Contact with Europeans in Nicaragua began in 1502 with Columbus sailing down the Caribbean coast. The Spanish colonized the towns of Grenada and Leon several decades later. Since independence from Spanish rule in 1822, the country has rarely seen stability. Much of the 20th century was plagued with corrupt governments and military coups. There was nearly a Nicaraguan canal like the Panamanian one, however U.S. intervention which dominated the politics of Nicaragua for several decades. Some infamous names include General Somoza and his sons, the rebel groups of the FSLN and the UDEL, the Contras, and Daniel Ortega. In 1985 the US put a trade embargo on Nicaragua that deeply bruised the economy. Around this time the Iran Contra scandal became known. It seems every election brings a new leader and shift in government; however, the days of power struggles have all but disappeared. In 1999, Hurricane Mitch heavily damaged the country and more than 10,000 people were killed, forcing many countries to cancel Nicaraguas debt. Now it is a vibrant nation on the upswing with huge youth population. Some 72 percent are under the age of 30. New Industries such as coffee and tourism are slowly creating more jobs and opening more doors for this impoverished nation.