The capital of Nicaragua, Managua is the country's largest city. Lying on flat land near the Pacific Ocean, the city is just south of Lake Managua. The climate there is hot and humid. Managua experienced two major earthquakes in the 20th century that destroyed many of its historic buildings. Because of these earthquakes, the city has no true city center and is quite spread out.

Places of interest

The few historic buildings that remain in Managua are centered around the Plaza de la República. For example, the remains of the Municipal Cathedral are on the plaza, as is the National Palace, which stayed intact after the earthquakes. Because the Municipal Cathedral is in disrepair, a modern cathedral was built in another part of the city. Called the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the building is unique in that it has many small domes on top of it.

There are many cultural sites in the city. A monument pays tribute to the famous Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío. There is also a theater that is named after him. A museum near Lake Managua displays prehistoric footprints that were left behind by men, women, and children. It is believed that these people were running into the lake as a volcano erupted. Their footprints were preserved by volcanic ash and mud for thousands of years. There are three volcanoes near the city: the extinct Momotombo and Momotombito and the active Masaya, which is in a national park.

Economy

Managua is Nicaragua's center for education, services, businesses, manufacturing, and government. Thousands of people work there in government offices, private businesses, banks, newspapers, schools, and hospitals. The city's factories produce furniture, cotton cloth, chemicals, cement, beer, meat, and other food products. Managua also has an oil refinery. Coffee, cotton, and maize (corn) are the main crops grown in the countryside around the city.

History

People have lived along the shores of Lake Managua for thousands of years. The city of Managua stands on the site of an Indian town that existed when the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century. The Spaniards conquered the Indians and destroyed the town, making larger cities in other parts of Nicaragua. For this reason, Managua remained small during much of the time of Spanish rule. The nearby Spanish cities of León and Granada were much more important. However, the peoples of León and Granada fought often. In 1857 both cities agreed to make Managua the national capital. The city grew rapidly in the 1800s, when railways connected it with coastal ports.

Much of Managua was rebuilt after a terrible earthquake in 1931. Beginning in the 1950s, Managua grew rapidly and began to sprawl outwards. Another earthquake in 1972 almost completely destroyed the city. Thousands of people were killed or left without homes. After the earthquake, a new business section was rebuilt a few miles from the former city center.

Managua was the scene of general strikes and heavy fighting against the government in 1978–79. The economy of Managua was slowed during the 1980s because of a long and bloody civil war in Nicaragua. In 1998 Hurricane Mitch damaged many parts of the country, including homes, farms, and roads in and around Managua. Population (1995 estimate), 864,200.