Nicaragua's remote Miskito Cays were once a popular pirate hideout.
Photograph by Jay Dickman/CORBIS
The largest country in Central America, bounded by Honduras to the north, Costa Rica to the south, the Caribbean to its east, and the Pacific to its west, has a long history of political tumult but is rich in natural attractions. • It boasts one of the world's largest freshwater lakes, home to the only known species of freshwater shark. • Volcanoes, many still active, litter the landscape. • Unspoiled beaches, new ecotourism opportunities, and evocative colonial architecture in cities like LeÛn and Granada draw visitors in record numbers.
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