Nicaragua Geography - 2024

Location

Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates

13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total: 130,370 sq km

land: 119,990 sq km

water: 10,380 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than New York state

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 1,253 km

border countries (2): Costa Rica 313 km; Honduras 940 km

Coastline

910 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate

tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain

extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation

highest point: Mogoton 2,085 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 298 m

Natural resources

gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use

agricultural land: 42.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 12.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 27.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 25.3% (2018 est.)

other: 32.5% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

1,990 sq km (2012)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lago de Nicaragua - 8,150 sq km; Lago de Managua - 1,040 sq km

Population distribution

the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes

volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica

Geography - note

largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua