Nicaragua — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Nicaragua, 1961–2025.
GDP growth for Nicaragua was 4.92% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 14.19% in 1974. The lowest was -26.48% in 1979 (about -5.4× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.65% per year.
Nicaragua ranks 56 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 26%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 3.38%, so Nicaragua sits above it. It peaked in 1974 and has fallen 65% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 3%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 7 of 40 economies; Costa Rica (4.56%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 3499% in 1976. That is 67% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 24th of 107 in 1961 → 107th of 119 in 1970 → 57th of 152 in 1980 → 130th of 176 in 1990 → 103rd of 199 in 2000 → 98th of 209 in 2010 → 70th of 209 in 2020 → 49th of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.92% | +1.3 pp |
| 2024 | 3.58% | -0.8 pp |
| 2023 | 4.43% | +0.9 pp |
| 2022 | 3.55% | -6.9 pp |
| 2021 | 10.45% | +12.7 pp |
| 2020 | -2.24% | +0.7 pp |
| 2019 | -2.9% | +0.5 pp |
| 2018 | -3.36% | -8.0 pp |
| 2017 | 4.63% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 4.56% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 4.79% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 4.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 4.93% | -1.6 pp |
| 2012 | 6.5% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 6.32% | +1.9 pp |
| 2010 | 4.41% | +7.7 pp |
| 2009 | -3.29% | -6.7 pp |
| 2008 | 3.44% | -1.6 pp |
| 2007 | 5.08% | +0.9 pp |
| 2006 | 4.15% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 4.28% | -1.0 pp |
| 2004 | 5.31% | +2.8 pp |
| 2003 | 2.52% | +1.8 pp |
| 2002 | 0.75% | -2.2 pp |
| 2001 | 2.96% | -1.1 pp |
| 2000 | 4.1% | -2.9 pp |
| 1999 | 7.04% | +3.3 pp |
| 1998 | 3.71% | -0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 3.97% | -2.4 pp |
| 1996 | 6.34% | +0.4 pp |
| 1995 | 5.91% | +2.6 pp |
| 1994 | 3.34% | +3.7 pp |
| 1993 | -0.39% | -0.8 pp |
| 1992 | 0.39% | +0.6 pp |
| 1991 | -0.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | -0.05% | +1.7 pp |
| 1989 | -1.74% | +10.7 pp |
| 1988 | -12.45% | -11.7 pp |
| 1987 | -0.71% | +0.3 pp |
| 1986 | -1.02% | +3.1 pp |
| 1985 | -4.08% | -2.5 pp |
| 1984 | -1.57% | -6.2 pp |
| 1983 | 4.61% | +5.4 pp |
| 1982 | -0.82% | -6.2 pp |
| 1981 | 5.36% | +0.8 pp |
| 1980 | 4.61% | +31.1 pp |
| 1979 | -26.48% | -18.6 pp |
| 1978 | -7.84% | -16.2 pp |
| 1977 | 8.37% | +3.2 pp |
| 1976 | 5.21% | +5.4 pp |
| 1975 | -0.15% | -14.3 pp |
| 1974 | 14.19% | +7.8 pp |
| 1973 | 6.42% | +4.2 pp |
| 1972 | 2.22% | -1.1 pp |
| 1971 | 3.3% | +2.0 pp |
| 1970 | 1.35% | -4.9 pp |
| 1969 | 6.24% | +4.9 pp |
| 1968 | 1.34% | -5.6 pp |
| 1967 | 6.97% | +3.7 pp |
| 1966 | 3.3% | -6.2 pp |
| 1965 | 9.53% | -2.2 pp |
| 1964 | 11.7% | +0.8 pp |
| 1963 | 10.87% | -0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 10.89% | +3.4 pp |
| 1961 | 7.5% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Nicaragua’s GDP growth in 1962?
10.89% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Nicaragua’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -34.3% in total — about 0.7% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4.92%; 2024: 3.58%; 2023: 4.43%; 2022: 3.55%; 2021: 10.45%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.