40 their traditional culture, as well as communal forms of ownership and use, and their own social organization.28 124(6) Currently, the RAAN has seven municipalities: Rosita, Bonanza, Waslala, Prinzapolka, Puerto Cabezas, Waspam and Siuna. In 2000, the RAAN had the first six of these municipalities. This region covers 24.7% of national territory. Its administrative center is Bilwi, in the municipality of Puerto Cabezas. In the RAAN, approximately 45% of the population are Miskitu, 38% Spanish-speaking mestizos, 14% English-speaking ‘Creole’ Blacks, and 3% Twahka-speaking Mayagnas.29 124(7) The RAAS has 11 municipalities: La Cruz de Río Grande, Desembocadura del Río Grande, Tortuguero, Laguna de Perlas, Bluefields, Corn Island, Kubra Hill, Rama, Nueva Guinea, Muelle de los Bueyes and Bocana de Paiwas. In 2000, the RAAS only had the first seven of these municipalities. The RAAS covers 21.1% of national territory and its administrative center is Bluefields, in the municipality of the same name.30 In the RAAS, approximately 85.5% of the population are mestizos, 10.3% Creoles, 2.8% Miskitu, 0.7% Garifunas, 0.4% Ramas and 0.3% Mayagnas.31 CONCERNING THE INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATION YATAMA A) YATAMA AS AN INDIGENOUS AND ETHNIC ORGANIZATION 124(8) In 1969, the ecumenical movement, Asociación de Clubes Agrícolas de Río Coco (ACARIC) was created, based on communal cooperatives marketing agricultural products in the region of the Río Coco (Wanki), “to contribute to improving the social and economic situation of the indigenous people.”32 28 Cf. Article 3 of Decree 3584 of October 2, 2003, entitled Regulation to Act No. 28 “Statute of Autonomy of the Atlantic Coast Regions of Nicaragua” (appendixes to the brief with preliminary objections, answering the application and with comments on the brief with requests and arguments, appendix F, file of preliminary objections, merits and reparations, tome II, folios 404 and 405); testimony of Brooklin Rivera Bryan given before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing held on March 9, 2005; and “Indigenous people and poverty: The cases of Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua” (file of appendixes to the brief with requests and arguments, tome I, appendix 13, folio 376). 29 Cf. Caracterización Fisiogeográfica y Demográfica de las Regiones Autónomas del Caribe de Nicaragua [Fisiographic and Demographic Characterization of the Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua]. Research study by Alfonso Navarrete. Fundación para la Autonomía y el Desarrollo de la Costa Atlántica de Nicaragua (FADCANIC), at www.fadcanic.org/investigacion/investigacion1.htm (evidence incorporated de oficio by the Court under Article 45(1) of its Rules of Procedure). 30 Cf. testimony of John Alex Delio Bans given before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing held on March 9, 2005; Desarrollo humano en la Costa Caribe de Nicaragua [Human Development in the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua]. Consejo Nacional de Planificación Económica Social (CONPES) (file of appendixes to the application, tome II, appendix 7, folio 470); and Caracterización Fisiogeográfica y Demográfica de las Regiones Autónomas del Caribe de Nicaragua. [Fisiographic and Demographic Characterization of the Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua]. Research study by Alfonso Navarrete. Fundación para la Autonomía y el Desarrollo de la Costa Atlántica de Nicaragua (FADCANIC), at www.fadcanic.org/investigacion/investigacion1.htm (evidence incorporated de oficio by the Court under Article 45(1) of its Rules of Procedure). 31 Cf. Caracterización Fisiogeográfica y Demográfica de las Regiones Autónomas del Caribe de Nicaragua. [Fisiographic and Demographic Characterization of the Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua]Research study by Alfonso Navarrete. Fundación para la Autonomía y el Desarrollo de la Costa Atlántica de Nicaragua (FADCANIC), en www.fadcanic.org/investigacion/investigacion1.htm (evidence incorporated de oficio by the Court under Article 45(1) of its Rules of Procedure).