Mosquito Coast

Mosquito Coast Miskitu
Early 17th century–1894
Coat of arms
Status	English and British protectorate (1638–1787, 1844–1860) Spanish colony (1787–1800, de jure 1816–1819) Territory of Colombia and New Granada (1810–1816, 1819–1844) Autonomous territory of Nicaragua (1860–1894)
Capital	Sandy Bay Bluefields (after 1787)
Common languages	Miskito English Mayangna Creole
Government	Monarchy
King
• c. 1650–1687	Oldman (first known)
• 1842–1860	George Augustus Frederic II (last)
Hereditary Chief
• 1860–1865	George Augustus Frederic II (first)
• 1890–1894	Robert Henry Clarence (last)
History
• Established	Early 17th century
• Disestablished	20 November 1894
Succeeded by Nicaragua Honduras
Today part of	Nicaragua Honduras

The Mosquito Coast (also known as the Mosquitia or Mosquito Shore) 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.^[1]

The Mosquito Coast was generally defined as the domain of the Miskito Kingdom and expanded or contracted with that domain. During the 19th century, the question of the kingdom's borders was a serious issue of international diplomacy between Britain, the United States, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Conflicting claims regarding both the kingdom's extent and arguable nonexistence were pursued in diplomatic exchanges.^[2] The British and Miskitu definition applied to the whole eastern seaboard of Nicaragua and even to La Mosquitia in Honduras: i.e., the coast region as far west as the Río Negro or Tinto.