Nicaragua is a country in Central America. Its capital is Managua.
North America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Managua; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapNicaragua has Pacific volcanic lowlands, central highlands and broad Caribbean plains. Large lakes occupy the western side, including Lake Nicaragua. The east is generally wetter and contains extensive river and forest landscapes.
Ometepe is an island formed by two volcanoes within Lake Nicaragua. The Bosawás region in the north has a very different forested upland and lowland setting. Rivers connect the interior with the Caribbean coast.
The lowlands are tropical, while the central highlands are cooler. The Caribbean side is generally wetter than the Pacific side.
Seasonal rainfall patterns differ substantially between the two coasts. Lakes, rivers, wetlands and tropical forests support varied ecosystems. Volcanoes and earthquakes are especially relevant in the Pacific region.
Three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue, with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has a triangle with the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA in an arc over it and AMERICA CENTRAL in an arc underneath
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Library of Congress · 2025 constitutional reforms
Concepción rises beyond the green slopes of Maderas on Lake Nicaragua’s Ometepe Island.
Cliffs and forest mark the uplands of northern Nicaragua.
Photo: Rebecca Ore · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Spanish is the official language and dominates much of national public life.
The Caribbean coast has a different linguistic landscape, including Miskitu, Mayangna, Rama, Garifuna and English-based Creole. Indigenous and community languages have recognized local uses, reflecting the coast’s distinct history.
Nicaragua declared independence from Spain in 1821 and became a separate republic in 1838. The Sandinista revolution ended the Somoza regime in 1979, followed by conflict with Contra forces during the 1980s. A 1990 election brought a change of government. Constitutional reforms in 2025 established a co-presidency and strengthened executive control.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Library of Congress · 2025 constitutional reforms
Agriculture, food processing, clothing manufacture, mining and services support the economy. Coffee, beef and gold are notable exports. Remittances are important to household income, and political uncertainty affects investment.
food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood, electric wire harness manufacturing, mining
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Library of Congress · 2025 constitutional reforms
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2,423,065 | 2.423 |
| 1980 | 3,252,403 | 3.252 |
| 1990 | 4,162,559 | 4.163 |
| 2000 | 5,022,633 | 5.023 |
| 2010 | 5,737,450 | 5.737 |
| 2020 | 6,565,267 | 6.565 |
| 2025 | 7,007,502 | 7.008 |
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5,248,461,701 | 5.248 |
| 1991 | 5,238,527,334 | 5.239 |
| 1992 | 5,258,766,205 | 5.259 |
| 1993 | 5,238,102,617 | 5.238 |
| 1994 | 5,412,936,136 | 5.413 |
| 1995 | 5,732,943,937 | 5.733 |
| 1996 | 6,096,657,285 | 6.097 |
| 1997 | 6,338,490,398 | 6.338 |
| 1998 | 6,573,754,971 | 6.574 |
| 1999 | 7,036,282,429 | 7.036 |
| 2000 | 7,324,881,903 | 7.325 |
| 2001 | 7,541,760,192 | 7.542 |
| 2002 | 7,598,620,454 | 7.599 |
| 2003 | 7,790,161,380 | 7.790 |
| 2004 | 8,203,988,040 | 8.204 |
| 2005 | 8,555,315,487 | 8.555 |
| 2006 | 8,910,613,085 | 8.911 |
| 2007 | 9,362,947,173 | 9.363 |
| 2008 | 9,684,631,534 | 9.685 |
| 2009 | 9,365,749,046 | 9.366 |
| 2010 | 9,778,787,862 | 9.779 |
| 2011 | 10,396,483,140 | 10.396 |
| 2012 | 11,071,852,873 | 11.072 |
| 2013 | 11,617,373,487 | 11.617 |
| 2014 | 12,173,318,264 | 12.173 |
| 2015 | 12,756,696,261 | 12.757 |
| 2016 | 13,338,803,114 | 13.339 |
| 2017 | 13,956,550,775 | 13.957 |
| 2018 | 13,487,142,195 | 13.487 |
| 2019 | 13,096,437,236 | 13.096 |
| 2020 | 12,803,529,948 | 12.804 |
| 2021 | 14,142,060,747 | 14.142 |
| 2022 | 14,644,142,762 | 14.644 |
| 2023 | 15,292,555,226 | 15.293 |
| 2024 | 15,840,173,211 | 15.840 |
| 2025 | 16,620,068,189 | 16.620 |
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
A republic with a co-presidency introduced by constitutional reforms in 2025. The presidency has broad authority over state institutions. The National Assembly is a single-chamber legislature; the reforms substantially weakened the separation of powers.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Library of Congress · 2025 constitutional reforms
Three questions about Nicaragua.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Library of Congress · 2025 constitutional reforms
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.
