What share of Chontales is urban?

63.2% of the population of Chontales lived in urban areas in 2025 (123,741 urban and 72,047 rural residents), 7th highest of 17 by urban share; nationally the share is 59.4%.

Chontales: population, births and deaths, health services, schools, insured workers, wages, taxes, roads and crime

Chontales is a department of Nicaragua, number 13 of 17 by population. INIDE estimates the population of Chontales at 195,788 in 2025, 2.8% of the national 6,946,351 and 5th lowest of 17 departments and autonomous regions.

Population (INIDE estimate, 2025)

195,788

2025

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Chontales: INSS recorded an average of 16,986 active insured workers at employers in Chontales in 2023, 8.8 per 100 residents (8th highest of 17) against 11.6 nationally. Insured employment counts formal jobs by the employer's location.
Health in Chontales: The Supreme Electoral Council registered 3,415 births in Chontales in 2023, 17.6 per 1,000 residents, 8th highest of 17; the national rate is 17.1. Records follow the place of registration.
Education in Chontales: Schools in Chontales enrolled 48,775 pupils in initial, primary and secondary education in 2023, 252 per 1,000 residents (4th highest of 17) against 242 nationally.
Poverty and living standards in Chontales: The National Police recorded 1,063 road accidents in Chontales in 2023, 54.8 per 10,000 residents, 6th highest of 17 against 76.4 nationally.
Government budget and revenue in Chontales: The DGI collected C$ 206 million in taxes in Chontales in 2023, 1.0% of the C$ 20,016 million collected through departments (8th highest of 17). Large taxpayers, with C$ 72,862 million, are reported separately.

Is the population of Chontales growing?

The population of Chontales changed by +1.0% between 2023 (193,827) and 2025 (195,788), 5th slowest growth of 17, against +2.1% for Nicaragua as a whole.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE) · saved copy

What is the population density of Chontales?

Chontales covers 6,481 square kilometres and had 30.1 people per square kilometre in 2024, 4th lowest of 17 by density; the national figure is 57.1.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE) · saved copy

How many women and men live in Chontales?

Chontales had 103.4 women per 100 men in 2025 (99,549 women and 96,239 men), against 102.7 nationally.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE) · saved copy

How young is the population of Chontales?

In 2025 27.2% of the people of Chontales were aged 0 to 14 and 6.9% were 65 or older, against 28.0% and 6.9% nationally; the 0-14 share is 9th highest of 17.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE) · saved copy

How departments are governed in Nicaragua

Departments (15). No elected government; administrative units of central government. Deliver national services.

Every tier of government in Nicaragua

Other departments of Nicaragua

Managua 1,612,321
Matagalpa 626,590
Atlantico Norte 585,941
Jinotega 515,630
Chinandega 449,553
Atlantico Sur 448,392
Leon 430,567
Masaya 421,132
Nueva Segovia 290,419
Esteli 235,138
Granada 222,496
Carazo 203,361
Boaco 191,308
Rivas 187,377
Madriz 185,807
Rio San Juan 144,531

Up a level: Nicaragua · government and power in Nicaragua · cities

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE): Anuario Estadistico 2023, tables III.2.2, III.3.6 and V.6.6: road network (MTI), tourist lodging (INTUR) and free-zone firms (CNZF) by department, 2023, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 47c54be057f9…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.