Nicaragua

Latin America & Caribbean·Lower middle income

Population: 6.82M; 108th of 217
GDP: $19.7B; 132nd of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $2,848; 159th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 74.9; 106th of 217
Human development: 0.667; 124th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Nicaragua

Honduras

Haiti

Bolivia, Plurinational State of

El Salvador

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

low-income Central American economy; until 2018, nearly 20 years of sustained GDP growth; recent struggles due to COVID-19, political instability, and hurricanes; significant remittances; increasing poverty and food scarcity since 2005; sanctions limit investment

Area: 130,370 km²
Resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Borders: Costa Rica; Honduras

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian84.8%▼ 2.1pt
Unaffiliated13.3%▲ 0.8pt
Other1.9%▲ 1.3pt

Religious diversity: 3.07 / 10 · moderate · 95th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

NIC

HND

HTI

BOL

GDP

current US$

$19.7B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$1.35B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

96.4%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

14.4%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

27.6%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

6.82M–––

Population density

people per km²

55.9–––

Urban population

% of total

59.8%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2.2–––

Net migration

people

-8,189–––

Population under 15

% of total

28.8%–––

Population 65+

% of total

5.5%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

9%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

3.8%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

3,124.2–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

640.4–––

Electricity generation

TWh

4.4–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.668–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.423–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

9.56–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

3.26–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

2.05–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

4.48–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

26.2%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.23–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

19.8%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

20.5%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

26.2%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

63.1%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

66.2%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

5.12–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

3.07–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

13.3%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.06–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

1.92–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

1.98–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.7–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

8.17–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.81–––

Would fight for country

% yes

71.6%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

1.96–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

0.5%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#132/214

$19.7B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#159/214

$2,8482024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#141/203

$8,320latest

GDP growth

annual %

#92/214

3.6%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#158/207

$2,5102024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#164/213

7.3%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#80/201

$1.35B2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#32/205

96.4%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#58/206

14.4%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#71/208

27.6%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#83/187

4.7%latest

Gini index

0–100

#153/168

46.2latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#103/168

6.6%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#108/217

6.82Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#147/216

55.9latest

Urban population

% of total

#116/215

59.8%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#106/217

74.9latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#93/217

2.2latest

Net migration

people

#153/217

-8,1892024

Population under 15

% of total

#79/217

28.8%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#140/217

5.5%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#81/196

10.3latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#92/196

13.4latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#44/192

9%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#136/195

0.7latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#112/160

82.6%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#118/199

3.8%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#115/194

29.5%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#100/139

55.5%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#153/210

58.2%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#127/214

105.82023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#134/208

5.42023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#167/215

942024

Access to electricity

% of population

#162/215

88.3%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#149/198

3,124.22023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#152/202

640.42023

Electricity generation

TWh

#129/202

4.42023

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#50/202

64.5%2023

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#61/202

35.5%2023

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#73/204

5.62024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#49/204

0.82024

Share of global CO₂

#131/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#121/193

6.12023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#148/172

0.1772022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#167/172

0.0342022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#166/178

192022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#177/193

-1.292022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#164/193

-1.042022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#174/193

-1.312022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#123/193

-0.3482022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#129/172

0.6142022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#6/104

0.6682020

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#29/105

0.4232020

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#19/113

9.562020

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#57/112

3.262020

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#97/114

2.052020

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#70/114

4.482020

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#83/114

2.132020

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#63/111

2.192020

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#69/113

26.2%2020

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#65/109

2.232020

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#44/112

19.8%2020

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#57/112

20.5%2020

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#104/114

26.2%2020

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#13/114

63.1%2020

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#33/110

66.2%2020

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#27/109

5.122020

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#95/193

3.072020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#51/193

13.3%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#110/114

4.3%2020

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#80/112

2.062020

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#102/113

1.922020

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#94/110

1.982020

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#32/111

2.72020

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#70/104

8.172020

National pride

mean, 1–4

#14/114

3.812020

Would fight for country

% yes

#52/113

71.6%2020

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#104/114

1.962020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#124/189

0.6672021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#103/170

0.4242021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#52/164

6.32025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#8/113

82020

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#12/114

7.942020

Global Peace Index

1–5

#120/158

2.292023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#149/161

0.5%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.