Languages spoken in Nicaragua
North America · Capital: Managua · Population 6.7 million
The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish. An estimated 78% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 5.2 million people. Spanish belongs to the Indo-European language family. Spanish is also spoken in all two of its neighbours.
What languages are spoken in Nicaragua?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpanishIndo-European | 78% | Official | 5.2 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Nicaragua?
The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish. Spanish is spoken by an estimated 78% of the population, or roughly 5.2 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Spanish in Nicaragua?
An estimated 78% of Nicaragua's 6.7 million people speak Spanish, which works out at roughly 5.2 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Nicaragua
- Capital
- Managua
- Population
- 6.7 million
- Continent
- North America
- Area
- 130,373 km²
- Currency
- NIO
- Languages recorded
- 1
- Land borders
- 2
- ISO codes
- NI / NIC / 558
Which countries border Nicaragua?
Nicaragua shares a land border with two countries: Costa Rica and Honduras. Spanish, the most widely spoken language in Nicaragua, is also spoken in Costa Rica and Honduras.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.