Kukra Hill

Kukra Hill
Kukra Hill
Municipality
	Kukra Hill Location in Nicaragua
	Coordinates: 12°15′N83°45′W / 12.250°N 83.750°W
Country	Nicaragua
Department	South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region
Area
• Municipality	460.71 sq mi (1,193.23 km2)
Population (2023 estimate)
• Municipality	10,216
• Density	22/sq mi (8.6/km2)
• Urban	4,462
Climate	Af

Last updated October 26, 2024

Kukra Hill(Loma de los Kukras) is a municipality in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region in the Republic of Nicaragua. It was granted municipal status in 1989; before then, it was administratively part of the municipality of Bluefields, in the former department of Zelaya.

Pronunciation

The word "Kukra" is pronounced "Kukara" by the locals.

Geography

The municipal boundaries are north to the municipalities of El Tortuguero and Laguna de Perlas, south to the municipality of Bluefields, east to the Caribbean Sea, and west to the municipality of El Rama. The municipal seat is located 415 kilometers from the capital city of Managua. The voluminous Escondido River serves as a boundary line between Kukra Hill and Bluefields for part of its course.^[2]

History

Originally, the territory of Kukra Hill was inhabited by the Kukra ethnic group, part of the Ulua group. This ethnicity began to mix with African natives brought as slaves to America in the second half of the 17th century; their dominance was later disrupted by the expansion of the Miskito ethnicity, who, allied with English pirates, subdued them. From then until 1796, when England had to recognize Spain's sovereignty over Mosquitia, the English presence was constant.

In 1821, when Central America gained independence from Spain, England intervened again on the Nicaraguan Caribbean coast by proclaiming the Kingdom of Mosquitia as a British protectorate, integrating the territory of Kukra Hill into it.

The Kukras were absorbed by the dominant Miskitos by the end of the 18th century, and the territory began to be repopulated in the early 19th century when the government of Nicaragua dismantled local governments and began to exert sovereignty over the Caribbean Coast territory, granting the municipality to American concessionaires for the exploitation of rubber, precious woods, bananas, prickly pear, cocoa, and livestock.

Only the names of some places such as Kukra Hill, Kukra River, and Kukra Point remain from the Kukras.

The current population of Nicaragua's Caribbean coast is made up of descendants from a wide variety of groups, including African blacks, Chinese, and Europeans. The municipality was formed in 1989 by a split from the city of Bluefields.^[2]

Demographics

Kukra Hill has a current population of 10,159 inhabitants. Of the total population, 50.8% are men and 49.2% are women. Nearly 43.1% of the population lives in the urban area.^[2]

Nature and Climate

This area is characterized by a humid tropical climate, where precipitation is high, reaching up to 5000 mm per year, typically between 2000 and 3000 mm annually.

The soils of Kukra Hill are among the most fertile in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region; they are of moderately heavy texture, with a high percentage of fine elements, clay, and silt. Most of the municipality's territory is an extensive, gently undulating plain located at 50 meters above sea level. The highest point is Kukra Hill, which rises to 192 meters.

Most of the primary forest that originally covered the territory has disappeared due to deforestation for timber extraction, the establishment of crops, or pastures. Currently, some of the area is occupied by mangrove forests along the coastal zone and dark wood forests (mahogany, laurel, cedar, etc.) in the western part of the territory; the deforested areas are covered by pastures without livestock, large plots of sugarcane and oil palm, which is the main source of employment in the south Atlantic region, hosted by a national company of the same group AGROSA, owned by Nicaraguan businessmen. This company, CUKRA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION S.A., is a socially responsible enterprise which has social development and environmental protection projects. This company tries to maintain a friendly relationship with the environment and the community, being the main engine of development for the region and the municipality.^[2]

Economy

The municipality is endowed with very good land and water, so the main economic activity is livestock, accompanied by agriculture.^[2]

Culture

Spanish is the most used language of the municipality, given the predominance of mestizos from the interior of the country. Miskito and Creole are also used by the populations of those ethnicities.

The main festival commemorated in the municipality is that of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, a Catholic saint.

The Palo de Mayo, the most prominent traditional celebration of the Creole ethnicity, is the result of the convergence of various cultures.^[2]

Transport

Transportation to and from Bluefields is by boat via the Cukra River and Bluefields Bay. There is a concrete road to El Rama and Laguna de Perlas.

Related Research Articles

Nicaragua is a country in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras. Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America in square kilometers.

The Mosquito Coast is an area along the eastern coast of present-day Nicaragua and Honduras. It was named after the local Miskito Nation and was long dominated by British interests and known as the Mosquito Kingdom. From 1860 suzerainty of the area was transferred to Nicaragua with the name Mosquito Reserve, and in November 1894 the Mosquito Coast was militarily incorporated into Nicaragua. However, in 1960, the northern part was granted to Honduras by the International Court of Justice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miskito people</span> Indigenous people of Central America

The Miskitos are a native people in Central America. Their territory extends from Cape Camarón, Honduras, to Río Grande de Matagalpa, Nicaragua, along the Mosquito Coast, in the Western Caribbean zone. Their population was estimated in 2024 as 535,225, with 456,000 living in Nicaragua.

The North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region is one of two autonomous regions in Nicaragua. It was created along with the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region by the Autonomy Statute of 7 September 1987 through a division of the former Zelaya Department. It covers an area of 33,106 km² and has a population of 541,189. It is the largest autonomous region or department in Nicaragua. The capital is Puerto Cabezas. It contains part of the region known as the Mosquito Coast.

The South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region is one of two autonomous regions in Nicaragua. It was created along with the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region by the Autonomy Statute of 7 September 1987 through a division of the former Zelaya Department. It covers an area of 27,260 km² (10,530 sq mi) and has a population of 420,935. The capital is Bluefields. Bordering the Caribbean Sea, it contains part of the region known as Mosquitia.

Bluefields is the capital of the South Caribbean Autonomous Region in Nicaragua. It was also the capital of the former Kingdom of Mosquitia, and later the Zelaya Department, which was divided into North and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regions. It is located on Bluefields Bay at the mouth of the Bluefields River in the municipality of the same name.

La Mosquitia is the easternmost part of Honduras along the Mosquito Coast, which extends into northeastern Nicaragua. It is a region of tropical rainforest, pine savannah, and marsh that is accessible primarily by water and air. Its population includes indigenous and ethnic groups such as the Tawahka, Miskito, Pech, Rama, Sumo, Garífuna, Ladino, and Creole peoples. La Mosquitia has the largest wilderness area in Central America, consisting of mangrove swamps, lagoons, rivers, savannas, and tropical rain forests. The Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage site, is a part of La Mosquitia.

Mískito Coast Creole or Nicaraguan Creole English is an English-based creole language spoken in coastal Nicaraguan region of Mosquito Coast on the Caribbean Sea; its approximately 40,000 speakers are spread over the RACCN and RACCS regions of Nicaragua. The region, known before 1986 as the Zelaya department, is today administratively separated into two autonomous regions: North Caribbean Coast (RACCN) and South Caribbean Coast (RACCS). Mosquito is the nickname that is given to the region and earlier residents by early Europeans who visited and settled in the area. The term "Miskito" is now more commonly used to refer to both the people and the language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nueva Guinea</span> Municipality in South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, Nicaragua

Nueva Guinea is a town and a municipality in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua.

Desembocadura de Río Grande is a municipality of the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region in the Republic of Nicaragua. The head town is the locality of Karawala.

Rama is a municipality and a city in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua.

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La Cruz de Río Grande is a municipality in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua. According to the 2005 census, the population of La Cruz de Rio Grande was 3,000. It gets its name from the Rio Grande de Matagalpa which flows through it.

Muelle de los Bueyes is a town and a municipality in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua.

Pearl Lagoon is a municipality that is often time called just Lagoon and was historically known as English Bank. It is located in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua. It is the most important town of the largest coastal lagoon also by the name of Pearl Lagoon in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua and which the name of the town is derived from. As of 2022, Pearl Lagoon Municipality had a population of 21,360.

The Corn Islands are two islands about 70 kilometres (43 mi) east of the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, constituting one of 12 municipalities of the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua. The official name of the municipality is Corn Island.

The Rama are an indigenous people living on the eastern coast of Nicaragua. Since the start of European colonization, the Rama population has declined as a result of disease, conflict, and loss of territory. In recent years, however, the Rama population has increased to around 2,000 individuals. A majority of the population lives on the island of Rama Cay, which is located in the Bluefields Lagoon. Additional small Rama communities are dispersed on the mainland from Bluefields to Greytown. The Rama are one of three main indigenous groups on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Languages of Nicaragua</span>

The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish; however, Nicaraguans on the Caribbean coast speak indigenous languages and also English. The communities located on the Caribbean coast also have access to education in their native languages. Additionally, Nicaragua has four extinct indigenous languages.

The Kukra River is a river of Nicaragua. It lies in the southeast of the country and is inhabited by two Rama communities and various mestizo settler communities. Much of the river falls within the Rama-Kriol Territory and is thus within the jurisdiction of the Rama-Kriol Territorial Government. It is located south of Bluefields and empties in Bluefields Bay.

Afro-Nicaraguans are Nicaraguans of Sub-Saharan African descent. Five main distinct ethnic groups exist: The Creoles who descend from Anglo-Caribbean countries and many of whom still speak Nicaragua English Creole, the Miskito Sambus descendants of Spanish slaves and indigenous Central Americans who still speak Miskito and/or Miskito Coast Creole, the Garifunas descendants of Zambos expelled from St. Vincent who speak Garifuna, the Rama Cay zambos a subset of the Miskito who speak Rama Cay Creole, and the descendants of those enslaved by the Spanish.

References

↑ Anuario Estadístico 2022. Instituto Nacional de Información de Desarrollo (INIDE)
1 2 3 4 5 6 "Municipios - GENERAL - INIFOM Instituto Nicaragüense de Fomento Municipal ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||". 2011-04-07. Archived from the original on 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2024-04-05.

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[1] Anuario Estadístico 2022. Instituto Nacional de Información de Desarrollo (INIDE)

[:0-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Municipios - GENERAL - INIFOM Instituto Nicaragüense de Fomento Municipal ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||". 2011-04-07. Archived from the original on 2011-04-07. Retrieved 2024-04-05.

[1]

[2]

v t e South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region
Capital: Bluefields
Municipalities	Bluefields Paiwas Corn Island Desembocadura de Río Grande El Ayote El Rama El Tortugero Kukra Hill La Cruz de Río Grande Muelle de los Bueyes Nueva Guinea Pearl Lagoon