Nicaragua is located in Central America, south of Honduras and north of Costa Rica.

Country and town Profile

Location and Population

The Pacific Ocean lies to the west of the country, and the Caribbean Sea lies to the east. Nicaragua has a population of 6.2 million (2014).

All of the scholarship students are from the northern region of Nicaragua, outside of the town of Condega. Condega is located in the North-Central mountains or highlands. This is an upland region away from the Pacific coast, with a cooler climate than the Pacific Lowlands. About a quarter of the country’s agriculture takes place in this region, with coffee grown on the higher slopes. Oaks, pines, moss, ferns and orchids are abundant in the cloud forests of the region.

Condega is a municipality in the Estelí department of Nicaragua. It has a population of approximately 9,000 people. The students live in many different small villages along the river, Piré. These villages range from about 10–30 kilometers from Condega.

Economic & Educational Situation

Nicaragua is the second poorest Country in the western hemisphere after Haiti.

46.2% of the population lives below the poverty line (2014 est.), with more than 80% of the poverty concentrated in rural areas.

The literacy rate for adults is 78% vs. 99% in the U.S. Primary school attendance about 92%, while Secondary school attendance is only about 40%. In 2005, about 7% of Nicaraguans held a college degree. Public high schools are free, but many children in rural areas—like outside of Condega—are unable to attend because of financial reasons.

more about Nicaragua

http://www.nicaragua.com/destinations/condega/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua