Americas · capital city
What Is the Capital of Nicaragua?
Managua
The capital of Nicaragua is Managua. About 1.1 million people live in the Managua urban area — 15.6% of the country's population.
1.1 million
Urban area population
UTC-6
Time zone
12.13°N
Latitude · 86.25°W
Yes
Largest city
Managua at a glance
Name origin
The name comes from Lake Managua, whose name is composed of the Guaraní words ama (rain) and nagua (spirit) and refers to a local deity.
Time zone
UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
12 08 N, 86 15 W · IANA time zone America/Managua
Location of Nicaragua
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to Managua
Tegucigalpa, Honduras — 242 km
San José, Costa Rica — 340 km
San Salvador, El Salvador — 364 km
Guatemala City, Guatemala — 538 km
Belmopan, Belize — 630 km
Panama City, Panama — 814 km
George Town, Cayman Islands — 952 km
Kingston, Jamaica — 1,206 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Managua
What is the capital of Nicaragua?
The capital of Nicaragua is Managua. About 1.1 million people live in the Managua urban area — 15.6% of the country's population.
Is Managua the largest city in Nicaragua?
Yes — Managua is also the largest urban area of Nicaragua (1.1 million).
What time zone is Managua in?
Managua is on UTC-6 — UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Managua come from?
The name comes from Lake Managua, whose name is composed of the Guaraní words ama (rain) and nagua (spirit) and refers to a local deity.
Which capital is closest to Managua?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Tegucigalpa (Honduras) is the closest, 242 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).