Geography & environment — Nicaragua
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Nicaragua: Central America
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Central America
- Geographic Coordinates
13 00 N, 85 00 W
- Total Area
50,336 Square Miles 130,370 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
46,328 Square Miles 119,990 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
4,008 Square Miles 10,380 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
765 Miles 1,231 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
- Coastline
565 Miles 910 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
- Highest Point
2,438 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Mogoton 2,438 m
- Lowest Point Location
Pacific Ocean 0 m
- Natural Resources
gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
- Irrigated Land
364 Square Miles 942 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Nicaragua’s climate varies with altitude and season. The summer, or dry season, from mid-November to mid-May, is hot and dry, with cooler nights. Winter, better described as the rainy season, from mid-May to mid-November, is hot and humid, with short, heavy tropical showers that may occur daily, often accompanied by violent electrical storms. Streams flood in the rainy season and dry up the rest of the year. The average daily high temperature in Managua ranges from 79°F to 93°F. Nights are usually temperate. Temperatures in the mountains can dip as low as 61°F, while the east coast high may be a humid 84°F.
- Terrain
extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
- Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
- Total Area
50,336 Square Miles 130,370 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
- Environment - International Agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements