Managua, in the nahuatl language, stands for "where there's an extension of water", due to the many lakes and lagoons which are in its vicinity.

Managua, with its 1,000,000 inhabitants, rises on the south bank of the lake that has the same name The city stretches south for more than 20 kilometres allongside the lake until Sierra de Managua ( 600 meters above sea level ).

It's located only 50 meters above sea level, and in the city predominates a temperate climate all the year round, with constant medium temperatures that range inbetween 28 and 32 degrees centigrade. The cooler months of the year are Dicember and January, the hottest are March and April. One of the major problems of Managua are the siesmic faults that cross it and that caused several catastrophes throughout its history, such as the last earthquake, which destroyed the city in 1972.

The city is the core of the country under all points oy view Nearly all the industries of the country, as well as the head offices of banks, big Commercial centres, major artistic references, as well as the head of Goverment are seated in Managua.

For tourists, Managua is seen as a city without much interests. This does'nt mean that it's a despicable or ugly city. Infact it's neither ugly or beautiful, mainly because it does'nt give the impression of being a city.

After having been destroyed by the earthquake in 1972, Managua grew quickly and chaotically around the old city centre, without attracting many inhabitants. Therefore this gives today the idea of a huge and confused process of urbanization. The large roads that go out of the city, cross Managua forming a simple road layout of the city. These roads look more as simple roads than main urban arteries.