Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Nicaragua: Managua — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Nicaragua is Managua. Nicaragua sits in North America, has a population of 6,948,392, and uses the NIO. Official languages include Spanish.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Managua
  • Continent: North America
  • Population: ~6,948,392
  • Area: 130,373 km²
  • Population density: 53.3 people per km²
  • Official language: Spanish
  • Currency: NIO
  • ISO code: NI

How big is Nicaragua?

By population, Nicaragua ranks 105th in the world, holding roughly 0.09% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 96th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Nicaragua has 53.3 people per square kilometre, which is close to the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.

Within North America, Nicaragua is the 9th most populous country of 23.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Nicaragua in population are Libya (6,812,341) and Bulgaria (6,781,953).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Greece (131,957 km²) and North Korea (120,538 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

Spanish is spoken officially in 20 countries in this dataset, including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Costa Rica, and 14 others.

Nicaragua uses the NIO, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.

How to remember Nicaragua

Managua sits on the shore of Lake Managua. Nicaragua's flag has a rainbow in the triangle, which makes it one of the very few national flags with purple in it, like Dominica's.

The flag of Nicaragua: blue and white

🇳🇮 The flag is three horizontal stripes of blue, white and blue, with the coat of arms, a triangle with a rainbow and volcanoes, in the centre. The blue stripes stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for the land between them. The design is based on the flag of the old Federal Republic of Central America.

Region and neighbours

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America by area, with coasts on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It shares land borders with 2 countries: Honduras and Costa Rica.

Three facts about Nicaragua

  1. Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America by area.
  2. Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America, is a freshwater lake where bull sharks are found.
  3. Ometepe, an island in Lake Nicaragua, is formed by two volcanoes.

Sources: Wikipedia: Nicaragua, Wikipedia: Flag of Nicaragua, Wikipedia: Managua, Wikipedia: Lake Nicaragua, Wikipedia: Ometepe, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Nicaragua

Nicaragua capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Nicaragua 🇳🇮?

    • Havana
    • Saint George's
    • Santo Domingo
    • Managua
    Show answer

    Managua

  2. What is the capital of El Salvador 🇸🇻?

    • Tegucigalpa
    • Kingstown
    • San Salvador
    • Santo Domingo
    Show answer

    San Salvador

  3. What is the capital of Costa Rica 🇨🇷?

    • San José
    • Kingston
    • Panama City
    • Santo Domingo
    Show answer

    San José

  4. What is the capital of Honduras 🇭🇳?

    • Tegucigalpa
    • Belmopan
    • Santo Domingo
    • Havana
    Show answer

    Tegucigalpa

  5. What is the capital of Panama 🇵🇦?

    • Belmopan
    • Basseterre
    • San Salvador
    • Panama City
    Show answer

    Panama City

Nicaragua in North America

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are United States, Mexico, Canada and Guatemala.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — North America is the block Nicaragua belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Nicaragua.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Nicaragua?

The capital of Nicaragua is Managua.

What is the population of Nicaragua?

About 6,948,392, making it the 105th most populous country in the world.

How big is Nicaragua?

130,373 square kilometres, ranking 96th by land area, at a density of 53.3 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Nicaragua use?

The NIO, which no other country uses.

What are the colours of the Nicaragua flag?

The flag of Nicaragua is three horizontal stripes of blue, white and blue, with the coat of arms, a triangle with a rainbow and volcanoes, in the centre. The blue stripes stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and the white for the land between them. The design is based on the flag of the old Federal Republic of Central America.

Which countries border Nicaragua?

Nicaragua shares land borders with Honduras and Costa Rica.

How can I remember the capital of Nicaragua?

Managua sits on the shore of Lake Managua. Nicaragua's flag has a rainbow in the triangle, which makes it one of the very few national flags with purple in it, like Dominica's.

More capitals to learn

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