Managua

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Managua
Seal
Map of Managua
Coordinates: 12°8′11.76″N, 86°15′5.04″W
Country	Nicaragua
Department	Managua
Municipality	Managua
Founded	1819
Seat of the Government	1852
Capital of the Nation	1857
Mayor	Dionisio Marenco
Area
- City	544 km²
- Urban	173.7 km²
Population
- City ()	1,380,100
- Density	2,537/km²
Website: http://www.managua.gob.ni/

Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Managua, at 12°9′N 86°16′W, the city was made the national capital in 1857; previously the capital had alternated between the cities of León and Granada. The city has a population of about 1,380,100, predominantly Spanish-speaking Whites and Mestizos.

Founded in 1819 by the name of Leal Villa de Santiago de Managua, the city began life as a rural fishing village. Efforts to make Managua Nicaragua's capital began in 1824, soon after the Central American nations became independent from Spain. Managua's location between the rival cities of León and Granada made it an ideal compromise site.

Managua is considered the safest city in Central America and one of the safest cities in all of the Americas[[1]]. The city has been witness to many of the rises and falls of political powers throughout Nicaragua's history, and has suffered two devastating earthquakes over the course of the 20th century.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Education 4 Economy 5 Arts 6 Entertainment 7 Transportation 8 Infrastructure & communication 9 Links 10 Notes

[edit] History

The name Managua originates from Mana-ahuac, which in the indigenous Nahuatl language translates to "adjacent to the water" or site "surrounded by water". The city stands today on an area historically inhabited by Native American peoples centuries prior to the Spanish conquest of Central America in the 16th century.

It was not until 1857, after Granada was destroyed by a U.S. mercenary army led by William Walker, that the capital was firmly established in Managua. Between 1852 and 1930 Managua underwent extensive urbanisation, becoming a base of governance, infrastructure and services. The city was hampered by major floods in 1876 and 1885 and a disastrous earthquake in 1931, which destroyed much of the city. Under the rule of dictator Anastasio Somoza García and his family (1936–1979), it began to grow rapidly. New government buildings were erected, industry developed, and universities were established; Managua had become Central America's most developed city. Unfortunately, the city suffered a second major earthquake on December 23, 1972, which destroyed most of the city. The city was cleared, however it never returned to its previous state. The earthquake caused many of Managua's residents to find refuge in the outskirts of the city, and for fear of future earthquakes the centre of the city was never entirely rebuilt.

[edit] Geography

Managua is located on the southern shores of Lake Managua (also known as Lake Xolotlan). The lake is expected to play an important role in the city's economic redevelopment once its water levels are raised by construction of a forthcoming dam in the city of Tipitapa. Lake Xolotlan contains the same fish species as Lake Cocibolca's, except for the freshwater sharks found exclusively in the latter. Once a Managuan scenic highlight, the lake has been polluted from the dumping of chemical and water waste since 1927. A project supported by the German government has started to clean up the lake.^{[citation needed]}

Managua extends about 30 km (18 mi) along Lake Managua at an altitude of 55 metres (165 ft) above sea level, gaining altitude towards the Sierras de Managua where it is over 970 metres (2910 ft) above sea level.

Managua features four smaller lakes and lagoons within the city limits. The most centrally located is Laguna de Tiscapa (Tiscapa Lagoon), South of the Old Downtown. Tiscapa Lagoon is of volcanic origin and was formed around 10,000 years ago. Asososca Lagoon, to the West, is Managua's most important source of drinking water. Asososca is located at the beginning of Carretera al Sur (Southern Highway), close to the connection with the Carretera Nueva a León (Leon's New Highway). Nejapa Lagoon, south of Asososca Lagoon, is also along the Southern Highway. The fourth lagoon is Acahualinca Lagoon, to the Northwest. This lagoon, which gives its name to a nearby district to the East, is located on the shores of Lake Managua and has shallow waters.

Managua, like much of Western Nicaragua except for the Sierras, has a tropical climate with constant temperatures averaging between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius (82 and 90 Fahrenheit). The months of December and January are coolest, whereas March and April are hottest and driest. On the other hand, the city's climate tends to be refreshed by cool breezes coming from Lake Managua.

Managua, due to its privileged climate, varied topography, naturally fertile soils, and abundant rain and water sources boasts a great variety of flora. Therefore, many different types of trees (some of them unknown to the rest of the world, such as chilamates, madronos, ceibos, pochotes, genizaros, tiguilotes, royal palms and pinuelas) abound in the city. During the rainy season (May to November), Managua becomes one of the most arborised cities in America.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Education

Managua is the national education center, with most of universities and higher education institutions based there. Some of the more well known schools include Lincoln International Academy[2], American Nicaraguan School[3], German-Nicaraguan School[4], the French-Nicaraguan School[5], Colegio Centroamérica[6] and Instituto Pedagógico La Salle[7]. Some of the more important universities are also in Managua including Central American University (UCA)[8], University of Commercial Sciences (UCC)[9], University of Engineering (UNI)[10], American University (UAM)[11], Catholic University (UNICA)[12], the National Agrarian University (UNA)[13] and the largest, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN)[14]. UNAN's main campus is located in Managua. The original campus, UNAN-León[15], is located in the city of León and is now secondary, mainly used for medicine majors.

Managua is also the home of the Instituto Centroamericano de Administracion de Empresas (INCAE), the Central American Institute of Business Administration, founded in 1964 with the support of the United States government and other Central American countries ^[1]. The institution has a close affiliation with Harvard University as it had played a part in its foundation. The campus is the first of two that the school has, the other being in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The school is the highest ranking business school in Latin America ^[2] and within the top ten business schools in world rankings.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Economy

Managua is the economic centre and generator of services of the entire nation. Unlike many other Latin American countries it does not suffer from massive migration of country peasants looking for work in the city, since many other cities of Nicaragua have well established economic industries^[3]. Nonetheless, as it is the only city with a population exceeding one million inhabitants, it houses most of the largest national and international offices and businesses. It is the home of many factories which produce diverse products. Foreign as well as national companies have established many of their operations in Managua. Multinational companies like Wal-Mart, Telefonica, Union Fenosa, and Parmalat have offices, operations and factories in Managua, McDonalds, Burger King, and Subway are some of the fast food chains which have found their way into the growing and ever expanding fast-food market in Managua.

Managua is also home to all of the major banks of the nation, Banco de la Produccion (BANPRO), Banco de America Central (BAC), Banco Uno, Banco de Finanzas (BDF), Banco de Crédito Centroamericano (BANCENTRO) and its parent company the LAFISE Group. Several luxury hotels including Crowne Plaza, Best Western, InterContinental, Holiday Inn, and Hilton have hotels in Managua. There is a strong indication that more hotels will be opening in the near future around the city ^[4]. As well as many hotels, Managua has experienced a boom in the opening of western style shopping centres or malls, such as Plaza Inter, Centro Comercial Metrocentro, Galerias Santo Domingo, and Multicentro Las Americas.

Managua is also currently experiencing high growth in real estate prices because Managua currently suffers from a housing shortage. In addition to this, foreigners mainly from North America and Europe are becoming interested in retiring in Nicaragua. While prices are currently low, they are on the rise and are expected to continue to grow. There is a need for modern office space in downtown Managua, as the economy of Managua continues to grow so too will its demand for commercial spaces in several sections of the city. Construction is a very fast growing and expanding industry in Managua. New office buildings that are currently being constructed along the Carretera Masaya and in Villa Fontana are growing in numbers, with the most recent inauguration being the Edificio Invercasa.

[edit] Arts

The old Cathedral of Managua which was designed in, and shipped from Belgium in the 1920 ^[5]. The cathedral was damaged due to the 1972 earthquake, and was in fact condemned, which led to the construction of the new cathedral of Managua, the newest cathedral of the entire world. However in recent years, the restoration of the old cathedral has appeared to be possible and is currently awaiting its renovation. The Rubén Dario National Theatre is Nicaragua's most important theatre, and is the most modern theatre of Central America. Both national and international artists present splendid shows, concerts, exhibitions, and other cultural performances in this theatre, including tango shows, national folklore or plays.

The Dr. Roberto Incer Barquero Library is located in Managua, and is designated to promote Nicaraguan culture. The library has 67,000 books, free internet, a newspaper archive where users can borrow newspapers and magazines, and all the economical information of the Central Bank. Furthermore, the library offers a gallery in the same building, where famous Nicaraguan paintings as well as pieces from new, promising artists are continuously exhibited. In the numismatic hall there is a permanent exhibition of Nicaraguan coins, bills, and memorial medals from throughout Nicaragua's history.

The National Palace is one of the most impressive buildings in Nicaragua. It was built by President Juan Bautista Sacasa in 1935 and it houses lots of history. For more than 50 years, the National Palace was used as governmental office. Nowadays, the building serves several purposes. It houses the National Archive, the National Library, as well as the National Museum. This National Museum is open to the public, and it’s surely worth a visit. Not only is it fascinating to walk around in this huge building, it is also an interesting museum by itself that offers paintings, Pre-Columbian statuettes, ceramics, and more. There is a ‘National History’ room as well as a room with the National Symbols. There are also de Huellas de Acahualinca - footprints fossils of inhabitants escaping a volcanic eruption.

Managua's most famous festival is that of its patron saint Santo Domingo de Guzmán. On the morning of the first of August the "Bajada del Santo" takes place. This involves taking the old statue of Santo Domingo from the church in Las Sierritas to the church located less than one kilometer from the old center of the city. Here it stays until the morning of the tenth, when the "Subida del Santo" takes place, during which the statue is brought back. Thousands of religious people attend this event (to thank the saint for miracles), dancing on the beat of musical bands and some of them dressed in typical costume, with Indian masks or with a painted body. These celebrations take place in the afternoon, and it is also a very crowded happening. Horse breeders and owners parade with their best horses during the horse parade.

[edit] Entertainment

Managua features many bars, nightclubs, casinos, theatres and cinemas. Compared to Western prices, alcoholic beverages, theatre visits and cinema tickets are relatively cheap. There are cinemas in all major shopping centres, screening both English- and Spanish-language films. Foreign embassies in Managua also sponsor film festivals.

The city also enjoys an array of international cuisine, including Japanese, Brazilian, Chinese, French, Indian, Spanish, Mexican, Italian, Argentine, German and Nicaraguan restaurants. These are accompanied by most of the well-known US fast food chains, as well as national chains such as Pollo Tip-Top and Rosti-Pollos.

The national sport of Nicaragua is baseball, followed closely by soccer, however for Managua baseball is by far the most popular of all sports. The Denis Martinez National Stadium is home to many baseball games of Managua's Boer team. At the time of its construction in the late 1960s, it was the most modern stadium in Central America, and hosted the Baseball World Cup on more than one occasion. Managua sports infrastructure also includes golf courses, various tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, in several sections of the city.

Casinos have also in recent years become somewhat of a popular attraction for wealthier Nicaraguans. The largest and most popular casino is Pharaoh's Casino, situated along Carretera Norte. Most Managuans typically enjoy going out with friends and so dancing is a common national pastime; nightclubs and bars abound in Managua; the most popular area is the so-called "Zona Rosa" near Metrocentro.

Aside from these activities, Managua also has a wide selection to offer in shopping, including everything from peasant markets, to luxurious boutiques and department stores. The Mercado Huembes is probably one of the best markets in Managua, where shoppers can find everything from furniture, national arts and crafts, to fruits and vegetables, and clothing. Also there are several shopping centres with exclusive boutiques and department stores such as ECLIPSE, CARRION, and SIMAN which house all major Australian, American and European clothing and cosmetic brands for both men and women. Pali, La Union, and La Colonia are the more recognised conventional supermarkets, which are located in several areas of the city, and sell local and imported ingredients from all over the world.

[edit] Transportation

Transportationwise, Managua is one of Nicaragua's best positioned cities. All of Nicaragua's main roads lead to Managua, and there are good public transportation connections to and from the capital. There are four main highways that lead into Managua. The Pan-American Highway enters the city from the north, connecting Managua to Nicaragua's northern and central departments. This highway is called the Northern Highway, or Carretera Norte. The Southern Highway, or Carretera Sur, is another part of the Pan-American highway, connecting Managua to southern departments such as Carazo and Rivas. The Carretera Masaya connects Managua to the departments of Masaya and Granada. Carretera Nueva a León connects Managua with León. All of these highways are in great condition, and there is little congestion.

Within Managua, those who commute to and from work will generally travel by bus or taxi; as of yet there are no suburban trains, trams or monorails in Managua. Recently with the assistance of the Japanese government, Managua has commenced operating new modern Mercedes-Benz buses on several bus routes ^[6], with the intention of modernising the city's transport system. Another project that is already underway is the so-called "Municipal Tram System or Busway" in which transportation will be prioritised along Carretera Norte with the view to expand the system to other sections of the city in the future so as to alleviate some of the transportation problems of Managua. Managua has several bus terminals for inter-departmental travel, most of them located close to a market. Buses that arrive from or depart to a certain destination can often only be found at one specific terminal. Travelers that pass through Managua on their way from one city to another might need to transport themselves from one terminal to another within Managua. There was a train that operated from Managua to other departments, however this services ended and no trians are used in Managua or Nicaragua for that matter.

The Managua International Airport is the largest airport of Nicaragua and recently inaugurated its over US$52 million extensions and renovation partly financed by Spain^[7]. The airport has now been converted into the most modern air terminal of Central America. It is the most important hub for connections of both at international and at national level. Almost all international flights arrive at this small, modern, and efficient airport. Frequent flights to local destinations like Bluefields, Corn Islands and San Carlos also depart from this same location. The airport is located at the northern highway, about 11 kilometers (8 miles) East of the city's downtown. Hotels, restaurants, and commercial centers can all be easily reached from the airport by car, taxi, or bus. There are a total of 10 airlines that operate flights to and from the airport. In addition it is also expected that the Spanish airline Air Madrid will commence direct flights from Madrid as of 2007^[8], the company has also shown great interest in building a hangar for regional maintenance of its aircraft and those of other airlines^[9].

[edit] Infrastructure & communication

In Managua, a water treatment plant is being constructed to clean Lake Managua. With the support of the German government in funding the project, the water treatment plant should be completed by mid 2008. It will commence a cleansing operation on the lake's waters which have been contaminated from decades of pollution and should show definite results by 2010. Also pending is a a mega-project to reconstruct the old centre of Managua, and to introduce a monorail system, to alleviate future transportation problems in Managua. Both of these projects will revitalize the old centre of Managua and boost tourism, commerce, infrastructure and economic development.

Managua is the home of most national broadcasting television channels as well as the major national newspapers. The largest television channel is Canal 2, followed by Telenica, Canal 10, 100% Noticias, and several others. The newspaper La Prensa is based in Managua and is the largest newspaper of the nation, the other major newspaper is El Nuevo Diario with Sandinista tendency, also has its offices in Managua, there are also many other smaller newspapers. There are numerous radio stations in Managua, some of which tend to have political, social, or religious affiliations.

Managua also has several public hospitals as well some private hospitals, the largest of all hospitals is the private Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas. It is the best hospital of all Central America, with first world standards, equipment and facilities. There is also a project underway to build a brand new and modern soccer stadium within the grounds of the UNAN in Managua. The stadium will be the most modern stadium in Central America and it already underway, and is expected to be completed within the next two years.

[edit] Links

• Map of Managua city
• Managua photos, attractions, municipalities, hotels, etc.

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 12.1366° -86.2514°
  • Mapping from Multimap or GlobalGuide or Google Maps
  • Aerial image from TerraServer
  • Satellite image from WikiMapia

[edit] Notes