Nicaragua also depends heavily on remittances from Nicaraguans living abroad. ... This year U.S. machinery exports grew by 9 percent versus 17.3 percent in 1999, from $58.04 million to $63.3 million. ... Major competition for U.S. products comes from companies in Western Europe and Central America. ... Roughly 20 percent of the tourists are from the United States. ... Embassy in Nicaragua - Economic and Commercial Section) This may all seem quite generous until one realizes that the minimum wage is approximately $0.35 per hour - the lowest wage in Central America. ...

• Word Count: 4098
• Approx Pages: 16
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School