Ciudad Sandino in Nicaragua, Travel Destinations
Ciudad Sandino is located in Managua, Nicaragua. Also known as Sandino City, the municipality has quite a large population with almost 75,000 people living in a relatively small area. Ciudad Sandino became part of Nicaraguan history in 1972 when an earthquake shook the nearby city of Managua, threatening to kill thousands. The people who lost their homes and possessions during the quake had to flee from the damage and look for shelter. Sandino City opened its doors to those in need. Thus the people of Sandino City became everyday heroes and many lives were saved. Many of these earthquake victims chose to remain in the city and thus the population increased substantially.
Today this bustling municipality is included within the city limits of Managua, though it is more than 13 kilometers away from the city. It can be reached on the Leon Highway and the area is known as ‘OPEN 3’. This name dates back to the 1970s when Sandino was formed by citizens of Managua who were fleeing the flooding waters of the Lake on which Managua was built. Three different ‘open’ areas were assigned as habitable areas wherein these flood victims could settle. While the first and second open areas were located in the city’s eastern outreaches, the third open area was located to the west of the city. Despite the fact that these new plots where somewhat expensive, there was an incredible need so they were bought up by all who could afford them and quickly developed. In less than two years there were nearly 30 thousand people living in this district alone. These numbers were further bolstered by the earthquake of 1972 mentioned above. The resulting growth of Sandino enabled the municipality to become one of Nicaragua’s biggest urban areas.
Today Sandino City has only a few thousand citizens less than Leon. It is divided into ten different administrative zones and these include the Amanecer and Eduardo Contreras that were previously independent districts and which are known for their beauty. While the majority of the streets in Sandino City are dirt there are a few that are paved. The area is served by only two bus lines and these simply cannot adequately cater to the demand of the area. Because of this a number of light trucks are often used for transport but their standard of service is not as good as that of the buses. Most of the zones have running water and electricity, though only a few of the streets are lit up at night.
