The 1979 Sandinista revolution brought great progress in land redistribution, health and education - but had little chance withstanding US imposed trade sanctions and the US-sponsored Contra's counter-revolution.
Ten years of civil war left the economy and infrastructure in tatters. The Sandinistas lost the 1990 presidential elections and, though the advent of peace brought some economic growth, Nicaragua's economy continued to struggle throughout the 1990s.
In 1998, Hurricane Mitch left 3,000 dead and hundreds of thousands homeless.
ActionAid in Nicaragua
ActionAid supports the work of our Spanish sister organisation, Ayuda en Acción, in Nicaragua.
The main focus of our work is to improve health, education, livelihoods and access to safe water. We assist farmers, build and renovate schools, train teachers and healthcare workers, and establish gardens to provide medicinal plants.
We work closely with communities, especially women and children, to help them take charge of their own development and destiny.
"I work very hard every single day and I can say that it is practically impossible to better a family situation in a place like Kukra Hill if there is no kind of financial assistance for poor people to work... Today my family is on the right track to real progress and prosperity, because ActionAid is helping our children to get an education and is helping parents to generate a sustainable income."
Juan Gaitan, 31, farmer and head of a family of nine
Essential Stats
| Nicaragua | Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6.34 million (2009) | 21.5 million (2009) |
| Area | 120,340 km2 | 7,703,581 km2 |
| Gross Domestic Product (GDP) | $8.433 billion (2009) | $970.6 billion (2009) |
| GDP per capita | $1,332 (2009) | $44,958 (2009) |
| Human Development Index | 0.71 (2006) | 0.965 (2006) |
| Life Expectancy (male/female) | 70/76 (2005-2010) | 79/84 (2005-2010) |
| Adult Literacy % | 76.7 (1995-2005) |
99 (1995-2005) |
SOURCES: IMF, UN Data, HDI, UN Statistics
