Nicaragua- a Country in Crisis
Nicaragua: A Nation in Crisis
Marbely L. Robison
Strayer University
Abstract
Nicaragua suffers from serious social problems, aggravated by warfare and economic crises. The economic crisis of the 1980s, coupled with the Contra War, has worsened the greatest social problems Nicaragua has faced in the past few decades, namely unemployment, poverty and starvation. Widespread poverty and unemployment have lead to housing shortages, malnutrition and rising crime and illiteracy. More than half of Nicaraguans live in poverty; the statistics for unemployment and underemployment are just as high.
Nicaragua – A Nation in Crisis
Nicaragua is a land of lakes and volcanoes. The country also boasts the longest rivers, vast coastal lagoons, and hundreds of miles of sea coast. Although a beautiful country, Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with Haiti being the first. Nicaragua faces three main social problems: unemployment, poverty, and starvation.
Unemployment
Nicaragua 's unemployment hovers around 70 percent, the highest in Latin America. Because of the uneven distribution of wealth, as well as the economic and political commotions, the poor have even suffered during periods of economic growth. Nicaragua’s economic crisis left the country in terrible straits. After years of hyperinflation, salaries have become nonexistent. Many Nicaraguans are forced to supplement their so-called salaries by working in the black market or as street vendors and taxicab drivers. The economic situation in Nicaragua has been getting better. The country has been following an International Monetary Fund program, with the goal of creating more jobs, decreasing poverty and opening the economy to foreign trade. Many international organizations have also stepped in to help out. In 2011, the United Nation classified Nicaragua as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country, and forgave some of the country 's foreign debt.
Marbely L. Robison
Strayer University
Abstract
Nicaragua suffers from serious social problems, aggravated by warfare and economic crises. The economic crisis of the 1980s, coupled with the Contra War, has worsened the greatest social problems Nicaragua has faced in the past few decades, namely unemployment, poverty and starvation. Widespread poverty and unemployment have lead to housing shortages, malnutrition and rising crime and illiteracy. More than half of Nicaraguans live in poverty; the statistics for unemployment and underemployment are just as high.
Nicaragua – A Nation in Crisis
Nicaragua is a land of lakes and volcanoes. The country also boasts the longest rivers, vast coastal lagoons, and hundreds of miles of sea coast. Although a beautiful country, Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with Haiti being the first. Nicaragua faces three main social problems: unemployment, poverty, and starvation.
Unemployment
Nicaragua 's unemployment hovers around 70 percent, the highest in Latin America. Because of the uneven distribution of wealth, as well as the economic and political commotions, the poor have even suffered during periods of economic growth. Nicaragua’s economic crisis left the country in terrible straits. After years of hyperinflation, salaries have become nonexistent. Many Nicaraguans are forced to supplement their so-called salaries by working in the black market or as street vendors and taxicab drivers. The economic situation in Nicaragua has been getting better. The country has been following an International Monetary Fund program, with the goal of creating more jobs, decreasing poverty and opening the economy to foreign trade. Many international organizations have also stepped in to help out. In 2011, the United Nation classified Nicaragua as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country, and forgave some of the country 's foreign debt.
References: (2012) Nicaragua: A Country at a Glance. The World Bank Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/nicaragua (2012) Nicaragua: Country Specific Information. Travel State Gov. Retrieved from http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_985.html (2010). Nicaragua. The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2010. World Almanac Books. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.com (2009). Nicaragua. Compton 's by Britannica, v 6.0. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.co