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Vital statistics※

Registration of vital events is in Nicaragua not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.

Fertility and births※

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):

Births and deaths

Ethnic groups※

According to the 2005 census 443,847 (8.6%) residents consider themselves to belong to an indigenous people or to an ethnic community. 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 Creoles (0.4% of the total population). The Creole population is mostly of 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, a people of mixed Carib, Angolan, Congolese and 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. 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 and Subtiaba, all three being considered Mesoamerican 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 Miskitos (120,817 people), Matagalpa (15,240 people), Ramas (4,185 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 – consisting of the eastern half of the country — into two autonomous regions and granted the black and indigenous people of this region limited self-rule within the Republic.

Those belonging to recognized indigenous communities (2005) Rama 4,185 0.9% Chorotega 46,002 10.4 Sumo 9,756 2.2% Miskito 120.817 27.2% Ulwa 698 0.2% Matagalpa 15,240 3.4% Subtiaba 19,949 4.5% Nahua 11,113 2.5

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. However, in the 19th century, Nicaragua received immigrants from Europe, who established many agricultural businesses such as coffee and sugar cane plantations, and also newspapers, hotels and banks.

Emigration※

During the Nicaraguan Revolution and the Civil War, thousands of Nicaraguans left the country. After the 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 Nicaraguan economy, as a result thousands of Nicaraguans received the TPS enabling them to emigrate to the United States as "refugees". 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. 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. Nicaraguans are the third largest community of Central Americans living abroad, after Guatemalans and Salvadorans. 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. Most political emigrants live in Costa Rica 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.

Remittances to Nicaragua represent about 15% of the country's GDP. 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

Language※

Languages of Nicaragua

Language	Speakers
Arabic	400
Chinese	7,000
English	20,334
Garífuna	1,500
Miskito	154,400
Sign language	3,000
Spanish	4,347,000
Sumo	6,700
Rama	24
Creole English	30,000

Source: Ethnologue

Main article: Languages of Nicaragua

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Languages in Nicaragua%

  Spanish (95.3%)

  Miskito (2.2%)

  Other (2.5%)

The official language of Nicaragua is 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 ※.
• 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 ※
• /m/ at the end of a word tends to be, pronounced as ※

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 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 Nicaraguans and Palestinian Nicaraguans, 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 languages.

Nicaraguan Sign Language is also of particular interest to linguists.

Religion※

Religion is a significant part of the culture of Nicaragua and forms part of the constitution. Religious freedom, which has been guaranteed since 1939, and religious tolerance is promoted by both the Nicaraguan government and the constitution. Bishops 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.

Although Nicaragua has no official religion it is nominally Roman Catholic. Practicing Roman Catholics are no longer the majority and are declining while evangelical Protestant groups and Mormons are growing rapidly have been growing since the 1990s. There are also strong Anglican and 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 sects 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.

Most localities, from the capital of Managua to small rural communities, honor patron saints 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.

Other demographic statistics※

Demographic statistics according to the 2022 World Population Review.

• One birth every 4 minutes
• One death every 15 minutes
• One net migrant every 31 minutes
• Net gain of one person every 7 minutes

Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

Population※

6,301,880 (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups※

Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and White) 69%, White 17%, Black 9%, Amerindian 5%

Age structure※

0-14 years: 25.63% (male 811,731/female 777,984)

15-24 years: 19.51% (male 609,962/female 600,567)

25-54 years: 42.41% (male 1,254,683/female 1,376,052)

55-64 years: 6.63% (male 188,591/female 222,766)

65 years and over: 5.82% (2020 est.) (male 159,140/female 201,965)

Birth rate※

16.52 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 97th

Death rate※

5.17 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 191st

Median age※

total: 27.3 years. Country comparison to the world: 148th

male: 26.4 years

female: 28.2 years (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate※

1.8 children born/woman (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 145th

Population growth rate※

0.92% (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 104th

Net migration rate※

-2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 170th

Mother's mean age at first birth※

19.2 years (2011/12 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Contraceptive prevalence rate※

80.4% (2011/12)

Life expectancy at birth※

total population: 74.78 years. Country comparison to the world: 132nd

male: 72.56 years

female: 77.11 years (2022 est.)

Urbanization※

urban population: 59.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major infectious diseases※

degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

Education expenditures※

3.4% of GDP (2019) Country comparison to the world: 132nd

Literacy※

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 82.6%

male: 82.4%

female: 82.8% (2015)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24※

total: 8.5%

male: 6.4%

female: 12.9% (2014 est.)

Languages※

Spanish (official) 95.3%, Miskito 2.2%, Mestizo of the Caribbean coast 2%, other 0.5%; note - English and indigenous languages found on the Caribbean coast (2005 est.)

Religions※

Roman Catholic 50%, Evangelical 33.2%, other 2.9%, none 0.7%, unspecified 13.2% (2017 est.)

See also※

• Culture of Nicaragua
• National Institute of Statistics and Census of Nicaragua

General:

• Ethnic groups in Central America

References※

 This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.

External links※

• CIA World Factbook
• "Población Total, estimada al 30 de Junio del año 2012" (PDF). Inide.gob.ni. Retrieved 3 October 2017.