Zelaya was a department in Nicaragua. The department was located along the Mosquito Coast bordering the Caribbean Sea and was named after former President of Nicaragua José Santos Zelaya, who conquered the region for Nicaragua from the Mosquito Coast, then a British protectorate and indigenous monarchy, in 1894. The capital was Bluefields.
In 1987 it was divided into two autonomous regions:
Bluefields (Spanish pronunciation: [bluˈfjels]) is a city and municipality on the central Mosquito Coast, 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. Following the kingdom's annexation in 1894, the city became the capital of the Zelaya Department.
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 km and has a population of 541,189 (2021 estimate). 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 North Autonomous Caribbean Coast has a Regional Council of representatives of different political parties, such as the Sandinistas (FSLN) and YATAMA (ethnic indigenous party), as well as all the municipalities. They hold sessions in an Assembly in Puerto Cabezas.
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 km (10,530 sq mi) and has a population of 420,935 (2021 estimate). The capital is Bluefields. Bordering the Caribbean Sea, it contains part of the region known as Moskitia.
It is divided into 12 municipalities: Bluefields, the Corn Islands, Desembocadura de Río Grande, El Ayote, El Tortuguero, Kukra Hill, La Cruz de Río Grande, Muelle de los Bueyes, Nueva Guinea, Paiwas, Pearl Lagoon, and Rama. Eight languages are spoken in the region, with English Creole and Spanish being dominant. The regional official languages are: Spanish (national official language of Nicaragua), Creole (Moskitian Creole and Rama Cay Creole), Sumo (Mayangna and Ulwa), Rama, Miskito, and Garifuna.
Kukra Hill is a municipality and city 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.