Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
5 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
371,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
multiple terrestrial TV stations, supplemented by cable TV in most urban areas; nearly all are state-owned or affiliated; more than 300 radio stations, both state-affiliated and privately owned (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.ni
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
61.40% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
3 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
234,000 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
106 (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
7.33 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
sugarcane, milk, rice, oil palm fruit, maize, plantains, cassava, groundnuts, beans, chicken (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$3.382 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$3.856 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$1.380 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$953.8 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$1.260 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$1.127 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$987.1 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$234.1 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
$754.1 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
$480.2 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$391.2 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$459.6 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$1.465 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$817.618 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$15.131 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$6.753 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
36.6243 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
cordobas (NIO) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
24.7228 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
25.9589 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
27.2568 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
28.6210 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
30.0509 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
31.5532 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
33.1217 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
34.3421 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
35.1710 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
35.8744 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
36.4412 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
36.6243 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
garments, gold, insulated wire, coffee, beef (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$4.400 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$5.347 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$5.113 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$5.166 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$5.699 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$5.507 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$5.690 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$5.313 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$6.594 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$7.87 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$8.248 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$8.135 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
40.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
12.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
80.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-58.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
22.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
1.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
14.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
27.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
46.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$8,709 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$19.694 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$60.231 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
garments, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, plastic products, fabric (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$5.246 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$7.413 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$7.298 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$7.588 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$6.735 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$6.253 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$5.968 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$8.497 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$10.213 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$10.519 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$11.437 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
3.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
4.00% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
3.52% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
3.85% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
4.95% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
5.38% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
3.68% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
4.93% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
10.47% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
8.39% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
4.62% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
3.225 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
24.90% (2016 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2017
33.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$30.743 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$33.508 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$36.663 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$39.321 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$38.779 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$41.191 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$47.305 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$48.985 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$51.153 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$52.989 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
4.79% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
4.56% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
4.63% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
-3.36% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
-2.90% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-2.24% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
10.45% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
3.55% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
4.43% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
3.59% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$5,068 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$5,449 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$5,882 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$6,225 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$5,981 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$6,274 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$7,119 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$7,797 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$8,320 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$1.081 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$1.140 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$1.198 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$1.855 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$2.150 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
20.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
26.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
26.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$2.492 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$2.448 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$2.758 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$2.261 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$2.397 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$3.212 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$4.047 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$4.404 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$5.447 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$6.105 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
19.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
5.46% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
6.18% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
6.08% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
4.97% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
4.70% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
4.98% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
12% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
7.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
9% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
22 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
66.3%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
86.5% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
100%
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
20.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
35.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: geothermal
15.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
14.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
12.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
4.654 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
1.125 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
1.849 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
839 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
10.66 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
28,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
200 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
2 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
3.806 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
3.806 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Environment: Environmental issues
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; drought
Environment: Geoparks: global geoparks and regional networks
Rio Coco (2023)
Environment: Geoparks: total global geoparks and regional networks
1
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
42.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
40.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
17.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
16.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
164.52 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
1.084 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
620,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
190 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
59.26% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
1.529 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
15% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly larger than Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than New York State
Geography: Area: land
119,990 sq km
Geography: Area: water
10,380 sq km
Geography: Coastline
910 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Mogoton 2,085 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
298 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
13 00 N, 85 00 W
Geography: Geography - note
largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
Geography: Irrigated land
1,990 sq km (2012)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Costa Rica 313 km; Honduras 940 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
1,253 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
42.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
40.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
17.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major lakes (area sq km): fresh water lake(s)
Lago de Nicaragua - 8,150 sq km; Lago de Managua - 1,040 sq km
Geography: Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: continental shelf
natural prolongation
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m) is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica
Geography: Population distribution
the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters
Geography: Terrain
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Government: Administrative divisions
15 departments ( departamentos , singular - departamento ) and 2 autonomous regions* ( regiones autonomistas , singular - region autonoma ); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Costa Caribe Norte*, Costa Caribe Sur*, Estelí, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas
Government: Capital: etymology
the name comes from Lake Managua, whose name is composed of the Guaraní words ama (rain) and nagua (spirit) and refers to a local deity
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
12 08 N, 86 15 W
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
yes
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
yes
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no, except in cases where bilateral agreements exist
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
4 years
Government: Constitution: amendment process
proposed by the president of the republic or assent of at least half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires approval by 60% of the membership of the next elected Assembly and promulgation by the president of the republic
Government: Constitution: history
several previous; latest adopted 19 November 1986, effective 9 January 1987
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Nicaragua
Government: Country name: etymology
16th-century Spanish explorer Gil GONZALEZ Davila is said to have combined the name of a local chieftain, Nicarao, with the Spanish word agua (water), referring to the two large lakes in the west of the country (Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua)
Government: Country name: local long form
República de Nicaragua
Government: Country name: local short form
Nicaragua
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Elias BAUMANN (since December 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
ACS.Managua@state.gov https://ni.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[505] 2252-7250
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
3240 Managua Place, Washington DC 20521-3240
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[505] 2252-7100,
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sammia Alicia HODGSON MCKENZIE (since 3 June 2025)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
mperalta@cancilleria.gob.ni United States of America | ConsuladoDeNicaragua.com
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 939-6545
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 939-6570
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2021: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president for a fourth consecutive term; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 75.9%, Walter ESPINOZA (PLC) 14.3%, Guillermo OSORNO (CCN) 3.3%, Marcelo MONTIEL (ALN) 3.1%, other 3.4% 2016: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president for a third consecutive term; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 72.4%, Maximino RODRIGUEZ (PLC) 15%, Jose del Carmen ALVARADO (PLI) 4.5%, Saturnino CERRATO Hodgson (ALN) 4.3%, other 3.7%
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified plurality vote for a 6-year term (no term limits)
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
1 November 2026
Government: Executive branch: head of government
President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
7 November 2021
Government: Flag
description: 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 meaning: blue stands for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and white for the land between the two bodies of water history: the banner is based on the former blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America
Government: International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Government: International organization participation
ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Government: Judicial branch: highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 16 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and constitutional chambers)
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly to serve 5-year staggered terms
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
Appeals Court; first instance civil, criminal, and labor courts; military courts are independent of the Supreme Court
Government: Legal system
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
proportional representation
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
November 2026
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
11/7/2021
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
91 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch: parties elected and seats per party
Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) (75); Liberal and Constitutionalist Party (PLC) (9); Other (6)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
54.9%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
5 years
Government: National anthem(s): history
music was approved in 1918 and the lyrics in 1939
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Salomon Ibarra MAYORGA/traditional, arranged by Luis Abraham DELGADILLO
Government: National color(s)
blue, white
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Ruins of León Viejo; León Cathedral
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
2 (both cultural)
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Government: National symbol(s)
turquoise-browed motmot (bird)
Government: Political parties
Alliance for the Republic or APRE Alternative for Change or AC (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Autonomous Liberal Party or PAL Caribbean Unity Movement or PAMUC Christian Unity Party or PUC (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Independent Liberal Party or PLI Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC Moskitia Indigenous Progressive Movement or MOSKITIA PAWANKA (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Multiethnic Indigenous Party or PIM (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Nationalist Liberal Party or PLN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or CCN Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN) Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN Sons of Mother Earth or YATAMA The New Sons of Mother Earth Movement or MYATAMARAN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN)
Government: Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Introduction: Background
The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821, and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. By 1978, violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought a civil-military coalition to power in 1979, spearheaded by Marxist Sandinista guerrillas led by Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador prompted the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista Contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, ORTEGA was elected president in 2006, 2011, 2016, and most recently in 2021. Municipal, regional, and national-level elections since 2008 have been marred by widespread irregularities. Democratic institutions have lost their independence under the ORTEGA regime as the president has assumed full control over all branches of government, as well as cracking down on a nationwide pro-democracy protest movement in 2018 and shuttering over 3,300 civil society organizations between 2018 and 2024. In the lead-up to the 2021 presidential election, authorities arrested over 40 individuals linked to the opposition, including presidential candidates, private sector leaders, NGO workers, human rights defenders, and journalists. Only five lesser-known presidential candidates from mostly small parties allied to ORTEGA's Sandinistas were allowed to run against ORTEGA. He then awarded the Sandinistas control of all 153 of Nicaraguan municipalities in the 2022 municipal elections, consolidating one-party rule.
Military and Security: Military - note
the military is responsible for defending Nicaragua’s independence, sovereignty, and territory; it also has some domestic security responsibilities, including border security, assisting the police, protecting natural resources, and providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance; Nicaragua has defense ties with Cuba, Venezuela, and Russia; Russia has provided training support and equipment; in 2025, Nicaragua signed an agreement of “mutual protection” with Russia the modern Army of Nicaragua was created in 1979 as the Sandinista Popular Army (1979-1984); prior to 1979, the military was known as the National Guard, which was organized and trained by the US in the 1920s and 1930s; the first commander of the National Guard, Anastasio SOMOZA GARCIA, seized power in 1937 and ran the country as a military dictator until his assassination in 1956; his sons ran the country either directly or through figureheads until the Sandinistas came to power in 1979; the defeated National Guard was disbanded by the Sandinistas (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Nicaragua (formal name is Army of Nicaragua or Ejercito de Nicaragua, EN): Land Force; Naval Force; Air Force (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 12,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's air and ground force inventories include mostly secondhand Russian or Soviet-era equipment (2025)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
0.78% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
0.64% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
0.63% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
0.63% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
0.61% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
0.63% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
0.55% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
0.54% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
0.55% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
0.55% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service (16-20 for cadets); no conscription; tour of duty 18-36 months (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
25.1% (male 855,256/female 818,714)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
68.9% (male 2,240,297/female 2,360,244)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
6% (2024 est.) (male 178,347/female 224,090)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
1.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
2.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
3.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
16.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
8.30% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
5.14 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
9 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
11.1 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
44.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
35.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
2.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
11% national budget (2024 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
2.87% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 69%, White 17%, Black 9%, Indigenous 5%
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.89 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
9.7% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
17.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
1.0 beds/1,000 population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
12.8 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
15.9 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
14.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Spanish (official) 99.5%, Indigenous 0.3%, Portuguese 0.1%, other 0.1% (2020 est.)
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
77.6 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
72.5 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
87.33% (2014 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
1.095 million MANAGUA (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
60 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
29.9 years
People and Society: Median age: male
28.1 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
19.2 years (2011/12 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Nicaraguan
People and Society: Net migration rate
-1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
23.7% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
0.68 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
People and Society: Population
6,916,140 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.92% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
3,435,247
People and Society: Population: male
3,304,133
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 33.5% of population
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
12 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
12 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
12 years (2023 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.04 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
0.95 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.8 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
2.21 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
59.26% (2024 est.)
Space: Key space-program milestones
1994 - joined UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space 2017 - Russia opened a satellite navigation system monitoring station in Nicaragua 2021 - signed convention establishing the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency 2024 - joined the China-led International Lunar Research Station project, which aims to establish a permanent base on the Moon by the 2030s
Space: Space agency/agencies
National Secretariat for Extraterrestrial Space Affairs, The Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Secretaría Nacional para Asuntos del Espacio Ultraterrestre, la Luna y otros Cuerpos Celestes, established 2021; operates under the military’s control) (2025)
Space: Space program overview
stated mission is to promote the development of space activities with the aim of broadening the country’s capacities in education, industry, science, and technology; has cooperated with China and Russia; is a signatory of the convention establishing the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025)
Transnational Issues: Illicit drugs: USG identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
89 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Trafficking in persons: tier rating
Tier 3 — Nicaragua does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Nicaragua remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/nicaragua/
Transportation: Airports
39 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
YN
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
general cargo 1, oil tanker 1, other 3
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
5 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
0
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
4
Transportation: Ports: small
2
Transportation: Ports: total ports
5 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
3
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.