APPENDIX A COUNTRY DATA - PROFILE 1993 1994 1995 - Population (millions) 4.26 4.39 4.53 - Population Growth Rate (%) 3.20 3.14 3.12 - Religion(s) 95% Catholic - Government System Constituional democracy, with an Executive Branch headed by an elected President, a one-house National Assembly, a judicial branch, and a Supreme Electoral Council. - Languages Spanish and English (on the Atlantic Coast) - Work Week By law, 6 days (48 hours); in practice, many firms run 5-day work weeks. - DOMESTIC ECONOMY (FOR 1993, 1994, AND 1995 ESTIMATE) (USD Millions except where noted) 1993 1994 1995 - GDP 1765.2 1800.5 1854.5 - GDP Growth Rate (%) -0.9 2.0 3.0 - GDP Per Capita 414.4 410.1 409.4 - Government Spending as Percent of GDP 37.6 39.9 39.8 - Inflation (Percent) 20.4 10.0 9.3 - Unemployment (Percent) 21.8 23.5 24.9 - Foreign Exchange Reserves 87.7 109.1 174.4 (Gross) - Average Exchange Rate for USD 1.00 6.2 7.0 7.6 - Foreign Debt 10,987.0 11,553.0 11,988.7 - Debt Service Ratio (Ratio of Principal and Interest Payments on Foreign Debt to Foreign Income) 0.48 0.42 0.49 - U.S. Economic/Military Assistance (FY) 151.0 88.0 N/A - TRADE (FOR 1993, 1994, AND 1995 ESTIMATE) (In USD Millions except where noted) 1993 1994 1995 - Total Country Exports 266.9 291.0 330.0 - Total Country Imports 727.7 658.1 660.0 - U.S. Exports 149.8 164.5 184.8 - U.S. Imports 125.9 121.1 133.2 - U.S. Share of Host Country Imports (Percent) 20.6 25.0 28.2 - Imports of Manufactured Goods (for Harmonized System) -- Total (from the World) 585.1 529.1 530.7 -- From the U.S. 126.8 114.7 132.7 - U.S. Share of Manufactured Imports (Percent) 21.8 21.6 25.0 - Manufactured Goods Trade Balance with U.S. -98.5 -80.7 -84.0 - Imports of Agricultural Goods -- Total (from the World) 142.6 128.9 129.3 -- From the U.S. 41.3 51.6 52.1 - U.S. Share of Agricultural Imports (Percent) 29.0 40.0 40.2 - Agricultural Goods Trade Balance with U.S. 31.3 48.5 45.7 Exports Imports Balance - Trade Balance with the Three Leading Partners in 1993 (Excluding U.S.) -- Central American Common Market 58.3 -209.4 -151.1 -- Germany 21.6 -6.8 14.8 -- Canada 28.4 -5.2 23.2 - Principal U.S. Imports (in USD Thousands) -- 0202 Meat of Bovine Animal, Boneless, Frozen 34,623 -- 1701 Cane Sugar, Raw 13,411 -- 0201 Meat of Bovine Animal, Boneless, Fresh Chilled 12,276 -- 0306 Shrimps and Prawns, Frozen 8,138 -- 0302 Fish Eggs, Fresh or Chilled (Excl. Liversand Roes) 3,304 - Principal U.S. Exports (in USD Thousands) -- 1001 Wheat (incl. Spelt) and Meslin, Unmilled 10,488 -- 1006 Rice Milled Wthr Polish 5,214 -- 8702 Motor Vehicle For Transp. of Persons 2,641 -- 1517 Cottonseed Oil Refined and Its Fracts. 2,630 -- 8411 Gas Turbines 2,500 Sources: Central Bank of Nicaragua World Bank International Monetary Fund USDA Foreign Agricultural Service - INVESTMENT There are no reliable local statistics concerning foreign direct investment in Nicaragua. According to U.S. Department of Commerce estimates, as of year- end 1993, U.S. direct investment in Nicaragua amounted to $108-116 million. We believe U.S. capital represents at least half of all foreign direct investment. - BALANCE OF PAYMENTS (In USD Millions) 1993 1994 1995 - Current Account -854 -851 -587 -- Excluding Interest Due -430 -399 -379 - Trade Balance -390 -367 -360 -- Exports, F.O.B. 267 291 330 -- Imports, F.O.B. -659 -658 -690 - Non-Factor Services (Net) -58 -52 -43 -- Receipts 100 101 110 -- Payments -158 -153 -154 1993 1994 1995 - Official Interest Payments Due -425 -451 -208 - Other Current Transactions (Net) 20 20 24 - Capital Account -118 -307 62 - Official (Net) -257 -440 -88 -- Official Transfers 243 211 177 -- Disbursements 144 352 344 -- Amortization -643 -1003 -609 - Other Capital and Errors/Omissions 139 133 150 - Overall Balance -972 -1158 -525 - Net Reserve Change 100 -45 -25 -- Of Which IMF (Net) 0 21 36 - Net Change In Arrears (Decrease) 779 615 -3629 - Exceptional Financing 92 588 4189 -- Paris Club Rescheduling 0 588 38 -- Other Rescheduling 92 - 4151 -- Debt Cancellation 53 -- Interest Capitalization 13 -- Other 26 - Current Account in % of GDP -47.0 -48.0 -31.3 - Net Foreign Aid (% of GDP) 10.6 17.6 14.1 Source: International Monetary Fund - LABOR FORCE (In Thousands) 1993 1994 1995 - Total Population 4,264.8 4,401.2 4,538.5 - Population Over 10 Years 2,886.7 2,991.6 3,099.8 - Working Age Population 1,489.5 1,543.7 1,599.6 - Total Active Population 1,164.4 1,181.2 1,201.2 - Active in Agricultural Sector 429.5 431.6 474.8 -- Crops and Livestock 420.2 421.2 462.6 -- Aquaculture 2.6 2.7 3.0 -- Fishing 6.7 7.4 9.2 1993 1994 1995 Active in Manufacturing and Extractive Industries 202.3 207.0 212.1 -- Industry & Manufacturing 164.3 167.6 171.1 -- Construction 30.4 31.4 32.2 -- Mines and Quarries 7.6 8.0 8.8 Active in Service Sector 532.6 542.6 514.3 -- Commerce and Trade 194.7 203.7 205.0 -- Central Government /1 85.6 83.4 69.9 -- Transport and Telecommunications 32.5 34.0 34.5 -- Financial Establishments 18.7 18.7 18.9 -- Electricity, Water, and Gas 11.4 11.2 11.2 -- Social, Community, and Personal Services, Except Government 189.7 191.6 174.8 Unemployed 325.0 362.5 398.4 Unemployment Rate (%) 21.8 23.5 24.9 Underemployed 421.5 436.9 471.2 Underemployment Rate (%) 28.3 28.3 29.5 Total Underemployed Plus Unemployed 746.5 799.4 869.6 Total Undermployment Plus Unemployment Rate (%) 50.1 51.8 54.4 --------------------------- 1/ Includes Ministries of Defense and Government Source: Ministry of Labor (General Directorate of Employment and Salaries) and U.S. Embassy estimates.