THE WORLD OF WORK
Many people work in agriculture. Coffee, cotton, sugar, meat, oranges and bananas are produced for export. Corn, beans and rice are also grown as food for Nicaraguans. In the Caribbean lowlands, trees such as pine, mahogany and cedar are harvested for wood. Off the coasts, fish and shellfish are harvested, mostly for export. The main areas of production in the manufacturing sector are food products, beverages, textiles, chemicals and petroleum refining. Most manufacturing takes place in the Pacific lowlands, especially in Managua, the national capital.
Businesses often open early in the morning, close at noon for a long lunch, then open again for two or three hours in the late afternoon. Because of the hot weather in most of Nicaragua, the morning is the most pleasant part of the day.

 Nicaragua has a labour code that regulates working conditions, such as hours of work and holidays. The code states that children must be at least 14 years old to work legally, but this regulation is not strictly enforced. For example, in the countryside, whole families work, especially at harvest time. In the cities, street vendors and windshield cleaners are often under 14. Many people are also paid less than the minimum wage.

 Many women work outside of the home, as well as in the home. One person's wage is not usually enough to support a family. Military service is voluntary for women, although it has sometimes been compulsory for men.
  Did you know?
Cacao seeds, from which chocolate is made, were used as money by pre-Columbian cultures in Central America.

Nicaragua's unemployment rate is very high and most people live in poverty. Beggars are common in the streets of Managua. Many people have left the countryside to live in the cities, where they hope to find work. Peasants who live in the countryside might find seasonal work on large farms or plantations, and supplement their income by selling surplus produce from their gardens. The Nicaraguan economy is slowly improving, but poverty is still common, especially in the countryside. Progress can easily be set back by violence and natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.