About Nicaragua
Spanish - the official language, spoken by ~99.5% of the population.
Miskito, English, and other Indigenous languages are also spoken, particularly along the Caribbean coast.
Spanish is the sole official language of Nicaragua.
| Geography |
Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras; the largest country in Central America
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 130,370-130,373 sq km; contains Lago de Nicaragua, the largest freshwater body in Central America
Land boundaries:
border countries: Costa Rica, Honduras
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes; significant volcanic activity, including the active Cerro Negro volcano
| People |
Population: 6.74-6.85 million (2021-2025 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.7-74.9 years
male: 73.2 years
female: 76.4 years
Infant mortality rate: 10.3-14.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Nationality:
noun/adjective: Nicaraguan(s)
Ethnic groups: Mestizo approximately 69%, White approximately 17%, Indigenous approximately 5%, other minorities including Black/Afro-descendant communities
Religions: predominantly Roman Catholic and Protestant, with smaller irreligious and other religious minorities
Languages: Spanish (official) 99.5%, Indigenous 0.3%, other 0.2% (2020 est.)
Population distribution: the overwhelming majority resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital, Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters
| Government |
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form: Nicaragua
Data code: NU
Government type: presidential republic, widely characterized as increasingly authoritarian
National capital: Managua
Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
| Economy |
Economy - overview: low-income Central American economy; nearly 20 years of increasing state control preceded a 2018 political crisis that severely damaged the private sector and economy; sustained modest growth in recent years despite governance concerns and international sanctions on some officials
GDP (purchasing power parity): $69.51 billion (2026 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (2026)
GDP - per capita: $10,211 PPP (2026 est.)
Inflation rate: 5% (2024)
Unemployment rate: 6.8% (2024)
Population below poverty line: 24.9% (2016)
Currency: Nicaraguan cordoba (NIO)
| Military |
Military branches: Army of Nicaragua (Ejercito de Nicaragua, EN): Land Force, Naval Force, Air Force (2025)
| Transnational Issues |
Trafficking in persons - tier rating: Tier 3 (2025)