Back بلوفيلدز، نيكاراغوا Arabic بلوفيلدز ARZ Блуфілдс Byelorussian Bluefields Breton Bluefields Catalan Bluefields (kapital sa departamento) CEB Bluefields Czech Bluefields (Nicaragua) German Bluefields Esperanto Bluefields Spanish
Bluefields | |
|---|---|
City and Municipality | |
View of the Carl Rigby Museum Coastal Glories Stadium View from Bluefields Bay | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 12°0′N 83°45′W / 12.000°N 83.750°W | |
| Country |  Nicaragua |
| Autonomous Region | South Caribbean Autonomous Region |
| Municipality | Bluefields |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gustavo Castro |
| Area | |
• City and Municipality | 4,774.75 km2 (1,843.54 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 25 m (82 ft) |
| Population (2023 estimate)[1] | |
• City and Municipality | 58,633 |
| • Density | 12/km2 (32/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 56,421 |
| Time zone | UTCGMT-6 |
| Climate | Af |
Bluefields (Spanish pronunciation: [bluˈfjels]) is a city and municipality on the central coast of Mosquitia, and capital of the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, Nicaragua. Historically, it held far greater significance as the political and administrative capital of the Kingdom of Mosquitia, which maintained independence and later protectorate status under Great Britain during the 17th to 19th centuries.[2] Following the kingdom’s annexation in 1894, the city became the capital of the Department of Zelaya.[3]
Strategically situated on Bluefields Bay, near the mouth of the Bluefields River, the city lies within the municipality of the same name.[4] Its name derives from Abraham Blauvelt, a 17th-century Dutch-Jewish privateer and explorer who navigated the western Caribbean and coastlines of Central America. Bluefields became a prominent rendezvous for European buccaneers during the early colonial period and gradually evolved into a critical administrative centre for Kingdom of Mosquitia in 1844, affirming its central role in Mosquitia's international relations and internal governance.
As of the 2022 estimate, Bluefields has a population of approximately 58,000. The population reflects the city’s deep cultural and ethnic diversity, comprising predominantly Afro-descendant Creoles, Miskito, and Mestizo residents, alongside smaller communities of Garinagu, Rama, and Chinese. Bluefields is a leading centre for the export of hardwood, shrimp, lobster, and other seafood, and remains one of the region's most important ports.
- ^ Anuario Estadístico 2022. Instituto Nacional de Información de Desarrollo (INIDE)
- ^ Léger, Marie (1994). Aboriginal Peoples: Toward Self-government. Black Rose Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-55164-011-2.
- ^ Rangel, Marc (2003-12-09). A Counterfeit Gringo's Take on Third World Poverty, Cultural Stagnation and Terrorism. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 978-1-4771-6317-7.
- ^ Office, United States Hydrographic (1937). Publication. U.S. Government Printing Office.