CapitalManagua
Population6,739,380
Area130,370 km²
GDP per capita$7,700
LanguagesSpanish, Indigenous, Portuguese, other
Currencycordobas
Life Expectancy74.7 yr
Governmentpresidential republic
Introduction
Background
The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821, and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. By 1978, violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought a civil-military coalition to power in 1979, spearheaded by Marxist Sandinista guerrillas led by Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador prompted the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista Contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s.
After losing free and fair elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, ORTEGA was elected president in 2006, 2011, 2016, and most recently in 2021. Municipal, regional, and national-level elections since 2008 have been marred by widespread irregularities. Democratic institutions have lost their independence under the ORTEGA regime as the president has assumed full control over all branches of government, as well as cracking down on a nationwide pro-democracy protest movement in 2018 and shuttering over 3,300 civil society organizations between 2018 and 2024. In the lead-up to the 2021 presidential election, authorities arrested over 40 individuals linked to the opposition, including presidential candidates, private sector leaders, NGO workers, human rights defenders, and journalists. Only five lesser-known presidential candidates from mostly small parties allied to ORTEGA's Sandinistas were allowed to run against ORTEGA. He then awarded the Sandinistas control of all 153 of Nicaraguan municipalities in the 2022 municipal elections, consolidating one-party rule.
Geography
Area
land
119,990 sq km
water
10,380 sq km
total
130,370 sq km
Climate
tropical in the lowland regions, with cooler conditions in the highlands
Terrain
broad Atlantic coastal plains ascending to central interior mountains; a narrow Pacific coastal plain disrupted by volcanoes
Land use
other
17.6% (2023 est.)
forest
40.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
42.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Location
Central America, situated between the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, neighboring Costa Rica and Honduras
Coastline
910 km
Elevation
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Mogoton 2,085 m
mean elevation
298 m
Irrigated land
1,990 sq km (2012)
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
1,253 km
border countries
Costa Rica 313 km; Honduras 940 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
natural prolongation
Natural hazards
catastrophic earthquakes; volcanic activity; landslides; highly vulnerable to hurricanes
volcanism: notable volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m) is among the most active volcanoes in Nicaragua; its lava flows and ash have been known to inflict considerable damage to agriculture and infrastructure; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica
Geography - note
the largest nation in Central America; home to the largest freshwater lake in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
Natural resources
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Area - comparative
slightly larger than the state of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than New York State
Geographic coordinates
13 00 N, 85 00 W
Population distribution
the vast majority of the population lives in the western portion of the country, with much of the urban expansion concentrated in the capital, Managua; coastal regions also exhibit significant population densities
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s)
Lago de Nicaragua - 8,150 sq km; Lago de Managua - 1,040 sq km
People & Society
Languages
Languages
Spanish (official) 99.5%, Indigenous 0.3%, Portuguese 0.1%, other 0.1% (2020 estimate)
major-language sample(s)
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 44.9%, Protestant 38.7% (Evangelical 38.2%, Adventist 0.5%), other 1.2% (including Jehovah's Witness and Church of Jesus Christ), believers who do not belong to any church 1%, agnostic or atheist 0.4%, none 13.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2020 estimate)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.95 male(s)/female
total population
0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.8 male(s)/female
Birth rate
16.07 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.14 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
28.1 years
total
29.5 years (2025 est.)
female
29.9 years
Population
male
3,304,133
total
6,739,380 (2025 est.)
female
3,435,247
Nationality
noun
Nicaraguan(s)
adjective
Nicaraguan
Urbanization
urban population
59.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
25.1% (male 855,256/female 818,714)
15-64 years
68.9% (male 2,240,297/female 2,360,244)
65 years and over
6% (2024 est.) (male 178,347/female 224,090)
Ethnic groups
Mestizo (mixed Indigenous and White) 69%, White 17%, Black 9%, Indigenous 5%
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
44.6 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
35.6 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
11.1 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
9 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.68 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
9.7% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
17.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-1.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
0.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.82 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
2.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
11% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
15.9 deaths/1,000 live births
total
14.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
12.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.92% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.89 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
A significant portion of the population is located in the western region of the nation, with most urban development concentrated in the capital, Managua; coastal regions also exhibit substantial population densities
Life expectancy at birth
male
73.2 years
female
76.4 years
total population
74.7 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
60 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
unimproved: rural
rural: 33.5% of population
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
1.57 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
3.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
2.1 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.095 million MANAGUA (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
23.7% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
19.2 years (2011/12 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56% (2023 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
12 years (2023 est.)
total
12 years (2023 est.)
female
12 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical in the lowland areas, cooler in the highland regions
Geoparks
global geoparks and regional networks
Rio Coco (2023)
total global geoparks and regional networks
1
Land use
other
17.6% (2023 est.)
forest
40.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
42.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 12.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 2.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
59.8% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
1.529 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
15% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
deforestation; soil erosion; water contamination; drought
Total water withdrawal
municipal
190 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
620,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
1.084 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
3.806 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
2 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
3.806 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
16.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
164.52 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: consists of three horizontal stripes of equal size in blue (top), white, and blue, with the national coat of arms positioned at the center of the white stripe; the coat of arms contains a triangle with the phrases REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA arching above and AMERICA CENTRAL arching below
meaning: the blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, while white represents the land situated between these two bodies of water
history: this flag is derived from the earlier blue-white-blue flag of the Federal Republic of Central America
Capital
name
Managua
etymology
the name is derived from Lake Managua, which comes from the Guaraní terms ama (rain) and nagua (spirit), referring to a local deity
time difference
UTC-6 (one hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
12 08 N, 86 15 W
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
yes
dual citizenship recognized
no, unless bilateral agreements are in place
residency requirement for naturalization
4 years
Constitution
history
several prior versions; the most recent was adopted on 19 November 1986, coming into effect on 9 January 1987
amendment process
proposed by the president of the republic or with the support of at least half of the National Assembly members; passage requires the consent of 60% of the members of the subsequent elected Assembly and promulgation by the president of the republic
Country name
etymology
the 16th-century Spanish explorer Gil GONZALEZ Davila is credited with merging the name of a local leader, Nicarao, with the Spanish term agua (water), in reference to the two major lakes located in the west of the nation (Lake Managua and Lake Nicaragua)
local long form
República de Nicaragua
local short form
Nicaragua
conventional long form
Republic of Nicaragua
conventional short form
Nicaragua
Independence
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Legal system
civil law system; the Supreme Court has the authority to review administrative actions
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema de Justicia (comprises 16 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and constitutional divisions)
subordinate courts
Appeals Court; primary civil, criminal, and labor courts; military courts operate independently of the Supreme Court
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court judges elected by the National Assembly to serve 5-year staggered terms
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the president
chief of state
President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007)
election results
2021: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president for a fourth consecutive term; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 75.9%, Walter ESPINOZA (PLC) 14.3%, Guillermo OSORNO (CCN) 3.3%, Marcelo MONTIEL (ALN) 3.1%, other 3.4%
2016: Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra reelected president for a third consecutive term; percent of vote - Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 72.4%, Maximino RODRIGUEZ (PLC) 15%, Jose del Carmen ALVARADO (PLI) 4.5%, Saturnino CERRATO Hodgson (ALN) 4.3%, other 3.7%
head of government
President Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007)
most recent election date
7 November 2021
election/appointment process
president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified plurality vote for a 6-year term (no term limits)
expected date of next election
1 November 2026
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
National color(s)
blue, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
2 (both cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Ruins of León Viejo; León Cathedral
Political parties
Alliance for the Republic or APRE
Alternative for Change or AC (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN)
Autonomous Liberal Party or PAL
Caribbean Unity Movement or PAMUC
Christian Unity Party or PUC (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN)
Independent Liberal Party or PLI
Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC
Moskitia Indigenous Progressive Movement or MOSKITIA PAWANKA (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN)
Multiethnic Indigenous Party or PIM (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN)
Nationalist Liberal Party or PLN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN)
Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN
Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or CCN
Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN)
Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN
Sons of Mother Earth or YATAMA
The New Sons of Mother Earth Movement or MYATAMARAN (operates in a political alliance with the FSLN)
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
91 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
11/7/2021
expected date of next election
November 2026
percentage of women in chamber
54.9%
parties elected and seats per party
Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) (75); Liberal and Constitutionalist Party (PLC) (9); Other (6)
National anthem(s)
title
"Salve a ti, Nicaragua" (Hail to Thee, Nicaragua)
history
music was approved in 1918 and the lyrics in 1939
lyrics/music
Salomon Ibarra MAYORGA/traditional, arranged by Luis Abraham DELGADILLO
National symbol(s)
turquoise-browed motmot (bird)
Administrative divisions
15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonoma); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Costa Caribe Norte*, Costa Caribe Sur*, Estelí, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 939-6545
chancery
1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
[1] (202) 939-6570
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sammia Alicia HODGSON MCKENZIE (since 3 June 2025)
consulate(s) general
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
email address and website
[email protected]
United States of America | ConsuladoDeNicaragua.com
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[505] 2252-7250
embassy
Kilometer 5.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
telephone
[505] 2252-7100,
mailing address
3240 Managua Place, Washington DC 20521-3240
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Elias BAUMANN (since December 2025)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://ni.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACS, BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Economy
Budget
revenues
$3.856 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures
$3.382 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$7.87 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$8.248 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$8.135 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$10.213 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$10.519 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$11.437 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
manufacturing sectors including food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, knit and woven apparel, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood products, electric wire harness production, and mining
Labor force
3.225 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2017
33.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
20.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
26.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
26.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
cordobas (NIO) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
34.342 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
35.171 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
35.874 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
36.441 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
36.624 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$6.753 billion (2023 est.)
Economic overview
low-income economy in Central America; experienced almost two decades of continuous GDP growth until 2018; faced challenges due to COVID-19, political unrest, and hurricanes; significant remittances; rising poverty and food insecurity since 2005; sanctions restrict investment
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
5% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
4.8% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
4.6% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
USA 51%, Mexico 12%, El Salvador 6%, Canada 6%, Switzerland 4% (2023)
Imports - partners
USA 24%, China 13%, Mexico 9%, Honduras 9%, Guatemala 8% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$7,300 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$7,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$7,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
3.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
4.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
3.6% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
sugarcane, milk, rice, oil palm fruit, maize, plantains, cassava, groundnuts, beans, chicken (2023)
Exports - commodities
garments, gold, insulated wire, coffee, beef (2023)
Imports - commodities
garments, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, plastic products, fabric (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$459.6 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
$1.465 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$817.618 million (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
19.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$19.694 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
80.6% (2024 est.)
government consumption
12.3% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
1.8% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
22.9% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
40.5% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-58.1% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
24.9% (2016 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
10.5% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
8.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
4.6% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
3.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$48.985 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$51.153 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$52.989 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
7.8% (2024 est.)
total
9% (2024 est.)
female
12% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$4.404 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$5.447 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$6.105 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
27.6% (2024 est.)
services
46.8% (2024 est.)
agriculture
14.4% (2024 est.)
Energy
Coal
imports
22 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
200 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
28,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
imports
1.125 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
4.654 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
1.849 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
839 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
66.3%
electrification - urban areas
100%
electrification - total population
86.5% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
10.66 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
12.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
geothermal
15.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
35.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
14.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
20.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
58% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
numerous terrestrial television channels, complemented by cable television in the majority of urban regions; almost all are state-operated or associated; over 300 radio outlets, including both state-affiliated and privately owned (2019)
Internet country code
.ni
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
234,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
3 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
7.33 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
106 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
371,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
5 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
2
medium
0
key ports
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino
very small
3
total ports
5 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
4
Airports
39 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
5 (2023)
by type
general cargo 1, oil tanker 1, other 3
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
YN
Military & Security
Military - note
The military is tasked with safeguarding Nicaragua’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity; it also undertakes certain domestic security functions, such as border protection, supporting the police, safeguarding natural resources, and delivering disaster relief and humanitarian aid. Nicaragua maintains defense relationships with Cuba, Venezuela, and Russia, with Russia providing training assistance and military equipment. In 2025, Nicaragua formalized a “mutual protection” agreement with Russia.
The contemporary Army of Nicaragua was established in 1979, originally as the Sandinista Popular Army (1979-1984). Before this, the military operated under the name National Guard, which was developed and trained by the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. Anastasio SOMOZA GARCIA, the initial commander of the National Guard, took control in 1937 and governed as a military dictator until his assassination in 1956. His sons continued to lead the country, either directly or through proxies, until the Sandinista revolution in 1979, which resulted in the disbanding of the defeated National Guard by the Sandinistas (2025).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2020
0.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
0.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Nicaragua (officially referred to as the Army of Nicaragua or Ejercito de Nicaragua, EN): includes the Land Force, Naval Force, and Air Force (2025).
Military service age and obligation
Individuals aged 18-30 are eligible for voluntary military service (16-20 for cadets); compulsory military service is not practiced; the duration of service is between 18 to 36 months (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The military’s air and ground force equipment predominantly consists of secondhand items from Russian or Soviet-era stock (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 12,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
USG identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country (2025)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating
Tier 3 — Nicaragua fails to meet the minimum requirements for eradicating trafficking and is not making substantial efforts in this regard; consequently, Nicaragua continues to be classified as Tier 3. For further information, please visit: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/nicaragua/
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs
89 (2024 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies
National Secretariat for Extraterrestrial Space Affairs, The Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Secretaría Nacional para Asuntos del Espacio Ultraterrestre, la Luna y otros Cuerpos Celestes, founded in 2021; functions under military oversight) (2025)
Space program overview
its declared mission is to foster the advancement of space initiatives to enhance the nation's capabilities in education, industry, science, and technology; has engaged in collaboration with China and Russia; is a signatory to the convention that established the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (2025)
Key space-program milestones
1994 - became a member of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
2017 - Russia inaugurated a satellite navigation system monitoring facility in Nicaragua
2021 - ratified the convention establishing the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency
2024 - became part of the China-led International Lunar Research Station initiative, which seeks to create a permanent lunar base by the 2030s
