Nicaragua

Bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south, Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, with a total area of more than 50,000 square miles.

While Christopher Columbus, perhaps inappropriately, is forever linked to United States history, he is also an integral figure in Nicaraguan history. Columbus is believed to be the first European to have reached what is now known as Nicaragua, having done so in 1502. However, Columbus was hardly the first visitor to influence the country and its people. Much of the country's Caribbean coast, for instance, was inhabited by natives of other regions, most notably those from what is now Colombia.

While the eastern coast was heavily influenced by foreigners, those in the west and highland areas were less so. Those regions were governed by chief Nicarao, or Nicaragua, one of the region's wealthier men. Nicarao took part in a successful attack against the Spanish conquistador Gil Gonzalez Davila in 1520. Gonzalez is considered the discoverer of Nicaragua, which witnessed its first Spanish settlements in 1524. By 1529, the Nicaragua had been conquered, its Indian civilization destroyed after a series of battles known as The War of the Captains.

The country would not become an independent republic until 1838. Ironically, one of the new republic's first presidents was an American pirate named William Walker, who gained his position after a faux election in 1856. Walker was ousted a year later, after which several decades of Conservative rule ensued. Even today, the U.S. Department of State notes, political unrest remains the norm in Nicaragua, which has struggled to maintain a stable democracy undere accusations of fraud and ongoing political tension.

As of 2009, an estimated 6 million people live in Nicaragua, with nearly one-fifth living in the capital city of Managua. Managua was devastated in 1972 by an earthquake, which are common in Nicaragua.

Though many people are fond of visiting Central America for the region's physical beauty, Nicaragua, according to the U.S. Department of State, lacks tourist infrastructure, as most roads are unpaved and public transportation is largely considered unsafe. As a result of its tumultuous political climate, crime is on the rise in the capital city, and tourists are often targets.