Nicaragua
Americas ยท Capital: Managua
How it is run: Nicaragua is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Nicaragua is home to 7.0 million people in Central America, where people speak Spanish.
Numbers that tell a story ๐ข
๐ฅ People
7.0 million people
That is about 865 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
๐บ๏ธ Land
130,373 kmยฒ
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
๐๏ธ How crowded
About 54 people per square kilometre โ a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
๐ Size in its region
18th most people in Americas
17th largest by land in Americas.
๐ฃ๏ธ Official languages
Spanish
๐ฐ Money
Nicaraguan cรณrdoba (C$)
Life here today ๐ฉบ
These come from World Bank open data โ the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
โค๏ธ How long people live
75.1 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
๐ผ Money made per person each year
about US$3,173
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
๐ข Living in cities
59.4% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
๐ Kids under 15
28.3% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details ๐งญ
๐ Phone code
+505
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
๐ Websites end in
.ni
๐ง People here are called
Nicaraguan
๐ท๏ธ Name at home
Nicaragua
Also written: Republic of Nicaragua, Repรบblica de Nicaragua.
๐ Coast or inland
Has a coastline
๐๏ธ UN voting group
Latin American and Caribbean Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders ๐ค
Nicaragua touches 2 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world ๐ฃ๏ธ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Nicaragua
French
Nicaragua
Arabic
ูููุงุฑุงุบูุง
Chinese
ๅฐผๅ ๆ็
Japanese
ใใซใฉใฐใข
Russian
ะะธะบะฐัะฐะณัะฐ
Portuguese
Nicarรกgua
German
Nicaragua
Put it in perspective ๐
- United States โ the most populated country in Americas โ has about 48.8ร as many people as Nicaragua.
- Nicaragua covers roughly 1,242 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Nicaragua lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 3,504 km.
Fast facts ๐ง
Fact of the day: Nicaragua lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
๐ท๏ธ Official name
Republic of Nicaragua
๐๏ธ Capital
Managua
๐ Region
Americas ยท Central America
๐ค Country code
NI
๐๏ธ UN status
UN member state
๐ฉ Independence
Independent country
More about Nicaragua ๐
๐งญ Where on the map
13.0ยฐ N, 85.0ยฐ W
๐ Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
๐ฐ๏ธ Clock check
Roughly UTC-6 โ when it is noon in London it is about 06:00 in Managua.
- Nicaragua is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly โ the same as every other member, big or small.
- Nicaragua is close to the line of 0ยฐ longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Nicaragua lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Nicaragua sits in Central America, in the northern and western half of the globe.
- Nicaragua is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
Countries nearby ๐ค
Talk about it ๐ฌ
- Nicaragua has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Nicaragua can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Nicaragua spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz ๐งช
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Nicaragua?
Managua
Which money do people spend in Nicaragua?
Nicaraguan cรณrdoba (C$)
How many countries share a land border with Nicaragua?
2 โ Costa Rica, Honduras.
Roughly how many people live in Nicaragua?
7.0 million people
Keep researching ๐
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further โ and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here โ kid-friendly encyclopedias ๐
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ๐๏ธ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy ๐ฐ
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card ๐ซ
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians โ all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.