Explore Nicaragua

We just finished exploring Mexico and now we are headed a bit further south to the Central American country Nicaragua. I am very excited to explore Nicaragua (Nica for short) with you the next 4 weeks for a number of reasons. The top reason being that I will actually be flying to Nicaragua in a couple weeks!

I will be spending 1 week in Nicaragua on a missions trip to deliver backpacks and school supplies to children in villages. Some members of our team will be conducting physical therapy clinics for the disabled. While the clinics are happening I will be translating and organizing activities with children while their relatives are in therapy.

There is so much I want to share with you! I won’t have internet access most of the time I am gone, but I will be writing and snapping photos like crazy and will then post as much as I can as soon as I get connected to wifi.

So let’s take a look at the Nicaraguan flag, a map and some country facts so we can find out more about this fabulous country I will soon be visiting!

Country Facts

1. Size: 50,336 sq. miles

2. Population: 5,788,531

3. Capital City: Managua

4. Largest Religion: Christian 97.32% (Operation World)

5. Currency: Nicaraguan Córdoba

6. Language: Spanish (official)

7. Highest Point: Mogoton at 2,438 meters

8. Masaya Volcano National Park became Nicaragua’s 1st national park in 1979. The park includes 2 volcanoes and 5 craters. I visited Masaya a couple of years ago. I had to stay in the visitor’s area because my infant son was with me and it is not good for babies or people with poor lung conditions to go near all the fumes at the rim of the crater. Masaya is the only volcano in the western hemisphere where people are able to drive to the rim.

9. Since the 1979 revolution, 16 year old children have been able to vote in Nicaraguan elections. This is one of the lowest voting ages in the world.

10. Three of Nicaragua’s national symbols are:

• The Guardabarranco – National Bird – This bird has the most amazing tail! I lived in Nicaragua for 4 1/2 months when we adopted our son. I used to take walks around our neighborhood and I absolutely loved spotting this bird amidst the trees!
• Nicaragua’s Coat of Arms – There is something baffling me here. There are 5 volcanoes on the coat of arms which are supposed to represent the 5 Central American countries. There is only one problem – there are 7 countries in Central America. I did a bit of research but did not find any information on this. I am wondering if there was a time in history when Central America was only made up of 5 nations. If anyone happens to know, please tell me!
• The Sacuanojoche – National Flower – Known to us as plumeria. Do any of you remember that fragrance from Bath and Body Works? I loved that blast from the past scent!

I thought it would be fun to make something to help us learn and remember these national symbols. So I put together 3 printable bookmarks that you can download for free.

Buy this on Selz
Selz powering ecommerce websitesThere is one bookmark for each of the national symbols listed above. I hope you like them! Here’s a little preview so you can see what they look like.

I hope you had fun learning about Nicaragua today. Next week I will be interviewing a very special young lady who was born in Nicaragua. And as the series progresses, I’ll be sharing a bit more about why Nicaragua is such a special place in my heart. Thanks for exploring with me, see you soon!
This post is linked up over at… Smart Schoolhouse , Sincerely Paula , With A Blast ,Cornerstone Confessions , Social Media Saturdays , Laugh & Learn Link Up , Crystal’s Tiny Treasures , Education Possible , All Things With Purpose , Creative Kids Culture Blog Hop