Nicaragua lies at the heart of Central America.  An 11-year war between left-wing Sandinistas and right-wing US-backed Contras ended in 1989.  Free elections in 1990 and 1996 saw the Sandinistas defeated again, although they remain a major political force in a country where poverty and unrest are rising.  The population of approximately 5.5 million comprises about 69% mestizo, 17% white, 9% black and 5% Amerindian; nearly 90% of the people are Roman Catholic.  Spanish is the official language, although English, Creole, and Miskito are also spoken.