Everything you need to know that happened in the last 2 months in Nicaragua.

Each day we sift through hundreds of articles in English & Spanish to bring you the very best ones from Central America.

From investment indicators to new infrastructure projects. Adventure stories to politics. It’s all here.

Nicaragua March 2014.

Martapiqs

Nicaragua Lifestyle

• Expats No Longer Consider Nicaragua to be “The Next Costa Rica” (Costa Rica Star) – Not so long ago, in the early 2000’s Costa Rica dropped from the radar of long-term visitors, expats, and retirees.Why? Many expats started looking for a “cheaper place” or “the next Costa Rica,” and turned their eyes toward Nicaragua, the ultra-cheap neighbor to the north.
• Nicaragua’s new constitution becomes law (BBC) – Recent political developments, however, may prompt many expats to erase Nicaragua from their lists. But hold on, these changes to Nicaragua’s constitution only help its leader, Daniel Ortega, run for a third consecutive term.It doesn’t guarantee it, so don’t be too quick to mark Nicaragua off your best place to retire in Central America list, because it still is a bargain.
  Also See World’s 2 Best Budget Retirement Destinations (Huffpost)
• Live and Work Abroad When You Retire (Kiplinger) – Nicaragua might be the last place you thought to start your ‘encore’ career overseas. But the truth is, you can throw your hectic lifestyle in the trash can and move your job to Nicaragua.

boris

Nicaragua Investment

• Nicaragua foreign direct investment grows 17 percent in 2013 (CCTV) – Nicaragua’s foreign direct investment grew 17% in 2013, with a total of $1.5 billion in investment.
• Central America upgrades cruise ship, airport facilities in race to attract more tourists (Tico Times) – Nicaragua is aggressively investing in its airports, cruise ship facilities, hotels, and other tourism infrastructure in a race with its Central American neighbors to attract more FDI to its shores.
• (Prensa Latina) – Not known as the top spot to visit in Central America, Nicaragua is hoping to change that with a $50 million investment in its tourism program.

Dane Brian

Nicaragua Tourism

• Falling Under the Spell of Nicaragua’s Corn Islands (Valley News) – Did you know Nicaragua is home to some rather spectacular Caribbean islands?Yep, and it was in 1894 that Nicaragua claimed these fringe islands, but with no roadways linking the capital to the marshy eastern coastline, the Corn Islands remained a world apart. But not now, linked by both water and air, the Corn Islands are ripe for the visiting.
• Why you’ll fall in love with Leon, Nicaragua (Voxxi) – If dipping your toes in blue Caribbean water isn’t enough, then here are 20 good reasons why you should go to Leon, Nicaragua, perhaps Nicaragua’s most famous colonial city.
• Surf’s Always Up in Nicaragua (Nearshore Americas) – Surfing in Nicaragua is rapidly growing. Who is behind the growth? All those pioneering surfers seeking to escape Costa Rica’s increasingly crowded waves.
• David Cordua’s Nicaragua cheat sheet (Houston Chronicle) – When you least expect it, Nicaragua will surprise you. So book your ticket while Nicaragua remains as one of the cheapest places to kick up your feet in a hammock in Central America.

Daniel Fajardo Valenti

Nicaragua Real Estate

• Using Bitcoin, U.S. Banker Makes Home in Nicaragua (El Nuevo Diario, Nicaragua) – Did you know you can buy real estate in Nicaragua with Bitcoin? This guy did it.
• Revision: Nicaragua’s Safety Numbers (Near Shore Americas) – You wouldn’t think this about Nicaragua, but Nicaragua is the second safest country in all of Latin America.
• The World’s 7 Best Budget Destinations (Huffington Post) – Not to mention Nicaragua is home to Granada, which ranks 5th on Huffington Post’s “The World’s 7 Best Budget Destinations” list.

Antanacoins

Nicaragua Economy

• Latin American Countries Should Ditch the Dollar for Bitcoin (Panama Post) – There is speculation that tech savvy young Latin Americans are looking for more ways to be free and independent, and they have it within their power to do so with Bitcoin.
• The Most Important Alliance You’ve Never Heard Of (Carnegie Endowment) – The Pacific Alliance might be one of the most important economic alliances you have never heard of, whose members lead the lists of the most competitive economies in Latin America and those where it’s easiest to do business.Why is this important? Together, they represent 36 percent of the region’s economy, 50 percent of its international trade, and 41 percent of all incoming foreign investment.
• Can Nicaragua’s economy sustain 5% growth? (Confidencial) – Bitcoin and economic alliance aside, despite being among the hemisphere’s poorest countries, public opinion in Nicaragua is consistent with macroeconomic data showing an economy that’s overachieving in many areas. The challenge now lies in how to accelerate economic growth to levels where Nicaragua can start to reduce its poverty rate.

i09

Nicaragua Environment

• Voyage to the Central American Dome, the Forgotten Sea (News Watch National Geographic) – Just off the shores of Nicaragua lies The Forgotten Sea, a nutrient rich area located hundreds of miles off the coast of Nicaragua, Central America. Most of it lies in international waters, outside of national jurisdiction and is known as The Central American Dome. See more about the dome here.
• Scientists are appalled at Nicaragua’s plan to build a massive canal (i09) – Scientists are appalled at Nicaragua’s plan to build a massive canal. However without a doubt the new route would boost the country’s economy and rival the one in Panama — but scientists say it would be an environmental and social catastrophe.

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