ARGENTINANicaragua
| Country Area (thousands sq. kilometers) |
130 |
| Population (in millions) | 6 |
| GDP (U$ billions) | 5.3 |
| GNI per capita (Atlas method, U$S) | 930 |
| Poverty Index (% of population below poverty line) | 48 |
| Unemployment (% ) | 3.6 underemployment 46% |
| Infant Mortality (per 1,000 live births) | 29 |
| Child Malnutrition (% children under five) | 10 |
| Illiteracy (%) | 27 |
| Primary School Enrollment (% male/female) | 88/86 |
| Secondary School Enrollment (% male/female) | 40/46 |
| Child labor (ages 5 to14 %) | 15 |
| Life Expectancy at Birth (years) | 72 |
• Nicaragua remains the second poorest country in the Americas.
• Poverty affects 2.3 million persons, 831,000 of whom live in extreme poverty.
Inequity and poverty, which affects women and children most severely, remains Nicaragua's biggest hurdle to overcome.
• One of every three children suffers from some degree of chronic malnutrition and nine percent from severe malnutrition.
• There is limited access to early childhood developmental interventions.
• Gender differences aside, approximately 79 percent of children at the primary school age are enrolled.
• The quality and relevance of education pose significant problems. It takes an average of 10.3 years to complete the mandatory six years of schooling, and only 29 per cent of children complete primary schooling.
• Poverty affects school participation, with many families unable to afford the direct or hidden costs. Poverty also results in child labor, which affects more than 167,000 children and adolescents.
• Gender differences aside, approximately 79 percent of children at the primary school age are enrolled.
• One of every four households is headed by a woman. Family violence leads to family disintegration and a culture of violence.
• Only five percent of disabled children are receiving the necessary support.
• Child and adolescent sexual exploitation, drug use and violence are emerging issues of concern.
Sources: World Bank Development Indicators database, UNICEF,
State of the World’s Children, CIA Fact book.
