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The United States supported the Conservative forces in 1909 when they rebelled against President Zelaya, who executed 500 revolutionary fighters. The U.S. sent warships to the region.
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In 1912 the United States sent a small marine detachment to help support the conservative government. This marine detachment was there from 1912 to 1933.
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For a nine month period in 1925 the U.S. withdrew its forces from Nicaragua, but conflict began again and the U.S. returned.
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In 1933 the U.S. troops withdrew from Nicaragua after having fought guerrilla leader Gen. Cesar Augusto Sandino and his men for six years.
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Political turmoil has continued in Nicaragua, despite efforts to bring peace to the region and put an end to the civil unrest.
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The climate in Nicaragua is tropical in the lowlands and it gets cooler in the highlands.
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Natural resources in Nicaragua include fish, timber, zinc, lead, copper, gold, and silver.
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Nicaragua is susceptible to natural disasters such as volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and landslides.
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Nicaragua has many volcanoes including Cerro Negro (erupted in 1999), Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Telica, San Cristobal, Momotombo, and Masaya.
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Nicaragua is home to the largest freshwater body of water in Central America - Lago de Nicaragua.
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Nicaragua has a high risk for dengue fever and malaria, as well as typhoid fever, hepatitis A, and other waterborne or foodborne diseases.
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The Caribbean coast of Nicaragua is often referred to as the 'Mosquito Coast' because it is swampy and the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos.
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The Bryan-Chamorro Treaty, signed in 1916, gave the United States an option to build a canal through Nicaragua. The treaty was terminated in 1970.
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Nicaragua's capital city is Managua, which was almost entirely destroyed in 1972 when an earthquake hit.
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Pittsburgh Pirates baseball star was killed when his plane crashed en route to Nicaragua to deliver aid after the 1972 earthquake. He decided he needed to make the trip because previous shipments of aid were not reaching the people it was intended for.
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Nicaragua is home to 183 mammal species, more than 700 bird species, 640 fish species, 248 amphibian and reptile species, and more than 5795 different plant species.
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Tourism is an important industry in Nicaragua, which has led to positive impacts on the construction, commercial, agricultural, and financial industries in recent years. Approximately 60,000 Americans visit Nicaragua as tourists each year.
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Popular tourist destinations in Nicaragua include Granada, Leon, the Corn Islands, Mombacho Volcano, San Juan del Sur, and Ometepe, among other places.
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