Matagalpa is a city in Nicaragua, the capital of the department of Matagalpa. The city has a population of 109,100 (2005 census), while the population of the department is more than 480,000. Matagalpa is Nicaragua's sixth largest city and one of its most commercially active outside of Managua. Matagalpa is the second most important city in Nicaragua and is known as the "Pearl of the North" and "Land of Eternal Spring."