Examines the Nicaraguan political system during the period 1990-1996, analyzing the administration of Violeta Chamorro, the country's first female president, as an example of the democratization of one political system. Looks into issues including the Sandinista legacy, the new political systems, the economy, the constitution and property, the 1996 elections, and Nicaragua's continuing transition. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book describes the people, culture, and geography of Nicaragua

The authors convincingly argue that the democratic tradition and practice that was emerging in Socialist Nicaragua could well have served as a model for other Third World states. After showing why participating democracy didn't triumph, they conclude with an assessment of the 1990 elections and their impact on the future of democracy in Nicaragua. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

"The conflict in Nicaragua is one of the leastunderstood struggles of the Cold War. . . . This account clarifies the central issue and dispelsmany lingering myths." --Zbigniew Breinski,National Security Advisor during the Carter administration

Text and photographs introduce the geography, history, government, people, and economy of Nicaragua.

Bursting with relevant and exciting information. --Booklist. Highly recommended. --Library Journal. The perfect companion for planning. --Rutgers Magazine. Color photos and maps throughout the guide. The author has lived in Nicaragua part-time for many years. Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, but tourists are only now beginning to discover it. As a result, the abundant beaches are uncrowded and the rainforests are filled with wildlife including 700 species of birds, white faced capuchin monkeys, spider monkeys, and howler monkeys . Central America s largest lake, Lago de Nicaragua, is here and Granada, the oldest Spanish city in the continental Americas, with the earliest colonial buildings. Bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Caribbean Sea on the east. The Pacific Lowlands region, which includes the cities of Managua, Le n, Granada, and San Juan del Sur, is the most-visited area of the country. This region consists of expansive plains dotted with some 40 volcanoes. Local markets and festivals offer glimpses into traditional rural life. Artisan communities can be visited around the country, and the author shows you how. Nicaragua is known for its unique pottery, hammocks, Primitivist paintings and wood carvings. It is often possible to meet the artisans themselves. All the local foods and where to get them are detailed, from vigorones (beans, rice, cabbage salad, and pork, steamed in a banana leaf), to sweet fried plantains, and tamales, coco bread, and plentiful fresh seafood. Many huge coffee plantations are here where you can visit and stay. We learn all the details. Explore the jungles, climb the many volcanoes, swim in the craters, scuba and snorkel the reefs of the Caribbean or the Pacific coast, fish for tarpon. Every adventure is covered where to do it and how. Visit some of the more than 300 islands offshore that make up Las Isletas. Or try snorkeling, diving, fishing, and relaxing on the spectacular white sand beaches the Corn Islands . The recommended places to stay and eat in each price range are thoroughly covered, based on personal visits and in most cases illustrated with photos. Print edition is 520 pages.

text Central America before the Spanish Conquest has often been considered by North American archaeologists as a “backwater” of peripheral importance located between the advanced ancient civilizations of South America and Mesoamerica (Mexican–Maya country). Recent archaeological research has revealed that this area played a much more significant role in New World cultural history than was previously thought. Healy’s study examines the archaeological record of one subarea of Southern Central America, the Rivas region of Pacific Nicaragua. The work gives a detailed analysis of excavations and of artifacts recovered at seven significant prehistoric sites. A critical pioneering effort, the monograph documents cultural changes occurring over a 2,000–year time period—changes in technology, material culture, settlement, subsistence, and socio–political organization.