El Tortuguero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
El Tortuguero
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Municipality
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 El Tortuguero
Location in Nicaragua
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| Country |  Nicaragua |
| Department | South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region |
| Area | |
| • Municipality | 1,314 sq mi (3,403 km2) |
| Population
(2022 estimate)
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| • Municipality | 58,463 |
| • Density | 44.496/sq mi (17.1798/km2) |
| • Urban | 10,750 |
| Climate | Am |
El Tortuguero is a town in Nicaragua. It is part of the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. The town is about 530 kilometers (330 miles) from Managua, the capital city. You can usually reach it by taking an hour-long truck ride from El Rama.
Contents
History of El Tortuguero
The very first people to live in this area were from the Ulua group. They were an indigenous (native) community. Unlike some other places, large American timber companies did not set up their main operations here. Instead, contractors arrived around 1945. They were hired to cut down trees and use the wood.
El Tortuguero is a fairly new municipality. It was officially created in 1996. Before that, it was part of another municipality called La Cruz de Río Grande. After a big storm, Hurricane Irene, many companies left the area. This meant people had to find new ways to make a living. They started focusing on farming and raising animals to feed themselves. Over the years, many farmers from other parts of Nicaragua have moved here looking for land. This trend continues even today.
Geography of El Tortuguero
El Tortuguero is located in the northern part of the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. Its exact location is about 12° 49' North latitude and 84° 12' West longitude. The municipality was officially founded on May 27, 1996. Its total area is 3,403 square kilometers (1,314 square miles). It is 203 kilometers (126 miles) northwest of the city of Bluefields by water. To get there, you travel through the municipality of Laguna de Perlas, using the Kurinwas and Kukarawala rivers. The distance to Managua, the capital, is 530 kilometers (330 miles).
Where El Tortuguero is Located
The municipality of El Tortuguero shares its borders with several other places:
- To the north, it borders the municipality of La Cruz de Río Grande.
- To the south, it borders the municipalities of El Rama and Bluefields.
- To the east, it borders the municipalities of Desembocadura de Río Grande and Laguna de Perlas.
- To the west, it borders the municipalities of Paiwas and El Ayote.
Population of El Tortuguero
El Tortuguero has a population of about 58,463 people as of a 2022 estimate. Slightly more than half of the population, about 51.7%, are men. The remaining 48.3% are women. About 18.4% of the people in El Tortuguero live in the urban (town) areas. The rest live in rural (countryside) areas.
Communities in El Tortuguero
The municipality of El Tortuguero is divided into 5 smaller areas called microregions. These microregions are made up of 49 different communities. These communities include both urban neighborhoods and rural villages. The people live spread out across all these different places.
Economy and Jobs
The main ways people make a living in El Tortuguero are:
- Raising livestock: This means raising animals like cattle for meat or milk.
- Agriculture: This involves farming and growing crops.
There is also a lot of informal trade, where people buy and sell goods without formal businesses.
Protecting Nature in El Tortuguero
In El Tortuguero, like in many other places, there is a growing concern about the environment. The natural areas are shrinking. There isn't a clear plan to help nature recover. Local government groups and leaders should work together to create one. This plan would help people learn how to farm in ways that protect the environment. It would also help forests grow back. A special "buffer zone" could be created. This is a protective area around important natural reserves. It would help stop new settlers from moving into these sensitive areas and causing more damage.
Culture and Language
The most common language spoken in El Tortuguero is Spanish. Sometimes, you might also hear people speaking the Miskito language.
See also
In Spanish: El Tortuguero para niños
