Nicaragua, set between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, is a Central American nation known for its dramatic terrain of lakes, volcanoes and beaches. It has three distinct geographical regions: the Pacific lowlands - fertile valleys which the Spanish colonists settled, the Amerrisque Mountains (North-central highlands), and the Mosquito Coast (Atlantic lowlands/Caribbean lowlands). The country shelters 248 species of amphibians and reptiles, 183 species of mammals, 705 bird species, 640 fish species and about 5796 species of plants. The region of great forests is located on the eastern coast, and includes the rainforests in the Rio San Juan and in the autonomous regions RAAN and RAAS. This biome has the greatest biodiversity in the country and is largely protected by the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve in the south and the Bosawas Reserve in the north. The Nicaraguan forests representing about 2.4 million acres, considered the lungs of Central America and the second largest jungle of the Americas. There are currently 78 protected areas in Nicaragua, covering more than 22,000 square kilometres (8,500 sq mi), or about 17% of its landmass. Some 12,000 species of plants have been classified thus far in Nicaragua, with an estimated 5,000 species not yet classified. (Wikipedia)