Demographics of Nicaragua

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Demographics of Nicaragua
Managua, capital and largest city of Nicaragua
Population 5,675,356 (2007 est.)[1]
Male population 2,839,168
Female population 2,836,188
Population growth 1.855%
Birth rate 24.12/1,000
Death rate 4.42/1,000
Infant mortality rate 27.14/1,000
Life expectancy 70.92 years
Nationality Nicaraguan
Demographic bureaus INEC

According to the CIA World Factbook, Nicaragua has a population of 5,675,356. Mestizos and Whites make up the majority (86%) of the population of Nicaragua with approx. 69% Mestizos and 17% White. The remainder of the Nicaraguan population is 9% black, and 5% Amerindian. Nicaraguan demographics reflected a different composition prior to the Sandinista revolution of 1979 since most of the migration during the years that followed were primarily of upper or middle class Nicaraguans which were comprised primarily of whites. A growing number of these expats have been returning after, though a vast majority remains living abroad for the most part.

The most populous city in the country is the capital city, Managua, with a population of 1.2 million (2005). As of 2005, over 4.4 million inhabitants live in the Pacific, Central and North regions, 2.7 in the Pacific region alone, while inhabitants in the Caribbean region only reach an estimated 700,000.[2]

The Census Bureau in Nicaragua is the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC). The institution is in charge of completing censuses and surveys. INEC ran its first census in 1906, the last census was taken in 2005, it was the eighth to date.

Contents

[edit] Demographics

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Nicaraguan boys
Group Number
Mestizo (69%) 3,915,995
White (17%)[[[http://www.clubpenguin.com 964,810
Black (9%) 510,782
Amerindian (5%) 283,767
Source: CIA World Factbook (2007)
See also: Nicaraguans

In the nineteenth century, there had been a substantial indigenous minority, but this group was also largely assimilated culturally into the mestizo majority. Primarily in the 19th century, Nicaragua saw several waves of immigration from other European nations. In particular the northern cities of Esteli, Jinotega and Matagalpa have significant fourth generation Germans. Most of Nicaragua's population lives in the western region of the country in the departments of Managua, Granada and Léon.

[edit] Ethnic groups

Nicaraguan women.
Nicaraguan women.
An Afro-Nicaraguan.
An Afro-Nicaraguan.
An English speaking creole from Bluefields.
An English speaking creole from Bluefields.

The majority of the Nicaraguan population is Mestizo and White. Exactly 69% are Mestizos (mixed Amerindian and White) and 17% are White with the majority being of Spanish, German, Italian, or French ancestry. Mestizos and Whites mainly reside in the western region of the country and combined make up 86% of the Nicaraguan population, approximately 4.8 million people.

About 9% of Nicaragua's population is black, or Afro-Nicaragüense, and mainly reside on the country's sparsely populated Caribbean or Atlantic coast. The black population is mostly of West Indian (Antillean) origin, the descendants of indentured laborers brought mostly from Jamaica when the region was a British protectorate. Nicaragua has the largest Afro Latin American population in Central America with the second largest percentage. There is also a smaller number of Garifuna, a people of mixed Carib, Angolan, Congolese and Arawak descent.

The remaining 5% are Amerindians, the unmixed descendants of the country's indigenous inhabitants. Nicaragua's pre-Colombian population consisted of many indigenous groups. In the western region the Nicarao people, whom the country is named after, were present along with other groups related by culture and language to the Mayans. The Caribbean coast of Nicaragua was inhabited by indigenous peoples who were mostly chibcha related groups that had migrated from South America, primarily present day Colombia and Venezuela. These groups include the Miskitos, Ramas and Sumos. In the nineteenth century, there was a substantial indigenous minority, but this group was also largely assimilated culturally 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.

[edit] Indigenous population

Those belonging to recognized indigenous communities (2005)
Rama 4,185 0.9% Garifuna 3,271 0.7%
Sumo 9,756 2.2% Miskito 120.817 27.2%
Ulwa 698 0.2% Creole 19,890 4.5%
Sutiava 19,949 4.5% Nicarao 11,113 2.5
Chorotega 46,002 10.4 Matagalpa 15,240 3.4%

According to the 2005 census, 443,847 inhabitants declared themselves Amerindian (Indigenous). Over 50% of the population lived in rural areas. With 120,817 inhabitants declaring themselves Miskito, they make up 27.2% of the total Indigenous population, followed by the Caribbean Coast mestizos. In addition to the inhabitants who declared themselves Indigenous, approximately 13,640 answered "Other" totaling 3.1%. Another 47,473 responded "Not Sure" and an additional 19,460 responded "Ignore", totaling 15.1%.[2]

[edit] 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 a mere .06% in 10 years.[2] This is not to say that immigrants were not important to the evolution of Nicaraguan society and the Nicaraguan nation.

The founding members of the Deutsche Club in Nicaragua
The founding members of the Deutsche Club in Nicaragua

In the 1800s Nicaragua experienced a wave of immigration, primarily from Europe. In particular, families from Germany, Italy, Spain, France and Belgium generally moved to Nicaragua to set up businesses with money they brought from Europe. They established many agricultural businesses such as coffee and sugar cane plantations, and also newspapers, hotels and banks.

There is also a small Middle Eastern-Nicaraguan community of Syrian, Armenian, Palestinian Nicaraguan, Jewish Nicaraguan, and Lebanese people in Nicaragua with a total population of about 30,000. There is also an East Asian community of Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese. The Chinese Nicaraguan population is estimated at around 12,000[citation needed]. The Chinese arrived in the late 19th century but were unsubstantiated until the second census (in 1920) revealed 400 people of the Chinese nationality.

[edit] Population

The most populous city in Nicaragua is the capital city, Managua, with a population of 1.2 million (2005). As of 2005, over 4.4 million inhabitants live in the Pacific, Central and North regions, 2.7 in the Pacific region alone, while inhabitants in the Caribbean region only reach an estimated 700,000.[2]

According to the CIA World Factbook, Nicaragua has a population of 5,675,356 (July 2007 est.) with a population growth rate of 1.855% and a birth rate of 24.12/1,000 population, third lowest in the region. The life expectancy for Nicaraguans at birth is 70.92 years; 68.82 for males and 73.13 for females.

[edit] Departments by population

Rank City Department Pop. Rank City Department Pop.
1 Managua Managua 1,262,978 10 Estelí Estelí 201,548
2 Matagalpa Matagalpa 469,172 11 Granada Granada 168,186
3 Chinandega Chinandega 378,970 12 Jinotepe Carazo 166,073
4 León León 355,779 13 Rivas Rivas 156,283 Managua
5 Jinotega Jinotega 331,335 14 Juigalpa Chontales 153,932
Granada
6 Bilwi RAAN 314,130 15 Boaco Boaco 150,636
7 Bluefields RAAS 306,510 16 Somoto Madriz 132,459
8 Masaya Masaya 289,988 17 San Carlos Río San Juan 95,596
9 Ocotal Nueva Segovia 208,523 18 Total -- 5,142,098 (2005)
Source: National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC).[3]

[edit] 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[4]
Main article: Languages of Nicaragua

The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish, or Nicañol as Nicaraguan Spanish is sometimes referred to, and is spoken by 90% of the country's population. In Nicaragua the Voseo form is common, just as in other countries in Central and South America like Honduras, Argentina, Uruguay or certain parts of Colombia. 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 [h].
  • 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.
  • 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 [s]
  • /m/ at the end of a word tends to be pronounced as [n]
Office workers in Managua
Office workers in Managua

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.[5]

Nicaraguan Sign Language is also of particular interest to linguists.

[edit] Religion

Main article: Religion in Nicaragua
Religion affiliation in Nicaragua
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Managua
Religion Percentage
Roman Catholic 58.5%
Evangelical 21.6%
Moravian 1.6%
Jehovah's Witnesses 0.9%
None 15.7%
Other1 1.6%
1 Includes Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism among other religions.
Source: 2005 Nicaraguan Census[6]

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.[7]

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 sixteenth century with the Spanish conquest and remained, until 1939, the established faith. Protestantism and other Christian sects came to Nicaragua during the nineteenth century, but only during the twentieth 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.[7]


[edit] Other statistics

Life in Nicaragua
Art
Cinema
Cuisine
Culture
Demographics
Education
Holidays
Human Rights
Literature
Music
Politics
Religion
Tourism

90% of Nicaraguans live in the Pacific lowlands and the adjacent interior highlands. The population is 54% urban with Managua (capital) being the largest city, home to over a million inhabitants. In addition, many Nicaraguans live abroad.

Demographics of Nicaragua, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.
Demographics of Nicaragua, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.5% (male 1,025,426/female 988,148)
15-64 years: 61.3% (male 1,734,153/female 1,746,574)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 79,589/female 101,466) (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.993 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.784 male(s)/female
total population: 1.001 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.69 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelicals 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witnesses 0.9%, other 1.6%, none 15.7% (2005 census)[8].

Languages: Spanish (official)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.5%
male: 67.2%
female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.

  1. ^ "Cia World Factbook 2007: Nicaragua". Retrieved on 2007-06-28. 
  2. ^ a b c d "VIII Censo de Poblacion y IV de Vivienda", Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos, October 2005. Retrieved on 2007-07-07. (Spanish) 
  3. ^ Nicaraguan 2005 Census. INEC. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  4. ^ "Languages of Nicaragua", Ethnologue. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. 
  5. ^ Ethnologue Information on languages in Nicaragua
  6. ^ "2005 Nicaraguan Census", National Institute of Statistics and Census of Nicaragua (INEC), pp. 42-43. Retrieved on 2007-10-30. (Spanish) 
  7. ^ a b Dennis, Gilbert. "Nicaragua: Religion", Country Studies, Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2007-10-30. 
  8. ^ http://www.inec.gob.ni/censos2005/ResumenCensal/Resumen2.pdf - p. 42-43

[edit] External links


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1 Territories also in or commonly reckoned elsewhere in the Americas (South America). 2 Territories also in or commonly reckoned to be in the Pacific basin.