Nicaragua is officially the Republic of Nicaragua. In Spanish it is the República de Nicaragua. The country is the largest state in Central America and the name 'Nicaragua' seems to have meant 'surrounded by water' in an older, indigenous language.  This could be because of the two large freshwater lakes, Lake Nicaragua and Lake Managua or because the country is bounded on the east and the west by oceans.

Nicaragua is also the least densely populated with a demographic similar in size to its smaller neighbors. The country is bordered by Honduras to the north and by Costa Rica to the south. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west while the Caribbean Sea is to the east.