Nicaragua

Nicaragua is located in Central America, midway between Mexico and Colombia, bordered by Honduras to the north, Costa Rica to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. It was granted independence from Spain in 1821 and ultimately became an independent republic seven years later. In 1979, a civil war broke out that lasted 11 years, littering the country with landmines and unexploded ordnance that remain to this day. When Hurricane Mitch struck Nicaragua in October 1998, it exacerbated the landmine problem by moving remnants from the internal conflict, making clearance extremely challenging. In recent years, though, Nicaragua has made significant progress