RAAS is the "Region Autonoma del Atlantico Sur," or the Autonomous Region of the Southern Atlantic. And RAAS has a northern twin, in name and political make-up if nothing else: RAAN, the "Region Autonomo del Atlantico Norte" - no translation needed for that one.
Nicaragua's government is that of a unitary state, as are most of the world's governments...like the United Kingdom or Spain. The United States government, on the other hand, is a federation.
There are fifteen departments in Nicaragua, what are called states in the United States; and then there are the two autonomous regions of RAAS and RAAN. Nicaragua's constitution established the Charter of Autonomy which provides for limited self-government for these two autonomous regions (which are not departments) that make up the entire eastern part of the nation. Geographically RAAS and RAAN make up a bit more than half the country's total land mass.
False Bluff is in RAAS, about 8 miles by water from the RAAS capital city of Bluefields.
