Matagalpa Department

Department of Nicaragua

Department in Nicaragua

Matagalpa Departamento de Matagalpa
Department
Flag Coat of arms

Country	Nicaragua
Capital	Matagalpa
Area
• Department	6,804 km² (2,627 sq mi)
Population (2021 estimate)^[1]
• Department	600,057
• Density	88/km² (230/sq mi)
• Urban	247,508
ISO 3166-2	NI-MT

Matagalpa (Spanish pronunciation: [mataˈɣalpa]) is a department in central Nicaragua. It covers an area of 6,804 km² and has a population of 600,057 (2021 est).^[1] The capital is the city of Matagalpa with a population of about 111,000.

Matagalpa is the second largest region of the country in population size, and the fifth in area (after the North Atlantic, the South Atlantic, Jinotega and Río San Juan).

Matagalpa is the most diversified region producing coffee, cattle, milk products, vegetables, wood, gold, flowers. Its extensive forests, rivers and geography are suited for ecotourism.

Although the Cacaopera people constitute the majority of the indigenous inhabitants in Matagalpa, the Nahua people inhabit the Sebaco valley, one of the most fertile areas in Nicaragua.^[2]