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Managua

Capital of NicaraguaManagua spreads along the southern shore of Lake Managua, which is also called Lake Xolotlán. Four small crater lakes lie inside the city limits as well.

Why it's the capital

León and Granada were rival cities, and Managua lay between them. That made it a logical compromise, and in 1852 it was officially chosen as the nation's capital.

Fun facts

  1. The name Managua may come from the Nahuatl term Mana-ahuac, meaning 'next to the water'.
  2. St. James' Cathedral was the first cathedral in the Western Hemisphere built entirely of concrete on a metal frame.
  3. The earthquake of 23 December 1972 destroyed 90% of the city's downtown.

Finding it on the globe

Nicaragua has two big lakes. Managua is on the south shore of the smaller, northern one, Lake Managua, not on the much larger Lake Nicaragua to the south-east.

Sources: Wikipedia: Managua, Wikipedia: Lake Managua, Wikipedia: Lake Nicaragua