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Nicaragua is a [[democratic republic]] in Central America. It is the largest nation on the isthmus, but also the least densely populated; thus being similar in size to its smaller neighbours. The country is bordered to the north by the Honduras and to the south by Costa Rica. Its western coast is on the Pacific Ocean, while the east of the country borders on the Caribbean Sea. Nicaragua is one of three countries in the world where abortion is illegal with no exceptions, along with El Salvador and Chile.

Nicaragua is a [[democratic republic]] in Central America. It is the largest nation on the isthmus, but also the least densely populated; thus being similar in size to its smaller neighbours. The country is bordered to the north by the Honduras and to the south by Costa Rica. Its western coast is on the Pacific Ocean, while the east of the country borders on the Caribbean Sea. Nicaragua is one of three countries in the world where abortion is illegal with no exceptions, along with El Salvador and Chile.

Nicaragua was recently ravaged by a civil war, which killed thousands, and left 20% of the country's population homeless <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1225218.stm</ref>, between the Contra guerillas and the democratically elected{{fact-political}} socialist Sandanista government. This was revealed, in the case Nicaragua v. the United States, heard before the International Court of Justice, to be instigated by the [[Reagan]] administration, which was worried as a result of a left-wing country within its sphere of influence. The United States government, as a result of this, refused to pay the $12 billion in reparations to Nicaragua that the court deemed appropriate, despite a UN General Assembly mandating this, and announced that it did not recognise the court. <ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~jaysmith/nicus3.html</ref> <ref>http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/41/a41r031.htm</ref>

Nicaragua was recently ravaged by a civil war, which killed thousands, and left 20% of the country's population homeless <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/country_profiles/1225218.stm</ref>, between the Contra guerillas and the democratically elected{{fact-political}} socialist Sandanista government.  

The United States government also controversially armed the Contra guerillas using weapons sold via Iran, which, as a supporter of the terrorist guerilla group [[Hezbollah]], was strongly opposed in public by the Reagan government. <ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB210/index.htm</ref>

The United States government also controversially armed the Contra guerillas using weapons sold via Iran, which, as a supporter of the terrorist guerilla group [[Hezbollah]], was strongly opposed in public by the Reagan government. <ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB210/index.htm</ref>