Population of Nicaragua
As of August 2026, the population of Nicaragua is 7.1 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 89 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 1.28%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 23 years in 2016 to 26.3 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 75.4 years and population density is 59 inhabitants per square kilometer.
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Population Growth
The population growth rate of Nicaragua peaked in 1968, reaching around 3.14% annually, but has since declined to approximately 1.25% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 97.75 thousand in 1991 to nearly 89.07 thousand in 2026.
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Life Expectancy
In Nicaragua, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 71 years in 2006 to 75.4 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 4 years over the past 2 decades.
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Most populous cities in Nicaragua
The cities of Nicaragua are mostly small, but 5 stand out with more than 100 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Managua, Managua Department, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 973.1 thousand inhabitants. It is followed by León, León Department with 144.5 thousand and Masaya, Masaya Department with 130.1 thousand.
These are the 20 most populous cities in Nicaragua:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Managua, Managua Department | 973,087 |
| 2 | León, León Department | 144,538 |
| 3 | Masaya, Masaya Department | 130,113 |
| 4 | Chinandega, Chinandega Department | 126,387 |
| 5 | Matagalpa, Matagalpa Department | 109,089 |
| 6 | Estelí, Estelí Department | 96,422 |
| 7 | Granada, Granada Department | 89,409 |
| 8 | Mateare, Managua Department | 61,234 |
| 9 | Jinotega, Jinotega Department | 55,000 |
| 10 | El Viejo, Chinandega Department | 53,504 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Nueva Guinea, South Caribbean Coast | 52,929 |
| 12 | Ciudad Sandino, Managua Department | 50,000 |
| 13 | Juigalpa, Chontales Department | 50,000 |
| 14 | Tipitapa, Managua Department | 50,000 |
| 15 | Bluefields, South Caribbean Coast | 44,373 |
| 16 | Diriamba, Carazo Department | 35,008 |
| 17 | Ocotal, Nueva Segovia Department | 33,928 |
| 18 | Puerto Cabezas, North Caribbean Coast | 33,635 |
| 19 | Chichigalpa, Chinandega Department | 33,137 |
| 20 | Rivas, Rivas Department | 30,000 |