Population:
5,128,517 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.7% (male 984,719; female 949,282)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,510,352; female 1,527,991)
65 years and over: 3% (male 68,332; female 87,841) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 20.4 years
male: 20 years
female: 20.8 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
2.03% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
26.29 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 31.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 35.08 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.68 years
male: 67.68 years
female: 71.79 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
5,800 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
400 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Nicaraguan(s)
adjective: Nicaraguan
Ethnic groups:
mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%,
Amerindian 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant
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.)