The 15 departments and 2 autonomous regions of Nicaragua are divided into 153 municipalities.Inifom - Perfiles municipales The formation and dissolution of municipalities is governed by the Law of Municipalities (in Spanish: Ley No.40 - Ley de Municipalidades), drafted and approved by the National Assembly on July 2. 1988.
The municipalities are responsible for planning and urban development, collection of municipal taxes, maintenance of public utilities and other services, such as parks, sewerage and public cemeteries. Whilst municipal governments may not be responsible for large highways, small roads and tracks usually come under their control. Additionally, municipal governments may issue permits for the operation of urban and intermunicipal bus services.
Other functions of municipal governments include the establishment of libraries, museums, municipal bands, zoos, the promotion of traditional and folklore festivals and various activities promoting education, culture, sports and tourism in the municipality.Law of Municipalities - Ley 40 (in Spanish)
List of municipalities Department Municipality Municipality Seat Population (2005)Censo 2005 - República de NicaraguaArea (km2)Year Boaco Boaco Boaco 49,8391,086.81 Boaco Camoapa Camoapa 34,9621,483.291858 Boaco San Lorenzo San Lorenzo 23,666 559.611858 Boaco San José de los Remates San José de Los Remates 7,650280.461848 Boaco Santa Lucía Santa Lucía 8,254 120.781904 Boaco Teustepe Teustepe 26,265645.731970 Carazo Diriamba Diriamba 57,542348.881894 Carazo Dolores Dolores6,761 2.621895 Carazo El Rosario El Rosario5,31711 1848 Carazo Jinotepe Jinotepe 42,1092921883 Carazo La Conquista La Conquista 3,777911899 Carazo La Paz de Carazo La Paz de Carazo4,657 15.511858 Carazo San Marcos San Marcos 29,019118.111905 Carazo Santa Teresa Santa Teresa 16,8911941860 Chinandega Chichigalpa Chichigalpa 44,769222.541894 Chinandega Chinandega Chinandega 121,793686.611839 Chinandega Cinco Pinos Cinco Pinos 6,78160.381870 Chinandega Corinto Corinto 16,624 70.671858 Chinandega El Realejo El Realejo 8,838104.541532 Chinandega El Viejo El Viejo 76,7751,274.911673 Chinandega Posoltega Posoltega 16,7711241862 Chinandega San Francisco del Norte San Francisco del Norte 6,758 120.311889 Chinandega San Pedro del Norte San Pedro del Norte 4,71971.51889 Chinandega Santo Tomás del Norte Santo Tomás del Norte 7,124501889 Chinandega Somotillo Somotillo 29,0301,0891873 Chinandega Puerto Morazán Santa Rita de Tonalá 13,3285171946 Chinandega Villanueva Villanueva 25,660779.881900 Chontales Acoyapa Acoyapa 16,9461,381.791862 Chontales Comalapa Comalapa 11,785643.861752 Chontales El Coral El Coral 7,0393061997 Chontales Juigalpa Juigalpa51,838726.751668 Chontales La Libertad La Libertad 11,429 774.551852 Chontales San Francisco de Cuapa San Francisco de Cuapa5,5072771997 Chontales San Pedro de Lóvago San Pedro de Lóvago7,650 466.501864 Chontales Santo Domingo Santo Domingo 12,182 681.711951 Chontales Santo Tomás Santo Tomás 16,404 546.61861 Chontales Villa Sandino Villa Sandino13,152 676.511942 Estelí Condega Condega28,4813981962 Estelí Estelí Estelí112,084795.71685 Estelí La Trinidad La Trinidad 20,1402611967 Estelí Pueblo Nuevo Pueblo Nuevo20,620222 Estelí San Juan de Limay San Juan de Limay13,455530.91891 Estelí San Nicolás San Nicolás6,7681631892 Granada Diriá Diriá6,37526 Granada Diriomo Diriomo22,35250.08 Granada Granada Granada105,1715311524 Granada Nandaime Nandaime34,288372.011890 Jinotega El Cuá El Cuá 43,3056372002 Jinotega Jinotega Jinotega 99,3821,1191891 Jinotega La Concordia La Concordia6,486122 1851 Jinotega San José de Bocay San José de Bocay 42,0293,9902002 Jinotega San Rafael del Norte San Rafael del Norte 17,7896061848 Jinotega San Sebastián de Yalí San Sebastián de Yalí 26,9793111908 Jinotega Santa María de Pantasma Las Praderas 37,8805631989 Jinotega Wiwilí de Jinotega Wiwilí de Jinotega 57,4852,444.71989 León Achuapa Achuapa 13,797 416.24 1870 León El Jicaral El Jicaral 10,326 4341834 León El Sauce El Sauce 27,900 629.97 1858 León La Paz Centro La Paz Centro 28,118 6061610 León Larreynaga Malpaisillo27,898 882 1936 León León León174,051 820.19 1524 León Nagarote Nagarote32,303 598.38 1548 León Quezalguaque Quezalguaque 8,59186 1865 León Santa Rosa del Peñón Santa Rosa del Peñón9,529 227.6 1858 León Telica Telica23,266 400 1858 Madriz Las Sabanas Las Sabanas4,136 69 1942 Madriz Palacagüina Palacagüina12,825 192 Madriz San José de Cusmapa San José de Cusmapa7,072 130 Madriz San Juan del Río Coco San Juan del Río Coco21,114 182 1964 Madriz San Lucas San Lucas 12,975139 1913 Madriz Somoto Somoto33,788 466 1867 Madriz Telpaneca Telpaneca19,025 300 1626 Madriz Totogalpa Totogalpa11,927 1371911 Madriz Yalagüina Yalagüina9,597 53 1725 Managua Ciudad Sandino Ciudad Sandino75,083 51.112000Managua El Crucero El Crucero13,656 975.3 2000 Managua Managua Managua 937,489289 1819 Managua Mateare Mateare28,775 297.4 1898 Managua San Francisco Libre San Francisco Libre9,416 7561961 Managua San Rafael del Sur San Rafael del Sur 42,417 357.31956 Managua Ticuantepe Ticuantepe 27,00860.79 1974 Managua Tipitapa Tipitapa101,685 975.17 1755 Managua Villa El Carmen Villa El Carmen 27,449562.01 1907 Masaya Catarina Catarina7,524 11.49 Masaya La Concepción La Concepción31,950 73 1889 Masaya Masatepe Masatepe31,583 62 Masaya Masaya Masaya 139,582 1411819 Masaya Nandasmo Nandasmo10,732 13 1976 Masaya Nindirí Nindirí38,355 142.91 1500 Masaya Niquinohomo Niquinohomo 14,847 31.691870 Masaya San Juan de Oriente San Juan de Oriente 4,73413.8 1585 Masaya Tisma Tisma10,681 108 1883 Matagalpa Ciudad Darío Ciudad Darío41,014 4321920 Matagalpa Esquipulas Esquipulas15,877 216 1944 Matagalpa Matagalpa Matagalpa133,416 619.36 1538 Matagalpa Matiguás Matiguas41,127 1,710 1920 Matagalpa Muy Muy Muy Muy 14,721375 1751 Matagalpa Rancho Grande Rancho Grande26,223 648 1989 Matagalpa Río Blanco Río Blanco30,785 700 1974 Matagalpa San Dionisio San Dionisio16,273 152 1830 Matagalpa San Isidro San Isidro17,412 282.71 1862 Matagalpa San Ramón San Ramón30,682 424 1905 Matagalpa Sébaco Sébaco 32,221289.81 1989 Matagalpa Terrabona Terrabona12,740 248.891715 Matagalpa Tuma-La Dalia La Dalia56,681 462 1989 North Caribbean Coast Bonanza Bonanza 18,6332,0391985 North Caribbean Coast Mulukukú Mulukukú 29,8381,904.532004 North Caribbean Coast Prinzapolka Prinzapolka 16,1057,020.481971 North Caribbean Coast Puerto Cabezas Puerto Cabezas 66,1695,984.811929 North Caribbean Coast Rosita Rosita 22,7234,4181989 North Caribbean Coast Siuna Siuna 64,0925,039.811969 North Caribbean Coast Waslala Waslala 49,3391,329.511989 North Caribbean Coast Waspam Waspam 47,2319,341.711956 Nueva Segovia Ciudad Antigua Ciudad Antigua4,868 154 1611 Nueva Segovia Dipilto Dipilto 5,207108 1942 Nueva Segovia El Jícaro El Jícaro25,901 2781874 Nueva Segovia Wiwilí de Nueva Segovia Wiwilí de Nueva Segovia16,344 398 1970 Nueva Segovia Jalapa Jalapa 54,491 629 1891 Nueva Segovia Macuelizo Macuelizo 6,076250 1815 Nueva Segovia Mozonte Mozonte6,795 242 Nueva Segovia Murra Murra14,847 479 1872 Nueva Segovia Ocotal Ocotal34,580 85.64 1780 Nueva Segovia Quilalí Quilalí26,461 339 1920 Nueva Segovia San Fernando San Fernando 8,549269 1897 Nueva Segovia Santa María Santa María4,404 1681850 Río San Juan El Almendro El Almendro13,363 993 1974 Río San Juan El Castillo Boca de Sábalos 19,8641,656 Río San Juan Morrito Morrito6,570 6771989 Río San Juan San Carlos San Carlos37,461 1,462 1949 Río San Juan San Juan de Nicaragua Grey Town1,307 1,462 Río San Juan San Miguelito San Miguelito17,031 923 1850 Rivas Altagracia Altagracia19,955 211.21 Rivas Belén Belén 16,428246.26 1892 Rivas Buenos Aires Buenos Aires5,420 75.221717 Rivas Cárdenas Cárdenas 6,990 226.63 Rivas Moyogalpa Moyogalpa9,729 63 Rivas Potosí Potosí11,904 146 Rivas Rivas Rivas 41,080280.54 1835 Rivas San Jorge San Jorge8,024 22 1852 Rivas San Juan del Sur San Juan del Sur14,741 411.05 1851 Rivas Tola Tola 22,012 4741750 South Caribbean Coast Bluefields Bluefields 45,547 4,774.751894 South Caribbean Coast Corn Islands Brig Bay 6,626 12.91971 South Caribbean Coast Desembocadura de Río Grande Karawala3,585 1,9781996 South Caribbean Coast El Ayote El Ayote 12,417 8312000 South Caribbean Coast El Tortuguero El Tortuguero22,324 2,4711996 South Caribbean Coast Kukra Hill Kukra Hill 8,789 1,2621989 South Caribbean Coast La Cruz de Río Grande La Cruz de Río Grande23,284 3,360 1982 South Caribbean Coast Muelle de los Bueyes Muelle de los Bueyes22,082 1,3911942 South Caribbean Coast Nueva Guinea Nueva Guinea 66,936 2,7741981 South Caribbean Coast Paiwas Bocana de Paiwas 31,7622,3751974 South Caribbean Coast Pearl Lagoon Pearl City 10,676 3,876 South Caribbean Coast El Rama El Rama 52,4825,6181910
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