Though not as diverse and varied as the people of the United States, the people of Nicaragua do differ in some ways. They are basically split down the middle. The people on the western side of the country are greatly influenced by the country of Spain, which is the country that colonized Nicaragua. These people practice Catholicism and speak Spanish as their primary language. Due to the influences of Spain, the people of Nicaragua have a similar culture and feel as some of the other Latin American countries that were also colonized by Spain. The eastern side of the country was once governed by Britain; therefore, the influences are different from the western side. Those closer to the Caribbean Sea speak English as a first language, and the preferred religion is Protestant as opposed to Catholicism. A majority of the population in Nicaragua is considerably young, with 40 per cent of the people under the age 18 years old. As with most countries, the people of Nicaragua have unique traditions that are all their own. In the area of the arts, poetry is an art that several Nicaraguans have been recognized and praised for.