View source for Demographics of Nicaragua

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is a legitimate description when the title is already adequate; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{infobox country demographics
|place=Nicaragua
|image=Nicaragua single age population pyramid 2020.png
|caption=Nicaragua [[population pyramid]] in 2020
| size_of_population = {{UN_Population|Nicaragua}}
| population_estimate_year ={{UN_Population|Year}}
| population_figure_source ={{UN_Population|ref}}
| life               =74.8 years<ref name="worldometer" />
|growth=1.855%
|nation=Nicaraguan
|birth=15.6/1,000 (2023 est.)
|death=5.0/1,000 (2021 est.)
| infant_mortality   =11.861/1,000<ref name="worldometer">{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/nicaragua-demographics/|website=Worldometer|title= Nicaragua Demographics|date=2023}}</ref>
}}
According to {{UN_Population|source}}, [[Nicaragua]] has a population of {{UN_Population|Nicaragua}}.{{UN_Population|ref}}.According to a 2014 research published in the journal ''Genetics and Molecular Biology'', European ancestry predominates in 69% of Nicaraguans, followed by African ancestry in 20%, and lastly [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|indigenous ancestry]] in 11%.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Mauro Salzano, Francisco |author2=Sans, Mónica |title=Interethnic admixture and the evolution of Latin American populations|journal=Genetics and Molecular Biology|date=2014|volume=37|issue=1 (suppl)|pages=151–170|doi=10.1590/s1415-47572014000200003|pmid=24764751 |pmc=3983580}}</ref> A Japanese research of "Genomic Components in America's demography" demonstrated that, on average, the ancestry of Nicaraguans is 58–62% European, 28% Native American, and 14% African, with a very small [[Near East|Near Eastern]] contribution.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4307/35125440893_3566ed7714_o.jpg|title=Genomic Components in America's demography|access-date=January 8, 2018|archive-date=7 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307232735/https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4307/35125440893_3566ed7714_o.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref> Non-genetic data from the ''[[CIA World Factbook]]'' establishes that from Nicaragua's 2016 population of 5,966,798, around 69% are [[mestizo]], 17% [[White Latin American|white]], 5% Native American, and 9% [[Afro-Latin American|black]] and other races.<ref name=cia>{{CIA World Factbook link|nu|Nicaragua}}</ref> This fluctuates with changes in migration patterns. The population is 58% urban {{As of|2013|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS|title=Urban population (% of total)|publisher=[[World Bank]]|access-date=2015-06-26|archive-date=2 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302054104/http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the [[Nicaraguan Revolution|Sandinista revolution]] in 1979, many of the migrants who left the country were landed people of upper and middle-class origin who wanted to avoid the Sandinistas' [[Land reforms|agrarian reforms]] that were being carried out.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.agter.org/bdf/en/corpus_chemin/fiche-chemin-62.html|title=NICARAGUA: Fragility and limits of agrarian reforms|last=Merlet|first=Michel|date=Nov 2002|publisher=Institut de Recherche et d’Applications des Méthodes de Développement}}</ref> A growing number of these people have returned, while many continue to live abroad.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sandinista {{!}} political and military organization, Nicaragua {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sandinista |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

42.5% of the population lives below the poverty line.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2046.html#nu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613003340/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2046.html#nu|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 13, 2007|title=The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency|website=Cia.gov|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref> The general poverty rate is estimated at 47.3%, although much of the population falls in the lower middle class due to low salaries and a low GDP (US$1000–3000).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inide.gob.ni/|title=Instituto Nacional de Información de Desarrollo- INIDE de Nicaragua|website=Inide.gob.ni|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref>

The most populous city in the country is the capital city, [[Managua]], with a population of 1.2 million (2005). As of 2005, over 4.4 million inhabitants (82%) live in the Pacific, Central and Northern regions. 2.7 million inhabitants (about 50%, not including Managua) reside in the Pacific region alone, while inhabitants in the Caribbean region only reach an estimated 700,000.<ref name="CN">{{cite news| title=VIII Censo de Poblacion y IV de Vivienda| date=October 2005| url=http://www.inec.gob.ni/censos2005/ResumenCensal/RESUMENCENSAL.pdf| work=Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos| access-date=2007-07-07| language=es| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824192548/http://www.inec.gob.ni/censos2005/ResumenCensal/RESUMENCENSAL.pdf| archive-date=2007-08-24}}</ref>

The Census Bureau in Nicaragua is the [[National Institute of Statistics and Census of Nicaragua|National Institute of Statistics and Census]] (INEC). The institution is in charge of completing [[census]]es and [[statistical survey|surveys]]. INEC ran its first census in 1906, the last census was taken in 2005, it was the eighth to date.

==Population==
[[File:Nicaragua-demography.png|thumb|450px|Nicaragua's total population, 2005. Number of inhabitants in thousands.]]

According to {{UN_Population|source}} the total population was {{UN_Population|Nicaragua}} in {{UN_Population|Year}}, compared to only 1,295,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 34.5%, 60.9% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 4.6% was 65 years or older
.<ref name="WPP 2012">{{Cite web|url=https://population.un.org/wpp/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506065230/http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm|url-status=dead|title=World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations|archivedate=May 6, 2011|website=population.un.org}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
|-
! rowspan=2|Year
! rowspan=2 width="70pt"|Total population<br /> (million)
! colspan=3 width="70pt"|Proportion percentage
|-
! aged 0–14
! aged 15–64
! aged 65+
|-
| 1950
|1 295
|{{percentage bar|43.0}}
|{{percentage bar|54.2}}
|{{percentage bar|2.8}}
|-
| 1955
|1 508
|{{percentage bar|45.2}}
|{{percentage bar|52.1}}
|{{percentage bar|2.7}}
|-
| 1960
|1 775
|{{percentage bar|47.4}}
|{{percentage bar|50.0}}
|{{percentage bar|2.5}}
|-
| 1965
|2 063
|{{percentage bar|49.2}}
|{{percentage bar|48.3}}
|{{percentage bar|2.5}}
|-
| 1970
|2 400
|{{percentage bar|48.1}}
|{{percentage bar|49.4}}
|{{percentage bar|2.5}}
|-
| 1975
|2 798
|{{percentage bar|47.1}}
|{{percentage bar|50.2}}
|{{percentage bar|2.6}}
|-
| 1980
|3 250
|{{percentage bar|47.1}}
|{{percentage bar|50.1}}
|{{percentage bar|2.7}}
|-
| 1985
|3 710
|{{percentage bar|47.1}}
|{{percentage bar|50.0}}
|{{percentage bar|2.9}}
|-
| 1990
|4 138
|{{percentage bar|46.0}}
|{{percentage bar|50.9}}
|{{percentage bar|3.2}}
|-
| 1995
|4 659
|{{percentage bar|44.0}}
|{{percentage bar|52.6}}
|{{percentage bar|3.4}}
|-
| 2000
|5 069
|{{percentage bar|39.7}}
|{{percentage bar|56.6}}
|{{percentage bar|3.8}}
|-
| 2005
|5 439
|{{percentage bar|36.2}}
|{{percentage bar|59.6}}
|{{percentage bar|4.2}}
|-
| 2010
|5 824
|{{percentage bar|33.3}}
|{{percentage bar|62.2}}
|{{percentage bar|4.5}}
|-
| 2015
|6 223
|{{percentage bar|31.3}}
|{{percentage bar|64.0}}
|{{percentage bar|4.8}}
|-
| 2020
|6 625
|{{percentage bar|29.5}}
|{{percentage bar|64.8}}
|{{percentage bar|5.7}}
|}

===Structure of the population===

{{Hidden begin 
|title= Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2009):<ref>{{cite web|url=http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dyb2.htm|title=United Nations Statistics Division - Demographic and Social Statistics|website=Unstats.un.org|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref>
|titlestyle = background:#EEBC35;
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 2 844 244
| align="right" | 2 898 072
| align="right" | 5 742 316
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0-4
| align="right" | 347 205
| align="right" | 332 920
| align="right" | 680 125
| align="right" | 11.84
|-
| align="right" | 5-9
| align="right" | 336 817
| align="right" | 323 279
| align="right" | 660 096
| align="right" | 11.50
|-
| align="right" | 10-14
| align="right" | 344 831
| align="right" | 332 925
| align="right" | 677 756
| align="right" | 11.80
|-
| align="right" | 15-19
| align="right" | 331 536
| align="right" | 329 072
| align="right" | 660 608
| align="right" | 11.50
|-
| align="right" | 20-24
| align="right" | 286 484
| align="right" | 290 439
| align="right" | 576 923
| align="right" | 10.05
|-
| align="right" | 25-29
| align="right" | 250 672
| align="right" | 260 730
| align="right" | 511 402
| align="right" | 8.91
|-
| align="right" | 30-34
| align="right" | 197 120
| align="right" | 214 967
| align="right" | 412 087
| align="right" | 7.18
|-
| align="right" | 35-39
| align="right" | 162 472
| align="right" | 174 845
| align="right" | 337 317
| align="right" | 5.87
|-
| align="right" | 40-44
| align="right" | 136 223
| align="right" | 143 572
| align="right" | 279 795
| align="right" | 4.87
|-
| align="right" | 45-49
| align="right" | 115 914
| align="right" | 124 028
| align="right" | 239 942
| align="right" | 4.18
|-
| align="right" | 50-54
| align="right" | 98 355
| align="right" | 107 733
| align="right" | 206 088
| align="right" | 3.59
|-
| align="right" | 55-59
| align="right" | 74 173
| align="right" | 80 156
| align="right" | 154 329
| align="right" | 2.69
|-
| align="right" | 60-64
| align="right" | 45 221
| align="right" | 48 460
| align="right" | 93 681
| align="right" | 1.63
|-
| align="right" | 65-69
| align="right" | 43 121
| align="right" | 46 230
| align="right" | 89 351
| align="right" | 1.56
|-
| align="right" | 70-74
| align="right" | 32 418
| align="right" | 35 443
| align="right" | 67 861
| align="right" | 1.18
|-
| align="right" | 75-79
| align="right" | 22 249
| align="right" | 25 956
| align="right" | 48 205
| align="right" | 0.84
|-
| align="right" | 80+
| align="right" | 19 433
| align="right" | 27 317
| align="right" | 46 750
| align="right" | 0.81
|-
! width="50"|Age group 
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0-14
| align="right" | 1 028 853
| align="right" | 989 124
| align="right" | 2 017 977
| align="right" | 35.14
|-
| align="right" | 15-64
| align="right" | 1 698 170
| align="right" | 1 774 002
| align="right" | 3 472 172
| align="right" | 60.47
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 117 221
| align="right" | 134 946
| align="right" | 252 167
| align="right" | 4.39
|-
|}
{{Hidden end}}

{{Hidden begin 
|title= Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.07.2023): <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bcn.gob.ni/sites/default/files/documentos/Nicaragua%20en%20cifras%202023.pdf|title=Nicaragua in figures 2023}}</ref>
|titlestyle = background:#EEBC35;
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age Group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 3 357 138
| align="right" | 3 446 748
| align="right" | 6 803 886
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 328 587
| align="right" | 314 177
| align="right" | 642 764
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 339 464
| align="right" | 324 833
| align="right" | 664 297
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 338 766
| align="right" | 324 761
| align="right" | 663 527
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 318 320
| align="right" | 306 443
| align="right" | 624 763
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 299 073
| align="right" | 290 339
| align="right" | 589 412
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 294 819
| align="right" | 293 641
| align="right" | 588 460
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 272 934
| align="right" | 282 281
| align="right" | 555 215
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 240 254
| align="right" | 255 454
| align="right" | 495 708
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 209 895
| align="right" | 231 173
| align="right" | 441 068
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 167 212
| align="right" | 190 927
| align="right" | 358 139
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 137 219
| align="right" | 154 183
| align="right" | 291 402
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 115 265
| align="right" | 128 180
| align="right" | 243 445
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 97 984
| align="right" | 111 544
| align="right" | 209 528
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 65-69
| align="right" | 79 279
| align="right" | 92 356
| align="right" | 171 635
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 70-74
| align="right" | 51 336
| align="right" | 60 269
| align="right" | 111 605
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 75-79
| align="right" | 30 342
| align="right" | 36 448
| align="right" | 66 790
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 80+
| align="right" | 36 389
| align="right" | 49 739
| align="right" | 86 128
| align="right" | 
|-
! width="50"|Age group 
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 1 006 817
| align="right" | 963 771
| align="right" | 1 970 588
| align="right" | 28.96
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 2 152 975
| align="right" | 2 244 165
| align="right" | 4 397 140
| align="right" | 64.63
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 197 346
| align="right" | 238 812
| align="right" | 436 158
| align="right" | 6.41
|-
|}
{{Hidden end}}

=== Population distribution ===
Ninety percent of Nicaraguans live in the Pacific lowlands and the adjacent interior highlands. The population is 54% urban. The most populous city in Nicaragua is the capital city, [[Managua]], with a population of 1.2 million (2005). As of 2005, over 4.4 million inhabitants live in the Pacific, Central and North regions, accounting for 82% of the population. There are 2.7 million residents in the Pacific region, not including Managua. The Caribbean region, including the [[Mosquito Coast]], has an estimated 700,000 residents.<ref name="CN"/> In addition, many [[Nicaraguan Diaspora|Nicaraguans live abroad]].

===Departments by population===
[[File:Catedral de Managua (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Managua]]]]
[[File:Town Square - Granada, Nicaragua.JPG|thumb|[[Granada, Nicaragua|Granada]]]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Departments by population as of 2005<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.inec.gob.ni/censos2005/ResumenCensal/RESUMENCENSAL.pdf |title=Nicaraguan 2005 Census |publisher=INEC |access-date=2007-09-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824192548/http://www.inec.gob.ni/censos2005/ResumenCensal/RESUMENCENSAL.pdf |archive-date=2007-08-24 }}</ref>
|-
!Rank !![[Municipalities of Nicaragua|City]] !![[Departments of Nicaragua|Department]] !!Pop. (2005)
|-
| style="text-align: center" |1 || '''[[Managua]]''' || [[Managua (department)|Managua]] || 1,262,978
|-
| style="text-align: center" |2 || '''[[Matagalpa]]''' || [[Matagalpa (department)|Matagalpa]] || 469,172
|-
| style="text-align: center" |3 || '''[[Chinandega]]''' || [[Chinandega (department)|Chinandega]] || 378,970
|-
| style="text-align: center" |4 || '''[[León, Nicaragua|León]]''' || [[León, Nicaragua|León]] || 355,779
|-
| style="text-align: center" |5 || '''[[Jinotega]]''' || [[Jinotega (department)|Jinotega]] || 331,335
|-
| style="text-align: center" |6 || '''[[Puerto Cabezas]]''' || [[Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte|RAAN]] || 314,130
|-
| style="text-align: center" |7 || '''[[Bluefields]]'''  || [[Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur|RAAS]] || 306,510
|-
| style="text-align: center" |8 || '''[[Masaya]]''' || [[Masaya (department)|Masaya]] || 289,988
|-
| style="text-align: center" |9 || '''[[Ocotal]]''' || [[Nueva Segovia (department)|Nueva Segovia]] || 208,523
|-
| style="text-align: center" |10 || '''[[Estelí]]''' || [[Estelí (department)|Estelí]] || 201,548
|-
| style="text-align: center" |11 || '''[[Granada, Nicaragua|Granada]]''' || [[Granada (department)|Granada]] || 168,186
|-
| style="text-align: center" |12 || '''[[Jinotepe]]''' || [[Carazo (department)|Carazo]] || 166,073
|-
| style="text-align: center" |13 || '''[[Rivas, Nicaragua|Rivas]]''' || [[Rivas Department|Rivas]] || 156,283
|-
| style="text-align: center" |14 || '''[[Juigalpa]]''' || [[Chontales Department|Chontales]] || 153,932
|-
| style="text-align: center" |15 || '''[[Boaco]]''' || [[Boaco (department)|Boaco]] || 150,636
|-
| style="text-align: center" |16 || '''[[Somoto]]'''  || [[Madriz (department)|Madriz]] || 132,459
|-
| style="text-align: center" |17 || '''[[San Carlos, Río San Juan|San Carlos]]''' || [[Río San Juan (department)|Río San Juan]] || 95,596
|-
| style="text-align: center" |18 || '''Total''' || -- || '''5,142,098'''
|}

<ref>{{cite web| url = https://data.worldbank.org/country/nicaragua| title = Worldbank, country Nicaragua, visited October 9, 2021}}</ref>{{GraphChart
| width = 550
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=year
| yAxisTitle= million
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
| y1= 1.77, 1.83,  1.89, 1.95, 2.01, 2.07, 2.13, 2.2, 2.26, 2.33, 2.41,2.48, 2.56,  2.64, 2.72, 2.81, 2.89, 2.99, 3.08, 3.17, 3.27, 3.36,3.46, 3.55, 3.64, 3.73, 3.82, 3.91, 4, 4.08, 4.17, 4.27, 4.36, 4.46, 4.56, 4.65, 4.74, 4.83, 4.91, 4.99, 5.07, 5.15, 5.22, 5.29,5.36, 5.44,  5.51, 5.59, 5.67,5.75,5.82,  5.9, 5.98, 6.06, 6.14, 6.22, 6.3, 6.38, 6.47, 6.55, 6.62 

 
| y1Title= population (million)

}}

{{GraphChart
| width = 550
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=years
| yAxisTitle= TFR
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| hAnnotatonsLine=2.1
| hAnnotatonsLabel=
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

| y1= 7.37, 7.31, 7.25, 7.19, 7.13, 7.07, 7.03, 6.98, 6.94, 6.9, 6.86, 6.82, 6.77, 6.71, 6.65, 6.57, 6.5, 6.41, 6.33, 6.23, 6.14, 6.03, 5.9, 5.76, 5.61, 5.45, 5.28, 5.1, 4.93, 4.76, 4.6, 4.43, 4.27, 4.1, 3.94, 3.78, 3.62, 3.47, 3.34, 3.22, 3.11, 3.02, 2.94, 2.87, 2.82, 2.77, 2.73, 2.69, 2.66, 2.63, 2.6, 2.58, 2.55, 2.53, 2.5, 2.48, 2.46, 2.43, 2.4, 2.38 

| y1Title=Total Fertility Rate
}}

==Vital statistics==
===UN estimates===
Registration of vital events is in Nicaragua not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.
<ref name="WPP 2012"/>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
|-
! rowspan=2 width="50pt"|Period
! rowspan=2 width="70pt"|Live births<br />per year
! rowspan=2 width="70pt"|Deaths<br />per year
! rowspan=2 width="70pt"|Natural change<br />per year
! rowspan=2 width="35pt"|CBR*
! rowspan=2 width="35pt"|CDR*
! rowspan=2 width="35pt"|NC*
! rowspan=2 width="35pt"|TFR*
! rowspan=2 width="35pt"|IMR*
! colspan=3 width="50pt"|Life expectancy
|-
! total
! for males
! for females
|-
| 1950–1955 || 77 000|| 32 000|| 45 000||54.9||23.0||31.9||7.20||172||42.3||40.9||43.7
|-
| 1955–1960 || 89 000|| 33 000|| 56 000||54.2||20.4||33.8||7.50||151||45.4||44.1||46.8
|-
| 1960–1965 || 93 000|| 33 000|| 60 000||48.5||17.0||31.5||7.10||131||48.7||47.3||50.0
|-
| 1965–1970 || 103 000|| 32 000|| 71 000||46.3||14.4||31.9||6.95||114||52.0||50.5||53.4
|-
| 1970–1975 || 120 000|| 33 000|| 88 000||46.3||12.6||33.7||6.79||98||55.3||53.7||56.8
|-
| 1975–1980 || 137 000|| 34 000|| 102 000||45.2||11.3||33.9||6.35||90||57.6||55.3||60.0
|-
| 1980–1985 || 149 000|| 35 000|| 114 000||42.9||10.1||32.7||5.85||80||59.5||56.5||62.6
|-
| 1985–1990 || 150 000|| 33 000|| 117 000||38.2||8.4||29.8||5.00||65||62.2||59.0||65.5
|-
| 1990–1995 || 156 000|| 29 000|| 127 000||35.4||6.5||28.9||4.50||48||66.1||63.5||68.7
|-
| 1995–2000 || 147 000|| 27 000|| 120 000||30.1||5.6||24.6||3.60||34||68.4||65.9||71.1
|-
| 2000–2005 || 139 000|| 26 000|| 112 000||25.8||5.2||20.6||2.91||26||70.9||68.0||73.8
|-
| 2005–2010 || 140 000|| 27 000|| 113 000||24.3||5.1||19.2||2.68||22||72.9||69.9||76.0
|-
| 2010–2015 || || || ||22.8||5.0||17.8||2.54||||||||
|-
| 2015–2020 || || || ||20.9||5.1||15.8||2.42||||||||
|-
| 2020–2025 || || || ||18.7||5.1||13.6||2.28||||||||
|-
| 2025–2030 || || || ||17.1||5.3||11.8||2.16||||||||
|-
|align="left" colspan="12" | * <small> CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)</small>
|}

===Registered births and deaths===
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/vitstats/serATab3.pdf|title=3. Live births, deaths, and infant deaths, latest available year (2002 - 2016)|website=Unstats.un.org|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.inide.gob.ni/Home/Compendios | title=Instituto Nacional de Información de Desarrollo - INIDE }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: right;"
|-
! width="70"|Year
! width="70"|Population 
! width="70"|Live births
! width="70"|Deaths
! width="70"|Natural increase
! width="70"|Crude birth rate
! width="70"|Crude death rate
! width="70"|Rate of natural increase
! width="70"| Crude migration (per thousands)
! width="70"|TFR
|-
| align="right" | 1990
| style="color: red"| 3,959,785
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1991
| align="right" | 4,058,434
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1992
| align="right" | 4,162,367
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1993
| align="right" | 4,268,685
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1994
| align="right" | 4,374,490
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1995
| align="right" | 4,476,881
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1996
| align="right" | 4,574,524
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1997
| align="right" | 4,669,352
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1998
| align="right" | 4,763,366
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 1999
| align="right" | 4,858,570
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 2000
| align="right" | 4,956,964
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 2001
| align="right" | 5,058,643
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 2002
| align="right" | 5,162,275
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 2003
| align="right" | 5,267,714
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|
|-
| align="right" | 2004
| align="right" | 5,374,820
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2005
| align="right" | 5,483,447
| align="right" | 121,380
| align="right" | 16,770
| align="right" | 104,610
| align="right" | 22.1
| align="right" | 3.1
| align="right" | 19.0
|
| style="color: blue"| 2.94
|-
| align="right" | 2006
| align="right" | 5,522,606
| align="right" | 123,886
| style="color: blue"| 16,595
| align="right" | 107,291
| align="right" | 22.4
| style="color: blue"| 3.0
| align="right" | 19.4
| -12.3
| align="right" | 
|-
| align="right" | 2007
| align="right" | 5,595,541
| align="right" | 128,171
| align="right" | 17,288
| align="right" | 110,883
| align="right" | 22.9
| align="right" | 3.1
| align="right" | 19.8
| -6.6
| align="right" | 2.51
|-
| align="right" | 2008
| align="right" | 5,668,876
| align="right" | 129,506
| align="right" | 18,262
| align="right" | 111,244
| align="right" | 22.8
| align="right" | 3.2
| align="right" | 19.6
| -6.5
| align="right" | 2.49
|-
| align="right" | 2009
| align="right" | 5,742,310
| align="right" | 132,222
| align="right" | 18,179
| align="right" | 114,043
| align="right" | 23.0
| align="right" | 3.2
| align="right" | 19.8
| -6.8
| align="right" | 2.49
|-
| align="right" | 2010
| align="right" | 5,815,524
| align="right" | 132,165
| align="right" | 19,944
| align="right" | 112,221
| align="right" | 22.7
| align="right" | 3.4
| align="right" | 19.3
| -6.6
| align="right" | 2.46
|-
| align="right" | 2011
| align="right" | 5,996,619
| align="right" | 140,958
| align="right" | 19,523
| align="right" | 121,435
| style="color: blue"| 23.5
| align="right" | 3.3
| style="color: blue"| 20.2
| 10.9
| align="right" | 2.54
|-
| align="right" | 2012
| align="right" | 6,071,045
| align="right" | 142,874
| align="right" | 20,300
| style="color: blue"| 122,574
| align="right" | 23.5
| align="right" | 3.3
| align="right" | 20.2
| -7.8
| align="right" | 2.54
|-
| align="right" | 2013
| align="right" | 6,134,270
| align="right" | 142,756
| align="right" | 21,381
| align="right" | 121,375
| align="right" | 23.3
| align="right" | 3.5
| align="right" | 19.8
| -9.4
| align="right" | 2.53
|-
| align="right" | 2014
| align="right" | 6,198,154
| align="right" | 143,421
| align="right" | 22,469
| align="right" | 120,952
| align="right" | 23.1
| align="right" | 3.6
| align="right" | 19.5
| -9.1
| align="right" | 2.52
|-
| align="right" | 2015
| align="right" | 6,262,703
| style="color: blue"| 144,597
| align="right" | 23,540
| align="right" | 121,057
| align="right" | 23.1
| align="right" | 3.8
| align="right" | 19.3
| -8.9
| align="right" | 2.52
|-
| align="right" | 2016
| align="right" | 6,327,927
| align="right" | 139,595
| align="right" | 23,738
| align="right" | 115,857
| align="right" | 22.1
| align="right" | 3.8
| align="right" | 18.3
| -7.9
| align="right" | 2.43
|-
| align="right" | 2017
| align="right" | 6,393,824
| align="right" | 139,487
| align="right" | 24,300
| align="right" | 115,187
| align="right" | 21.8
| align="right" | 3.8
| align="right" | 18.0
| -7.6
| align="right" | 2.42
|-
| align="right" | 2018
| align="right" | 6,460,411
| align="right" | 139,126
| align="right" | 24,296
| align="right" | 114,830
| align="right" | 21.5
| align="right" | 3.8
| align="right" | 17.7
| -7.3
| align="right" | 2.42
|-
| align="right" | 2019
| align="right" | 6,527,691
| align="right" | 131,673
| align="right" | 25,340
| align="right" | 106,333
| align="right" | 20.1
| align="right" | 3.9
| align="right" | 16.2
| - 5.8
| align="right" | 2.28
|-
| 2020
|  6,595,674
| 124,365
| 33,681
| 90,684
| 18.9
| style="color: red"| 5.1
| 13.8
| -3.4
| style="color: red"| 2.16
|-
| 2021
| 6,664,000
| 120,473
| style="color: red"| 34,999
| 85,474
| 17.5
| 5.0
| style="color: red"|12.5
| -2.1
| 
|-
| 2022
| style="color: blue"|6,734,000
|  118,118
| style="color: red"| 
| style="color: red"| 
| style="color: red"| 
| 
| style="color: red"|
|
| 
|-
| 2023
| style="color: blue"|
| style="color: red"| 106,439
|  26,160
| style="color: red"| 80,279
| style="color: red"| 15.6
| 
| style="color: red"|
| 
| 1.8
|-
| 2024
| |
| | 
|  
| | 
| | 
| 
| |
| 
| 
|-
| 2025
| |
| | 
|  
| | 
| | 
| 
| |
| 
| 
|}

===Demographic and Health Surveys===
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):<ref>{{cite web|url=http://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/dhs#_r=&collection=&country=&dtype=&from=1890&page=11&ps=&sk=&sort_by=nation&sort_order=&to=2014&topic=&view=s&vk=|title=MEASURE DHS: Demographic and Health Surveys|website=Microdata.worldbank.org|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2| Year
! colspan=2| Total
! colspan=2| Urban
! colspan=2| Rural
|-
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
|-
| 1998
| style="text-align:right;"| 29
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,6 (2,5)
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,9 (2,0)
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 5,0 (3,3)
| style="text-align:right;"| 
|-
| 2001
| style="text-align:right;"| 27
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,2 (2,3)
| style="text-align:right;"| 24
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,6 (1,8)
| style="text-align:right;"| 31
| style="text-align:right;"| 4,4 (3,0)
|-
| 2006–2007 
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,7
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,2
| style="text-align:right;"|
| style="text-align:right;"| 3,5
|-
| 2011/2012
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,4
| style="text-align:right;"| 
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,1
| style="text-align:right;"|
| style="text-align:right;"| 2,9
|-
|}

==Ethnic groups==
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Ethnic groups in Nicaragua % <ref name="CIAPAPUANEWGUINEA">{{cite web|url= https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nicaragua/|title=Central America and Caribbean :: NICARAGUA|publisher= CIA The World Factbook|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Mestizo]]
|value1 = 69
|color1 = Red
|label2 = [[White people|White]]
|value2 =17
|label3 =  [[Black people|Black]] 
|value3= 9
|label4 = [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]]
|value4= 5
}}

{{see also|Nicaraguans}}

[[File:Afro-Nica.jpg|thumb|An [[Afro-Nicaraguan]].]]

According to the 2005 census 443,847 (8.6%) residents consider themselves to belong to an indigenous people or to an ethnic community.<ref name="census 2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.inide.gob.ni/censos2005/ResumenCensal/Resumen2.pdf|title=CAPÍTULO 1 : CENSO DE POBLACIÓN|website=Inide.gob.ni|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref> The remaining majority of the Nicaraguan population (91.6%) are deemed mestizo and white, with the majority of these being of Spanish, with some German, Italian, Portuguese and French ancestry. Mestizos and whites mainly reside in the western region of the country.

Possibly also a part of the black or [[Afro-Nicaraguan]] population, which mainly resides on the country's sparsely populated Caribbean (or Atlantic) coast, is included in the majority population which does not consider itself to belong to an ethnic community. In the 2005 census, there were only 19,890 [[Creole peoples|Creole]]s (0.4% of the total population). The [[Creole peoples|Creole]] population is mostly of [[Antilles|West Indian]] (Antillean) origin, the descendants of indentured laborers brought mostly from [[Jamaica]] when the region was a [[British protectorate]].

Primarily in the 19th century, Nicaragua saw several waves of immigration from European nations. In particular the northern cities of [[Estelí]], [[Jinotega]] and [[Matagalpa]] have significant populations of fourth generation Germans. 

The [[Garifuna people|Garifuna]], a people of mixed [[Island Caribs|Carib]], [[Angola]]n, [[Kongo people|Congolese]] and [[Arawak peoples|Arawak]] descent, numbered 3,271 in 2005 (0.1%). 112,253 people considered themselves "Mestizo de la Costa Caribe" (mestizo of the Caribbean coast). In addition to the inhabitants who declared themselves Indigenous or Ethnic community, 13,740 answered "Other". Another 47,473 responded "Not Sure" and an additional 19,460 responded "Ignore".

===Indigenous population===
The Native American population, the unmixed descendants of the country's indigenous inhabitants, numbered 227,760 (4.4% of the total population) in 2005.<ref name="census 2005"/> Nicaragua's [[pre-Columbian]] consisted of many indigenous groups. In the western region, the [[Nicarao people]] were present along with other groups such as the [[Mangue language|Mangue]] and [[Subtiaba language|Subtiaba]], all three being considered [[Mesoamerica]]n peoples.

The central region and the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua were mainly inhabited by speakers of [[Misumalpan languages]] and some speakers of [[Chibchan languages]]. These groups include the [[Miskito people|Miskitos]] (120,817 people), [[Matagalpa people|Matagalpa]] (15,240 people), [[Rama people|Ramas]] (4,185 people), [[Sumo (people)|Sumos]] (9,756 people) and Ulwa (698 people).

In the 19th century, the indigenous population was more demographically significant, but they have since largely been culturally assimilated into the [[mestizo]] majority. In the mid-1980s, the government divided the department of [[Zelaya (Nicaragua)|Zelaya]]&nbsp;– consisting of the eastern half of the country&nbsp;— into two autonomous regions and granted the black and indigenous people of this region limited self-rule within the Republic.{{clear}}

{| border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 style="margin: 0.5em 1em 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" width=34%
|-
!colspan=6|Those belonging to recognized indigenous communities (2005)
|-align=right
|align=left|[[Rama people|Rama]]||4,185||0.9%||align=left|Chorotega||46,002||10.4
|-align=right
|align=left|[[Sumo (people)|Sumo]]||9,756||2.2%||align=left|[[Miskito people|Miskito]]||120.817||27.2%
|-align=right
|align=left|Ulwa||698||0.2%||align=left|[[Matagalpa people|Matagalpa]]||15,240||3.4%
|-align=right
|align=left|Subtiaba||19,949||4.5%||align=left|[[Nahua peoples|Nahua]]||11,113||2.5
|-align=right
|}

==Migration==
===Immigration===
Relative to its overall population, Nicaragua has never experienced any large scale wave of [[immigrants]]. The total number of immigrants to Nicaragua, both originating from other Latin American countries and all other countries, never surpassed 1% of its total population prior to 1995. The 2005 census showed the foreign-born population at 1.2%, having risen 0.06% in 10 years.<ref name="CN"/> However, in the 19th century, [[Immigration to Nicaragua|Nicaragua received immigrants]] from Europe, who established many agricultural businesses such as coffee and sugar cane plantations, and also newspapers, hotels and banks.

[[File:DeutscheClub.JPG|thumb|250px|The founding members of the Deutscher Club in Nicaragua, 1901]]

===Emigration===
During the [[Nicaraguan Revolution]] and the Civil War, thousands of Nicaraguans left the country. After the [[Violeta Chamorro|1990 Nicaraguan Elections]] some people returned, but many more emigrated during the rest of the decade. In 1998, the [[Hurricane Mitch]] killed almost 4,000 people in the country and destroyed much of the [[Economy of Nicaragua|Nicaraguan economy]], as a result thousands of Nicaraguans received the [[Temporary protected status|TPS]] enabling them to emigrate to the United States as "refugees".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/nicaragua.htm |title=Knowledge of Immigrant Nationalities of Santa Clara County (KIN) - Nicaragua |access-date=2007-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520160930/http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/nicaragua.htm |archive-date=2007-05-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In recent years, many Nicaraguans had left the country to escape poverty and unemployment.

Nicaraguan emigration is a recent process. During the 1990–2004 period, more than 800,000 Nicaraguans left the country, compared to 100,000 during the 1970–1989 period.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/2004/abril/14/economia/economia-20040414-02.html |title=La Prensa - Economia - los exiliados económicos |access-date=2009-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604212859/http://www.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/2004/abril/14/economia/economia-20040414-02.html |archive-date=2008-06-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to the [[World Bank]], in 2005 there were 683,520 Nicaraguans living outside Nicaragua legally. If those who are undocumented are counted, some sources estimate as many as 1,500,000 Nicaraguans living abroad by the end of 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lajornadanet.com/diario/archivo/2006/junio/nicaraguenses_divididos_exterior_12.html|title=Nicaragüenses en el exterior divididos y rizo no renunciará|website=Lajornadanet.com|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref> Nicaraguans are the third largest community of Central Americans living abroad, after [[Guatemala]]ns and [[Salvadoran]]s. Nicaragua is also the second country in Central America by percentage of population living abroad.

Following the return of [[Daniel Ortega]] to power in the [[2006 Nicaraguan general election]] and subsequent [[democratic backsliding]], especially during and after the violently suppressed [[2018 Nicaraguan protests]], a new wave of political emigration occurred.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2018/08/01/costa-rica-abrumada-con-miles-de-nicaraguenses-que-buscan-asilo-escapando-de-la-violencia-en-nicaragua/ | title=Costa Rica, abrumada con miles de nicaragüenses que buscan asilo escapando de la violencia en Nicaragua | date=August 2018 }}</ref> Most political emigrants live in Costa Rica<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/crisis-de-nicaragua-sacude-a-vecina-costa-rica-con-migraci%C3%B3n-masiva/4519899.html|title=Crisis de Nicaragua genera migración masiva a Costa Rica|date=August 8, 2018|website=Voz de América}}</ref> which has been a stable representative democracy since the end of the [[Costa Rican Civil War]] in 1948. Other target countries of political emigration include the United States and European countries, particularly Spain.

[[Remittance]]s to Nicaragua represent about 15% of the country's [[Gross domestic product|GDP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/nicaragua/|title=The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency|website=Cia.gov|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref> In 2008 Nicaragua received close to one billion dollars in remittances; an increase from the $750,000,000 received in 2007, according to the [[World Bank]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTPROSPECTS/Resources/334934-1199807908806/Nicaragua.pdf|title=Nicaragua|website=Siteresources.worldbank.org|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref>

==Language==
{{Table of languages spoken in Nicaragua}}
{{main|Languages of Nicaragua}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Languages in Nicaragua%<ref name="CIAPAPUANEWGUINEA"/>
|label1 = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]   
|value1 =95.3
|color1 = Red
|label2 = [[Miskito language|Miskito]] 
|value2 =2.2
|label4 = Other 
|value4= 2.5
}}
 
The official language of Nicaragua is [[Spanish language|Spanish]], or Nicañol as Nicaraguan Spanish is sometimes referred to, and is spoken by the country's population. In Nicaragua the [[Voseo]] form is common, just as in other countries in Central and South America like [[Honduras]], [[Argentina]], and [[Uruguay]]. Spanish has many different dialects spoken throughout Latin America, [[Central American Spanish]] is the dialect spoken in Nicaragua.

;Phonology

Some other characteristics of Nicaraguan phonology include:
* /s/ at the end of a syllable or before a consonant is pronounced like [h].
* ''j'' (/x/), is aspirated; it is soft as the /h/ in English (e.g.: Yahoo).
* Intervocalic /b/, /d/, and /g/ show no sign of reduction, and are much more pronounced than in most dialects.
* In some regions the double /l/ is pronounced with a ( "Shhh") sound, Argentina has a similar accent.
* There is no confusion between /l/ and /r/, as in the Caribbean.
* /s/, /z/ and in some cases /c/ (as in ''cerrar'') are pronounced as [s]
* /m/ at the end of a word tends to be pronounced as [n]

Nicaraguans on the Caribbean coast speak their indigenous languages and also English. The indigenous peoples of the east who use their original language tend to also speak Spanish and/or English, the main languages being [[Miskito language]], [[Sumo languages|Sumo language]], and [[Rama language]]. Creole languages are also present in the Caribbean coast, [[Nicaragua Creole English]] has 30,000 speakers.

Nicaragua has many minority groups. Many ethnic groups in Nicaragua, such as the [[Chinese Nicaraguan]]s and [[Palestinian Nicaraguan]]s, have maintained their ancestral languages while also speaking Spanish and/or English. Minority languages include Chinese, Arabic, German, Italian among others. Nicaragua also has a total of 3 [[extinct language]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=NI|title=Nicaragua|website=Ethnologue.com|access-date=3 October 2017}}</ref>

[[Nicaraguan Sign Language]] is also of particular interest to linguists.

==Religion==
{{main|Religion in Nicaragua}}
{| class="toc" cellpadding=0 cellspacing=2 width=200px style="float:right; margin: 0.5em 0.5em 0.5em 1em; padding: 0.5e text-align:left;clear:all; margin-left:3px; font-size:100%"
|colspan=2 style="background:#black; color:white;" align=center bgcolor="black" | Religious Affiliation in Nicaragua (census 2005 )<ref name="CIAPAPUANEWGUINEA"/>
|-
!  style="background:#efefef;" align=center | Religion
!  style="background:#efefef;" align=center | Percentage
|-
|[[Roman Catholic]]
|align=right|58.5%
|-
|[[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]]
|align=right|21.6%
|-
|[[Moravian Church|Moravian]]
|align=right|1.6%
|-
|[[Jehovah's Witnesses]]
|align=right|0.9%
|-
|None
|align=right|15.7%
|-
|Other<sup>1</sup>
|align=right|1.6%
|-
|colspan=2 style="background:#efefef;" align=left|<sup>'''1'''</sup> <small>Includes [[Buddhism]], [[Islam]], and [[Judaism]] among other religions.</small>
|-
|colspan=2 style="background:#e9e9e9;" align=center|Source: 2005 Nicaraguan Census<ref name="CIAPAPUANEWGUINEA"/>
|-
|}

Religion is a significant part of the culture of Nicaragua and forms part of the [[Constitution of Nicaragua|constitution]]. Religious freedom, which has been guaranteed since 1939, and religious tolerance is promoted by both the Nicaraguan government and the constitution. [[Bishop]]s are expected to lend their authority to important state occasions, and their pronouncements on national issues are closely followed. They can also be called upon to mediate between contending parties at moments of political crisis.<ref name="LOCR">{{cite news | first=Gilbert | last=Dennis | title=Nicaragua: Religion | publisher=Library of Congress | url =http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+ni0040) | work =Country Studies | access-date = 2007-10-30}}</ref>

Although Nicaragua has no official religion it is nominally [[Roman Catholic]]. Practicing Roman Catholics are no longer the majority and are declining while [[evangelism|evangelical]] [[Protestant]] groups and Mormons are growing rapidly have been growing since the 1990s. There are also strong [[Anglican]] and [[Moravian Church|Moravian]] communities on the Caribbean coast.

Roman Catholicism came to Nicaragua in the 16th century with the Spanish conquest and remained, until 1939, the established faith. [[Protestantism]] and various [[Christian sect]]s came to Nicaragua during the 19th century, but only during the 20th century have Protestant denominations gained large followings in the Caribbean Coast of the country. Popular religion revolves around the saints, who are perceived as intermediaries between human beings and God.<ref name="LOCR"/>

Most localities, from the capital of [[Managua]] to small rural communities, honor [[patron saint]]s selected from the Roman Catholic calendar with annual ''fiestas''.  In many communities, a rich lore has grown up around the celebrations of patron saints, such as Managua's Saint Dominic (Santo Domingo), honored in August with two colorful, often riotous, day-long processions through the city. The high point of Nicaragua's religious calendar for the masses is neither [[Christmas]] nor [[Easter]], but La Purísima, a week of festivities in early December dedicated to the [[Immaculate Conception]], during which elaborate altars to the [[Virgin Mary]] are constructed in homes and workplaces.<ref name="LOCR"/>

==See also==
{{portal|Nicaragua}}
* [[Culture of Nicaragua]]
* [[National Institute of Statistics and Census of Nicaragua]]
* [[Ethnic groups in Central America]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{CIA World Factbook}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.inide.gob.ni/}} &ndash; Nicaragua National Institute of Information Development
* {{cite web|url=http://www.inide.gob.ni/estadisticas/Cifras%20municipales%20a%C3%B1o%202012%20INIDE.pdf|title=Población Total, estimada al 30 de Junio del año 2012|website=Inide.gob.ni|access-date=3 October 2017}}

{{Ethnic groups in Nicaragua}}
{{Nicaragua topics}}
{{North America topic|Demographics of}}
{{Population country lists}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of Nicaragua}}
[[Category:Demographics of Nicaragua| ]]
[[Category:Society of Nicaragua]]