What is the population of Nicaragua in 2026?
Nicaragua has a population of 7,007,502 people (2025 estimate), which is 109th in the world and about 0.08% of the global total.
Country profile · North America · Rank #109 by population
Nicaragua
Officially Republic of Nicaragua
Population 2025
7,007,502
#109
in the world
0.08%
of world population
+1.31%
annual growth
About Nicaragua
With a population of 7,007,502, Nicaragua ranks 109th globally and spans 120,340 km² across Central America between Honduras and Costa Rica. The country experiences modest growth of 1.3% annually, supported by a relatively young median age of 26 years and a fertility rate of 2.2 births per woman. Urban areas account for 59% of the population, while the remainder inhabit lower-density rural regions at an average of 57 people per km².
Life expectancy reaches 75.1 years, reflecting the nation's health outcomes. Spanish is the primary language, and the Nicaraguan córdoba serves as the official currency. As a republic established in 1821, the country maintains this governmental structure today. With a GDP per capita of $3,173, Nicaragua's economy operates at a modest scale relative to global standards.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- Managua
- Continent
- North America
- ISO codes
- NI · NIC
- Demonym
- Nicaraguan
- Currency
- Nicaraguan córdoba (NIO C$)
- Government
- Republic
- State inception
- 1821
- Time zone
- UTC−06:00
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +505
- Internet TLD
- .ni
- Land neighbours
- 2
Languages
- Spanish
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Geography
Military
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 28.8%
- Age 15–64
- 65.7%
- Age 65+
- 5.5%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 5 | 30 |
| 95-99 | 97 | 473 |
| 90-94 | 997 | 3,172 |
| 85-89 | 5,524 | 11,370 |
| 80-84 | 15,463 | 24,383 |
| 75-79 | 27,554 | 40,023 |
| 70-74 | 46,070 | 63,432 |
| 65-69 | 63,131 | 80,989 |
| 60-64 | 86,806 | 104,823 |
| 55-59 | 117,343 | 132,390 |
| 50-54 | 150,815 | 163,267 |
| 45-49 | 181,857 | 197,551 |
| 40-44 | 211,938 | 232,420 |
| 35-39 | 249,095 | 263,690 |
| 30-34 | 286,644 | 289,481 |
| 25-29 | 305,360 | 299,906 |
| 20-24 | 313,478 | 305,853 |
| 15-19 | 330,300 | 321,409 |
| 10-14 | 339,226 | 329,554 |
| 5-9 | 337,745 | 327,723 |
| 0-4 | 332,512 | 322,245 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,331,439 |
| 1960 | 1,782,370 |
| 1970 | 2,423,065 |
| 1980 | 3,252,403 |
| 1990 | 4,162,559 |
| 2000 | 5,022,633 |
| 2010 | 5,737,450 |
| 2020 | 6,565,267 |
| 2030 | 7,441,603 |
| 2040 | 8,189,914 |
| 2050 | 8,756,430 |
| 2060 | 9,107,127 |
| 2070 | 9,235,612 |
| 2080 | 9,164,172 |
| 2090 | 8,938,113 |
| 2100 | 8,611,722 |
How Nicaragua Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Nicaragua | 7.01M |
Largest Cities in Nicaragua
All cities →37 cities of 15,000 or more in our roster.
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Managua | Managua Department | 973,087 |
| 2 | León | Leon Department | 144,538 |
| 3 | Masaya | Masaya Department | 130,113 |
| 4 | Chinandega | Chinandega Department | 126,387 |
| 5 | Matagalpa | Matagalpa Department | 109,089 |
| 6 | Estelí | Esteli Department | 96,422 |
| 7 | Granada | Granada Department | 89,409 |
| 8 | Mateare | Managua Department | 61,234 |
Highest Peaks in Nicaragua
All peaks →28 notable summits in our mountain dataset. Subsidiary summits — named high points on a larger mountain — are omitted, so ranks may skip.
| # | Peak | Range | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cerro Mogotón | — | 2,107 m |
| 2 | Mogotón | — | 2,107 m |
| 3 | Cerro El Tizal | — | 1,758 m |
| 4 | Volcán San Cristóbal | — | 1,745 m |
| 5 | Cerro Saslaya | — | 1,635 m |
| 6 | Cerro Volcán Viejo | — | 1,615 m |
| 7 | Volcán Concepción | — | 1,610 m |
| 8 | Pataste | — | 1,598 m |
Countries Bordering Nicaragua
2 land borders.
- Costa Rica5.15M · +0.45%
- Honduras11M · +1.65%
Nicaragua Population FAQ
Is the population of Nicaragua growing or shrinking?
Nicaragua's population is growing at +1.31% per year, a change of roughly 91,938 people annually.
What is the capital of Nicaragua?
The capital of Nicaragua is Managua.
How densely populated is Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has 57/km² across 120,340 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Nicaragua?
Life expectancy at birth in Nicaragua is 75.1 years (2024).
What is the median age in Nicaragua?
The median age in Nicaragua is 26.0 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Nicaragua in?
Nicaragua is in North America.