NICARAGUA

Gwyneth Cunningham

English 6, Period 3

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Nicaragua is Central Americas largest country and with 6.08 million people, it is
extremely interesting. It is bordered by Costa Rica and Honduras. Nicaragua has two coastlines,
the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Nicaragua should be one of the top countries on a
global awareness list. The three reasons to include it on this list are the beautiful Catedral de
Leon, the famous coffee export, and the inspiring project to help people out of poverty and health
issues.
A major reason for choosing Nicaragua as significant country is the beautiful Catedral de
Leon located in Leon, Nicaragua by Parque Central. Catedral de Leon is a prominent building
and is part of the Patrimony of the Humanity given by UNESCO in 2011.1 Catedral de Leon has
three styles, colonial, neoclassical, and baroque. On the outside, the cathedral has 34 domes, four
statues of the rooftop, and many church bells.2 Tourists and residents wonder why a beautiful
church was made in such a tiny city. Even some people believe that the original plans for the
church were switched on accident for the Lima Cathedral. Others believe that the local clergy
secretly elaborated on the plans after a much smaller version was approved by Spain.3 Catedral
de Leon is a spectacular reason to put Nicaragua on the globally aware list because it is the
foundation for spiritual life in Leon and in addition, is enormous and architectural wonder
reflects the culture of Nicaragua throughout Central America.
The second important reason is the coffee export business that has been part of the Nicaraguan
life since the mid-1800s, and continues to be a major lifestyle contributor in Nicaragua. In
Nicaragua, the coffee business can create up to 280,000 permanent agricultural jobs helping
1 (Cathedral of Leon)
2 (Catedral de Leon - Historical Building Leon - Nicaragua)
3 (Catedral de la Asuncion)

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communities and families.4 Every year Nicaragua gets about $200 million dollars in coffee
exports. 5 December through March is one of the most important months for farmers, harvest
season, which employs hundreds of thousands of people to pick the coffee and sometimes those
temporary jobs turn in to permanent jobs.6 While 33,000 families and farmers rely on coffee
production as their main source of income, different farmers farm different ways, and farm on
different agro ecological conditions.7 that bring the coffee from crop to cup.8 Coffee is a
major reason to put Nicaragua on the globally aware list because it is a major agriculture benefit
to the region and will continue to have major demand globally.
Lastly, but most importantly, are the programs that are helping Nicaraguans get back on their
feet. In Nicaragua, poverty is dominating the country, minimal health care, minute education,
food, and even clothing are too much of cost, child labor, or earnings are too much of a risk
losing. That is why programs are stepping out to help such countries, and families are agreeing to
lots of requirements, initially by starting to take payments and sign their name; and if they cannot
write, they can use their thumbprint. These programs have helped people with poor diets, seeing
more fruit, vegetables, and meats consumed, even health wise mostly everything got better,
growth stunting dropped dramatically, vaccination rates got higher, but sadly anemia didnt drop
from the 30% rate because studies show mothers didnt give the iron supplements they were

4 (History of Coffee in Nicaragua)

5 (Nicaragua Coffee)
6 (History of Coffee in Nicaragua)
7 (Nicaragua Coffee)
8 (History of Coffee in Nicaragua)

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supplied.9 Ending results show school attendance 13% higher with participating children through
the 4th grade.10 As many can see, these programs are helping millions out of poverty and bad
situations and maybe even creating the new genius of the century.
Overall, on the global awareness list, one of the top countries should be Nicaragua.
Catedral de Leon with awe-inspiring architecture and spiritual life supports why Nicaragua
deserves to be on the global awareness list. The ongoing coffee export in Nicaragua is a great
reason to make sure everyone in the world knows about Nicaragua. Finally yet importantly, the
projects that helps people who live in poverty in Nicaragua shows how Nicaraguans preserver
and why people need to be globally aware of Nicaragua. Nicaragua is a very important country
to remember, because after all the political and economic struggles, anybody could see that
Nicaraguans are proud, smart, and will always keep fighting for a better tomorrow.

9 (Breaking The Cycle of Poverty in Nicaragua: Success for Results-Based Financing (RBF)? , 2009)
10 Ibid.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Breaking The Cycle of Poverty in Nicaragua: Success for Results-Based Financing (RBF)? . (2009,
October). Retrieved November 10, 2014, from RBF Health:
https://www.rbfhealth.org/resource/breaking-cycle-poverty-nicaragua-success-results-basedfinancing-rbf
Catedral de la Asuncion. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2014, from Frommers:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/leonnicaragua/attractions/217246#sthash.z9znKNUZ.dpbs
Catedral de Leon - Historical Building Leon - Nicaragua. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2014, from Viva
Travel Guides: http://www.vivatravelguides.com/central-america/nicaragua/the-interior-andleon/leon/leon-activities/catedral-de-leon/
Cathedral of Leon. (n.d.). Retrieved November 7, 2014, from Vianica.
History of Coffee in Nicaragua. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2014, from Equal Exchange:
http://equalexchange.coop/history-of-coffee-in-nicaragua
Nicaragua. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2014, from Coffee Hunter Specialy Coffee Merchants:
http://www.coffeehunter.com/green_coffees/european/nicaragua
Nicaragua Coffee. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2014, from Coffee Hunter Specialty Coffee Merchants:
http://www.coffeehunter.com/green_coffees/european/nicaragua