During the 16th century Spain conquered Nicaragua, but by 1821, much like the rest of South America, the country overthrew Spanish rule and won its independence. Since then Nicaragua has undergone numerous government regimes and a lot of conflict and strife.
On this day July 19th, in 1979, Sandinista rebels overthrow the Somoza family. This came to be known as the Nicaragua Liberation Day. The Somoza family was a dynasty; they ruled Nicaragua for numerous decades.
The Sandinista Rebel group began in the 1930’s during the U.S. occupation of Nicaragua. The group controlled and ruled Nicaragua for 11 years, and in 1990 their candidate, Violeta Chamorro. was elected president — the first female head of state in Latin America. Nicaragua today has approximately 6 million people. It is an export country, with goods sold abroad accounting for 60% of the GDP. Nicaragua is also known for its amazing cigars, and since 2007 its tourism has steadily been increasing.