Geography
Nicaragua's favorite nickname for itself - The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes - is indication enough of its geography, which is indeed dominated by two great lakes and a chain of striking volcanoes. Nicaragua occupies a landmass of 50,567 square miles, comparable to that of Greece or the state of Alabama.
Nicaragua is surrounded by the Caribbean Plate, and oceanic tectonic plate underlying Central America and the Cocos Plate. Since Central America is a major subduction zone, Nicaragua hosts most of the Central American Volcanic Arc.
Nicaragua has three distinct geographical regions: the Pacific lowlands, fertile valleys which the Spanish colonists settled, the Amerrisque Mountains (North-central highlands), and the Mosquito Coast (Atlantic lowlands).
Nicaragua is surrounded by the Caribbean Plate, and oceanic tectonic plate underlying Central America and the Cocos Plate. Since Central America is a major subduction zone, Nicaragua hosts most of the Central American Volcanic Arc.
Nicaragua has three distinct geographical regions: the Pacific lowlands, fertile valleys which the Spanish colonists settled, the Amerrisque Mountains (North-central highlands), and the Mosquito Coast (Atlantic lowlands).