Matagalpa Department  Matagalpa () is a department in central Nicaragua. It covers an area of 8,523 km² and has a population of 604,900 (2010 est). The capital is the city of Matagalpa with about 200,000. Matagalpa is the second region of the country in population size, and the fourth in area (after the North Atlantic, the South Atlantic, and Jinotega. 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.