Nicaragua

Government
Name	Republic of Nicaragua
Spanish	República de Nicaragua
Government type	presidential republic
Capital	Managua (1,042,641 (2016))
Currency	córdoba (NIO)
People
Population (2020)	6,624,554 (112th)
Density of population	51 P/km² (155th)
Nationality	Nicaraguan
Official languages
Spanish
Ethnic groups
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white)	69%
white	17%
black	9%
Amerindian	5%
Religions (2017)
Roman Catholic	50%
Evangelical	33.2%
other	2.9%
unspecified	13.2%
none	0.7%
Life expectancy (2020)
Male	72 years
Female	76.6 years
Total population	74.2 years (134th)
Homicides
Total (2016)	7.2 per 100,000 people (44th)
Geography
Land area	119,990 km²
water area	10,380 km²
total area	130,370 km² (99th)
Mean elevation	298 m
Lowest point
Pacific Ocean	0 m
Highest point
Mogoton	2,085 m
Land use (2011)
Agricultural land	42.2%
Arable land	12.5%
Permanent crops	2.5%
Permanent pasture	27.2%
Forest	25.3%
Other	32.5%
Urbanization
Urban population (2020)	59%
Rate of urbanization	1.45% annual rate of change (2015 – 2020)
Economy
Labor force (2017)	3.046 million (103rd)
Labor force by occupation (2011)
Agriculture	31%
Industry	18%
Services	50%
Unemployment rate (2017)	6.4% (95th)
GDP (PPP) (estimate 2018)
Total	$35.757 billion (115th)
Per capita	$5,683 (129th)
GDP (nominal) (estimate 2018)
Total	$13.380 billion (127th)
Per capita	$2,126 (134th)
GDP by sector (estimate 2017)
Agriculture	15.5%
Industry	24.4%
Services	60%
Exports (2017)	$3.819 billion (119th)
Exports partners (2017)
US	44.2%
El Salvador	6.4%
Venezuela	5.5%
Costa Rica	5.5%
Imports (2017)	$6.613 billion (116th)
Imports partners (2017)
US	20.8%
China	14.3%
Mexico	11.1%
Costa Rica	7.9%
Guatemala	7%
El Salvador	5.6%

Nicaragua on the world map

Nicaragua top 10 largest cities (2016)

Managua (1,042,641)
León (206,264)
Masaya (176,344)
Matagalpa (158,095)
Tipitapa (140,569)
Chinandega (135,154)
Jinotega (133,705)
Granada (127,892)
Estelí (126,290)
Puerto Cabezas (113,534)

Demography

Population pyramid

Age structure data

Estimate for 2020:

0-14 years: 25.63% (male 811,731/female 777,984)
15-24 years: 19.51% (male 609,962/female 600,567)
25-54 years: 42.41% (male 1,254,683/female 1,376,052)
55-64 years: 6.63% (male 188,591/female 222,766)
65 years and over: 5.82% (male 159,140/female 201,965)

Remark: the age structure of a population affects a nation’s key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest.

Population from 1950 to 2020

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Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2019). World Population Prospects 2019, Online Edition. Rev. 1.

Evolution of the life expectancy from 1960 to 2018

CC BY

Source: World Development Indicators, The World Bank

Economy

Agriculture:

coffee, bananas, sugarcane, rice, corn, tobacco, cotton, sesame, soya, beans, beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, lobsters, peanuts

Industries:

food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood, electric wire harness manufacturing, mining

Exports – commodities:

coffee, beef, gold, sugar, peanuts, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, cigars, automobile wiring harnesses, textiles, apparel