percent of women 50.6%
Judicial Branch:	highest court(s): Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 16 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and constitutional chambers) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly to serve 5-year staggered terms subordinate courts: Appeals Court; first instance civil, criminal, and labor courts; military courts are independent of the Supreme Court
Regions or States:	15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Costa Caribe Norte, Costa Caribe Sur, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas
Political Parties and Leaders:	Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Carlos CANALES] Alternative for Change or AC (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) [Orlando Jose TARDENCILLA] Autonomous Liberal Party or PAL [Rene Margarito BELLO ROMERO] Caribbean Unity Movement or PAMUC [Armando Francisco ARISTA FLORES] Christian Unity Party or PUC (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) [Guillermo Daniel ORTEGA REYES] Citizens for Liberty or CxL [Carmella ROGERS AUMBURN]; note - barred from participating in the presidential election by the Supreme Electoral Council on 6 August 2021 Conservative Party or PC [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre] Democratic Restoration Party or PRD [Saturnino CERRATO]; note - canceled by the Supreme Electoral Council on 18 May 2021 Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Mario ASENSIO] Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Maria Haydee OSUNA] Moskitia Indigenous Progressive Movement or MOSKITIA PAWANKA (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) [Wycliff Diego BLANDON] Multiethnic Indigenous Party or PIM (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) [Carla Elvis WHITE HODGSON] Nationalist Liberal Party or PLN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) [Constantino Raul VELASQUEZ] Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Alejandro MEJIA Ferreti] Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or CCN [Guillermo OSORNO] Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) [Julio Cesar BLANDON SANCHEZ] Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra] Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Suyen BARAHONA Cuan]; note - canceled by the Supreme Electoral Council on 21 June 2008; in January 2021, they rebranded and now call themselves Democratic Renovation Union or UNAMOS Sons of Mother Earth or YATAMA [Brooklyn RIVERA] The New Sons of Mother Earth Movement or MYATAMARAN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) [Osorno Salomon COLEMAN]
International Law Organization Participation:	accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
International Organization Participation:	BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires M. Lautaro SANDINO Montes (since 23 February 2024) chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545 email address and website: mperalta@cancilleria.gob.ni consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic Representation from US:	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Kevin Michael O'REILLY (since 28 June 2023) embassy: Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: 3240 Managua Place, Washington DC 20521-3240 telephone: [505] 2252-7100, FAX: [505] 2252-7250 email address and website: ACS.Managua@state.gov https://ni.usembassy.gov/

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