Managua (English spelling)

Japanese: マナグア（英語表記）Managua

The capital of Nicaragua and the department of the same name. It is located in the lowlands between the central highlands and the coastal mountains in the western part of the country, on the south shore of Lake Managua. It is only 55 meters above sea level, and is much hotter than other Central American capitals located on the plateau. During the Spanish colonial period, Leon and Granada developed as the two largest cities, and Managua was just a small Indian town. However, after a long period of conflict and strife, the two cities compromised and in 1857 Managua, located almost halfway between the two cities, was designated the capital of Nicaragua. Since then, it has rapidly developed as the center and is the largest city in Nicaragua. After being destroyed by a major earthquake in 1931, the city was rebuilt as a modern city, with magnificent government buildings, cathedrals, universities, stadiums, and well-maintained streets, boasting a beautiful tropical cityscape, but in December 1972, it was hit by another major earthquake, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying most of the city. It also became a base for the anti-President Somoza faction of the Sandinista Front for National Liberation, and chaos continued in the area with the general strike of 1978-79 and the civil war that followed the overthrow of Somoza. With fertile agricultural and pastoral areas as its hinterland, it is a commercial center where coffee, cotton, corn, etc. are distributed. There are also small-scale industries such as meat processing, furniture, metals, and oil refining. It is a transportation hub on the Pan-American Highway and the Pacific Coast Railway, and an international airport is located on the eastern outskirts. It is home to Dario Park, where a statue of the great Latin American poet R. Dario stands. Population: 908,892 (2005).

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

ニカラグアの首都。また同名県の県都。同国西部，中央高地と海岸山地に挟まれた低地にあり，マナグア湖南岸に位置する。標高わずか 55mで，高原に位置する他の中央アメリカ諸国の首都に比してかなり暑い。スペイン植民地時代にはレオンとグラナダが二大都市として発展し，マナグアは小さなインディオの町にすぎなかったが，長期にわたる対立，抗争を続けた両市が妥協策として，1857年両市のほぼ中間に位置したマナグアをニカラグアの首都に定めた。以後中心地として急速に発展，ニカラグア最大の都市となっている。市街は 1931年の大地震で破壊されたのち，近代的な都市として再建され，壮麗な政庁舎，聖堂，大学，競技場などとともに街路も整備され，美しい熱帯都市の景観を誇ったが，1972年 12月再び大地震に見舞われ，6000人以上の死者を出して市街の大半が壊滅。さらに，反ソモサ大統領派のサンディニスタ民族解放戦線の拠点となり，1978～79年のゼネスト，ソモサ打倒後の内戦などで混乱が続いた。肥沃な農牧地帯を後背地としてもつ商業中心地として，コーヒー，綿花，トウモロコシなどを集散。また小規模ながら食肉加工，家具，金属，石油精製など各種工業が立地。交通の中心地で，パンアメリカン・ハイウェー，太平洋沿岸鉄道が通り，東郊に国際空港がある。ラテンアメリカの大詩人 R.ダリオの像が立つダリオ公園がある。人口 90万8892（2005）。

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