155 W. 72 Street, #402
New York, NY 10023
Tel: 917-776-4246
Fax: 212-531-1921
 info@tipitapa.org

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and is approximately the size of New York State.  It also has the largest freshwater lakes in Central America: Lake Managua (30 miles long and 14 miles wide) and Lake Nicaragua (about 100 miles long and 45 miles wide). These two lakes are joined by the Tipitapa River, which flows south into Lake Nicaragua.  Because of years of industrial pollution, Lake Managua is often referred to as a “dead”, highly toxic lake. 

Socio-economic conditions place Nicaragua as the poorest Central American country.  In 2000, it was reported that 87.4% of all Nicaraguans live in poverty, of whom 37.4% barely subsist in extreme poverty.  The unemployment rate in most parts of the country exceeds 70%.  Cholera, typhoid, malaria, dengue, diarrhea, and respiratory diseases are of epidemic proportions.  Less than 1/3 of children have access to potable water and 40% to basic sanitation.  The diet of over 70% of Nicaraguans does not provide even 50% of nutritional needs—2/3 of children lack iron and Vitamin A and 40% are anemic.  It is difficult to calculate infant mortality rates since 40% of births are not registered due to cost.  Close 1/2 of children do not have access to primary education since no longer free public education costs $10 per month per children—which represents a major proportion of income.