Departments of Nicaragua

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Updates: 

I have added department populations from the 1995 census.

"Administrative Subdivisions of Countries" shows Nicaragua divided into sixteen departments. As a sidelight, it mentions that there is an alternative division into six regions and three special zones. Each of the regions and special zones consists of one or more departments, except that Zelaya department is split into two special zones: Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte, and Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur. The FIPS and ISO standards have now begun to treat these special zones as department-level divisions.

Erratum: Population data in the book are 1990 estimates, not a 1991 census.

ISO 3166-2 Newsletter Number I-2 was published on 2002-05-21. For Nicaragua, it replaces Zelaya department with two autonomous regions named Atlántico Norte and Atlántico Sur.

Country overview: 

Nicaragua has been independent for the whole 20th century.

Other names of country: 

1. Danish: Nicaragua
2. Dutch: Nicaragua, Republiek Nicaragua (formal)
3. English: Republic of Nicaragua (formal)
4. Finnish: Nicaragua
5. French: Nicaragua m
6. German: Nicaragua n
7. Icelandic: Nikaragúa
8. Italian: Nicaragua m
9. Norwegian: Nicaragua, Republikken Nicaragua (formal)
10. Portuguese: Nicarágua, República f da Nicarágua f (formal)
11. Spanish: Nicaragua, República f de Nicaragua f (formal)
12. Swedish: Nicaragua

Origin of name: 

Named for Nicarao, chief of the tribe of Nicaraos

Primary subdivisions: 

Nicaragua is divided into fifteen departamentos (departments) and two regiones autónomas (sing. región autónoma: autonomous regions).

Postal codes: 

According to the Universal Postal Union, Nicaragua is preparing to implement a system of eleven-digit postal codes. The format will be nnnn-nnn-nnn-n. The first two digits will represent the department.

Further subdivisions:

See the Municipalities of Nicaragua page.

The departments are subdivided into municipios (municipalities). Since 1982-07-26, there has also been a subdivision into six regions and three special zones. However, the departments are still the divisions most often referenced. The regions are:

The parts of Zelaya are also known by their acronyms, RAAN and RAAS; or as Zelaya Norte and Zelaya Sul. In the latest FIPS list, they have separate codes of NU17 and NU18, respectively, superseding Zelaya.

Territorial extent: 

1. Granada includes Zapatera Island in Lake Nicaragua.
2. Río San Juan includes the Solentiname Archipelago in Lake Nicaragua.
3. Rivas includes Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua.
4. Zelaya includes Nicaragua's Caribbean islands: the Corn Islands (Isla Grande del Maíz and Isla Pequeña del Maíz), the Cayos Miskitos, and some islets.

Origins of names: 

1. Granada, León, and Segovia were named for cities in Spain.
2. Gracias a Dios: Spanish for thanks to God, name bestowed on the cape by Columbus in 1502 after finding refuge from a storm in its lee
3. Managua: possibly from ethnic name
4. Nueva Segovia: Spanish nueva: new, named when the department was split from Segovia
5. Zelaya: after general and president José Santos Zelaya

Change history: 

1. 1900: Nicaragua consisted of the departments of Chinandega, Chontales, Granada, Leon, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Segovia, Rivas, and Zelaya (also known as Mosquito Reservation).
2. ~1902: Districts of Cabo Gracias a Dios, Prinzapolka, Rio Grande, and Siquia formed from the eastern parts of Chontales, Matagalpa, and Segovia; Estelí and Jinotega also split from Segovia; Carazo split from Granada.
3. ~1915: District of San Juan del Norte split from Chontales.
4. ~1938: Status of Cabo Gracias a Dios changed from district to comarca; Boaco split from Chontales; Segovia split into Madriz and Nueva Segovia; Zelaya merged with the four districts.
5. ~1957: Río San Juan formed from parts of Chontales and Zelaya.
6. ~1977: Cabo Gracias a Dios merged with Zelaya.
7. 1982-07-26: Six regions and three special zones formed as a higher-level subdivision of Nicaragua.
8. ~1988-01-01: Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte and Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur established.
9. ~1994: Name of capital of Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte changed from Puerto Cabezas to Bilwi. The municipio is still named Puerto Cabezas, and the capital is frequently called by its old name.
10. ~1998: Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte and Región Autónoma del Atlántico Sur considered to be on the same level with the departments. Before this time, they were together known as Zelaya department (HASC NI.ZE, FIPS NU16, capital Bluefields).