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Beijing, 11 Dec (Xinhua) -- On 10 December, China and Nicaragua signed the "Joint Communiqué of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Nicaragua on the Restoration of Diplomatic Relations" in Tianjin, and decided to recognize each other and resume diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level from the date of signing of the communiqué.
Speaking of Nicaragua, perhaps many people's first reaction is "what melon" or "Niagara Falls". When they know that it is the name of a country, some people will ask: where is Nicaragua? What kind of country is it?
A craftsman displays a stone carving that has been carved on July 6, 2015, in Masaya Province, Nicaragua. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by John Bustos)
Surrounded by two oceans, this is the world of water
As the largest country in Central America, Nicaragua is a veritable tropical country bordered by Honduras to the north, Costa Rica to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
On December 5, 2021, a sea turtle arrives at the Laflore Beach Nature Reserve in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua to lay its eggs. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by Osvaldo Rivas)
"Nicaragua" has nothing to do with "Guaranti". It is said that when the Spanish colonists arrived here, they found that the water resources were abundant, so they combined the name of the local indigenous tribe "Nicarao" (Nicarao) with the Spanish word for water (agua, pronounced "Agua") to form Nicaragua .
Coincidentally, the name of the capital, Managua, means "land of the water" in the local indigenous language, and also ends with "Agua". A glance at the map reveals that Managua is located on the southern shore of Lake Managua, the second largest lake in Nicaragua. From this point of view, Nicaragua is really a paradise for water.
Visitors play by the sea in San Juan Bay, Nicaragua, On April 9, 2010. (Xinhua News Agency)
Sandy forest A paradise for flora and fauna
The privilege of facing the sea in both directions gives Nicaragua a colourful coastline.
A child runs at sunset on the beach of Pochomier in San Rafael, South, Nicaragua, on September 28, 2015. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by John Bustos)
The Caribbean coast is densely forested and several rivers run into the sea. Also located in this area, the Bossavas Conservation Area is known as the "Lung of Central America" and is the largest tropical rainforest on the American continent. The excellent geographical location and climatic conditions make it rich in species and have a high degree of biodiversity.
As a result, Nicaragua has an extremely rich tourism resource, with undeveloped beaches, pristine jungles and a wide range of flora and fauna attracting a large number of Central American and European and American tourists, and tourism revenue has become one of Nicaragua's main sources of foreign exchange.
On June 20, 2009, an exhibition of rare birds was held at the zoo in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by Oscar Naarret)
Spectacular volcano a paradise for adventurers
The pacific coast to the west is home to volcanic and lake hotspots. In recent years, Nicaraguan volcanic activity has been frequent, and the local people have long been surprised by volcanic eruptions.
On December 2, 2015, the Momotunbo volcano in western Nicaragua erupted a large amount of gas and ash. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by John Bustos)
In 2012, the highest volcano, San Cristobal, erupted suddenly, with columnar soot reaching thousands of meters and smoke clouds of volcanic ash and smoke stretching for more than 40 kilometers; in 2015, Mount Momotunpo, located 40 kilometers northwest of Managua, erupted again after a century of dormancy.
But for the adventurous extreme player, Nicaragua's rich volcanic resources make it a volcanic hotspot, and every year a large number of tourists come to Nicaragua and slide down the slopes on a sleigh-like skateboard.
Photo taken in The crater in Masaya Volcano National Park in Nicaragua, September 18, 2021. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by David Drapas)
Develop the economy A blessed land for agricultural products
Affected by volcanic eruptions and earthquake disasters for a long time, Nicaragua's development is relatively lagging behind. In recent years, Nicaragua's economic growth has improved to a certain extent, and the living conditions of the population have gradually improved. At present, Nicaragua's economy is dominated by agriculture and animal husbandry, mainly producing cotton, coffee, sugar cane, bananas, meat, tobacco and so on.
On September 22, 2015, in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, several elementary school students participated in an earthquake rescue exercise under the guidance of firefighters. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by John Bustos)
In Central America, a traditional region of high-quality coffee, the products of any country are quite shouldered. Nicaragua coffee is not well known in China at present, but with its excellent quality and charming flavor, it has gained a lot of iron powder in the specialty coffee consumption circle.
Nicaragua's volcanic resources have also benefited the tobacco industry, and volcanic ash provides abundant nutrients for tobacco growth. The tobacco leaves produced here have a strong aroma and are popular with cigar manufacturers. But many people may not know that Nicaragua's tobacco cultivation technology has been "exported" to China, and cigar growing expert Marcos Rodriguez is writing about his love affair with cigars in Hainan, thousands of miles away.
A worker packs cigars at a cigar factory in Estelli province, Nicaragua, on January 17, 2014. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by John Bustos)
A Hundred Flowers Bloom The Land of Poetry and Literature
Nicaragua is known for its many festivals and unique traditions. The organic collision of European culture and Native American culture has created a variety of customs and habits in Nicaragua.
On July 26, 2010, in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, a contestant in a beauty pageant. (Xinhua News Agency)
From religious festivals with strong local overtones, to carnivals attended by many people, from crab festivals commemorating the abolition of slavery to international poetry festivals that showcase their talents, the people of Nicaragua enjoy the joyful atmosphere in each festival, fully exerting the concept and nature of Latin American people to love life and enjoy life to the extreme.
When it comes to poetry, we have to mention Nicaragua. This country prides itself on being a "poet's country", and everyone from the president to the common people loves poetry and loves to write poetry. It was home to the famous poet Ruben Dario, whose work had an important influence on European poetry as a representative figure of Latin American modernist poetry, so that the places named after him can be seen throughout Nicaragua.
People take photos in front of a statue in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, on Sept. 19, 2021. (Xinhua News Agency, photo by David Drapas)
(Reporters: Chen Yao, Chen Yin, Huang Shunda; Editors: Chen Yao; Editors: Zhao Hui, Ma Xiaoyan, Cheng Dayu, Tang Zhiqiang)
Produced by the International Department of Xinhua News Agency
Produced by Xinhua News Agency's International Communication Integration Platform