Nicaragua has three main eco-regions: Pacific, Central and Atlantic. The Pacific region is home to volcanoes, lakes, tropical forests, beaches and mangrove systems. The Central region is home to mountains, rivers and agricultural areas. The Atlantic region contains rainforests, marine lagoons, mangrove systems and coral reefs.

Nicaragua has traditionally relied on agricultural exports to sustain its economy. But these benefited mainly a few elite families of Spanish descent, primarily the Somoza family, which ruled the country with US backing between 1937 and the Sandinista revolution in 1979. Nicaragua”s modest tourist industry – which had all but collapsed by the early 1990s – has enjoyed a revival.