What share of Rivas is urban?

50.7% of the population of Rivas lived in urban areas in 2025 (94,935 urban and 92,442 rural residents), 9th highest of 17 by urban share; nationally the share is 59.4%.

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

Rivas is a department of Nicaragua, number 15 of 17 by population. INIDE estimates the population of Rivas at 187,377 in 2025, 2.7% of the national 6,946,351 and 3rd lowest of 17 departments and autonomous regions.

Population (INIDE estimate, 2025)

187,377

2025

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Rivas: INSS recorded an average of 21,082 active insured workers at employers in Rivas in 2023, 11.4 per 100 residents (6th highest of 17) against 11.6 nationally. Insured employment counts formal jobs by the employer's location.
Health in Rivas: The Supreme Electoral Council registered 3,690 births in Rivas in 2023, 19.9 per 1,000 residents, 4th highest of 17; the national rate is 17.1. Records follow the place of registration.
Education in Rivas: Schools in Rivas enrolled 48,072 pupils in initial, primary and secondary education in 2023, 259 per 1,000 residents (2nd highest of 17) against 242 nationally.
Poverty and living standards in Rivas: The National Police recorded 922 road accidents in Rivas in 2023, 49.7 per 10,000 residents, 7th highest of 17 against 76.4 nationally.
Government budget and revenue in Rivas: The DGI collected C$ 346 million in taxes in Rivas in 2023, 1.7% of the C$ 20,016 million collected through departments (7th highest of 17). Large taxpayers, with C$ 72,862 million, are reported separately.

Is the population of Rivas growing?

The population of Rivas changed by +1.0% between 2023 (185,514) and 2025 (187,377), 4th 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 Rivas?

Rivas covers 2,162 square kilometres and had 86.2 people per square kilometre in 2024, 9th highest 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 Rivas?

Rivas had 100.2 women per 100 men in 2025 (93,803 women and 93,574 men), against 102.7 nationally.

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

How young is the population of Rivas?

In 2025 24.2% of the people of Rivas were aged 0 to 14 and 9.2% were 65 or older, against 28.0% and 6.9% nationally; the 0-14 share is 4th lowest 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
Chontales 195,788
Boaco 191,308
Madriz 185,807
Rio San Juan 144,531

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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…)

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