Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American isthmus. The country’s name is derived from Nicarao, chief of the indigenous people living around present-day Lake Nicaragua during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Known as the "land of lakes and volcanoes", Nicaragua is also home to the Bosawás Biosphere Reserve, the second-largest rainforest of the Americas.
Nicaragua has a unique history in that it was the only country in Latin America to be colonized by both the Spanish and the British. Nicaragua’s population is made up mostly of mestizos (people of mixed European and indigenous ancestry but also has people of indigenous, European and African heritage). The main language is Spanish, while Indigenous tribes on the Mosquito Coast speak their own languages and English. The mixture of cultural traditions has generated substantial diversity in folklore, cuisine, music, and literature.
As you explore the store, look for hammocks, glass jewelry, animal ornaments or ceramics from Nicaragua.