| This website has been written to help Canadians
welcome people who come from Nicaragua to start a new life in Canada. People
from Nicaragua come to Canada with a variety of interests, skills and ideas.
You may be interested in finding out more about Nicaraguans because you
are involved with the HOST Program. You may have a Nicaraguan colleague
at work or Nicaraguan students at your school.
Nicaraguans come to Canada for many different reasons.
Many have come because of political turmoil in Nicaragua. Others have come
to join their families. They all come with dreams, hopes and visions for
their future, but they leave behind families, friends and communities.
They also leave behind a familiar way of living. |
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| This website may help you understand how life
in Nicaragua may be different from or similar to life in Canada. It will
help you understand what changes your new friends are experiencing and
how you can help them adapt to Canada. You may be able to help them learn
about customs that are different from those in Nicaragua. |
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Did you know? |
| Nicaragua
is named for one of its original inhabitants, Chief Nicarao, who ruled
part of the area at the time the Spanish arrived in Central America. |
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| Not only is this an opportunity for you to help
a Nicaraguan family, but it is also an opportunity for you to learn from
them. Nicaragua's history and culture are rich and complex and have a lot
to teach all of us.
Although this cultural profile provides insight
into some customs, it does not cover all facets of life. The customs described
may not apply in equal measure to all newcomers from Nicaragua. |
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|
Summary Fact Sheet |
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| Official
Name: |
Republic of
Nicaragua |
| Capital: |
Managua |
| Type of Government: |
Republic |
| Population: |
4.5 million |
| Area: |
30,000 sq. km |
| Major Ethnic
Groups: |
Mestizo (indigenous/Spanish),
European origin, Black, indigenous |
| Languages: |
Spanish, indigenous
languages (including Mískito), Western Caribbean Creole English |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholicism,
Protestantism |
| Unit of Currency: |
Córdoba |
| National
Flag: |
Divided horizontally
in three, with the top and bottom sections blue, and the central section
white. In the centre is the country's triangular coat of arms, surrounded
by the words "Republica de Nicaragua, America Central." |
| Date of Independence: |
September 15,
1821 |
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Did you know? |
| The
coat of arms of Nicaragua is a triangle in which there are five mountains,
representing the five countries of Central America, a rainbow representing
peace, and a red cap of the style worn by revolutionaries in the French
Revolution, which symbolizes freedom. |
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