Nicaraguan culture has several distinct strands. The west of the country was colonized by Spain and has a similar culture to other Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. The people of western Nicaragua are mostly mestizos, and Spanish is invariably their first language. The poet Rubén Darío, one of the most famous writers in Spanish language, was from Nicaragua. Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Mestizo (Portuguese, Mestiço; French, Métis: from Late Latin mixticius, from Latin mixtus, past participle of miscere, to mix) is a term of Spanish origin used to designate the people of mixed European and indigenous non-European ancestry, issued from mestisaje. ... Félix Rubén García Sarmiento (January 18, 1867 – February 6, 1916) was a Nicaraguan poet who wrote under the pseudonym of Rubén Darío. ...

The eastern half of the country, on the other hand, was once a British protectorate. English is still the first language of most people in this region, and its culture is more similar to Caribbean nations. There is a large population of people of African descent, as well as a smaller Garifuna population. A protectorate is, in international law, a political entity (a sovereign state or a less developed native polity, such as a tribal chiefstainship or feudal princely state) that formally agrees (voluntarily or under pressure) by treaty to enter into an unequal relationship with another, stronger state, called the protector, which... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Central America and the Caribbean (detailed pdf map) The Caribbean, (Spanish: Caribe; French: Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Dutch: Cariben or Caraïben, or more commonly Antillen) or the West Indies, is a group of islands and countries which are in or border the Caribbean Sea which lies on... A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... The Garifuna or Garífuna are an ethnic group in the Caribbean area, descended from a mix of Amerindian and African people. ...

Of the cultures that were present before European colonization, the Nahuatl-speaking peoples who populated the west of the country have essentially been assimilated into the latino culture. In the east, however, several indigenous groups have maintained a distinct identity. The Sumos and Ramas people still use their original languages. Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Colonialism. ... Nahuatl is a native language of central Mexico. ... Sumo (also known as Sumu) is a Misumalpan language spoken in Nicaragua and Honduras. ...

It is worthy to note the behaviors of the people in Nicaragua. Compared to the North American region, Nicaragua tends to be a rather poor country, even when compared to Costa Rica to the south. The Nicaraguans seem to have a more "patient" and less-rushed culture than North Americans, and felony crime rate is certainly smaller. Driving tends to be rather aggressive; traffic accidents are much more common there than in the United States, but the accidents are less severe due to lower speed limits. Policemen are not as mobile as they are in more industrialised nations; they are posted on street corners and motorcycles rather than conventional cars. In the past, Nicaragua has had a lot of hardship from a civil war between the Communist parties and a party called the Sandinistas. The Sandinistas won, making Nicaragua a more or less capitalistic society headed by a president.

See also

• Miskito

For the insect, see mosquito The Miskito are a Native American people in Central America. ...

External links

• Nicaraguan Culture