Ocotal
Ocotal is the capital of the Nueva Segovia Department in Nicaragua, Central America and the municipal seat of Ocotal Municipality.
The region currently occupied by the city of Ocotal was occupied by different ethnic groups that had probably migrated from Mexico to Central America many centuries ago, speaking a variety of Nahuatl.
The gold deposits that were found on the banks of the Choluteca River and other places, motivated the establishment of Spanish settlements. The city was founded in 1543 under the name of Nueva Segovia but this was later changed to Ocotal, a Nahuatl word that means "pine resin".
In 1927, Ocotal suffered one of the first dive bombing attacks in history during a battle that pitted the American Marines and the Nicaraguan National Guard against Sandinista rebels. Ocotal is the same city that was founded by Spanish colonialists in 1543, with the name Nueva Segovia.
During the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis, ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya set up a government-in-exile in the city briefly in July during reconciliation negotiations with coup leaders.
The region currently occupied by the city of Ocotal was occupied by different ethnic groups that had probably migrated from Mexico to Central America many centuries ago, speaking a variety of Nahuatl.
The gold deposits that were found on the banks of the Choluteca River and other places, motivated the establishment of Spanish settlements. The city was founded in 1543 under the name of Nueva Segovia but this was later changed to Ocotal, a Nahuatl word that means "pine resin".
In 1927, Ocotal suffered one of the first dive bombing attacks in history during a battle that pitted the American Marines and the Nicaraguan National Guard against Sandinista rebels. Ocotal is the same city that was founded by Spanish colonialists in 1543, with the name Nueva Segovia.
During the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis, ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya set up a government-in-exile in the city briefly in July during reconciliation negotiations with coup leaders.
Map - Ocotal
Map
Country - Nicaragua
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| Flag of Nicaragua | |
Originally inhabited by various indigenous cultures since ancient times, the region was conquered by the Spanish Empire in the 16th century. Nicaragua gained independence from Spain in 1821. The Mosquito Coast followed a different historical path, being colonized by the English in the 17th century and later coming under British rule. It became an autonomous territory of Nicaragua in 1860 and its northernmost part was transferred to Honduras in 1960. Since its independence, Nicaragua has undergone periods of political unrest, dictatorship, occupation and fiscal crisis, including the Nicaraguan Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s and the Contra War of the 1980s.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO | Nicaraguan córdoba | C$ | 2 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EN | English language |
| ES | Spanish language |