Nicaragua — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Nicaragua, 2000–2023.
Health spending for Nicaragua was 8.30% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 9.55% in 2021. The lowest was 5.24% in 2000 (about 1.6× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 2.02% per year.
Nicaragua ranks 56 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 30%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 6.87%, so Nicaragua sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 13% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved up 9%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 9 of 32 economies; Colombia (8.14%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 12% in 2021.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 35 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 83rd of 184 in 2000 → 55th of 188 in 2010 → 59th of 189 in 2020 → 56th of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 8.3% | -0.7 pp |
| 2022 | 8.98% | -0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 9.55% | +1.0 pp |
| 2020 | 8.56% | +0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 8.5% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 8.5% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 8.33% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 8.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 7.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 7.98% | +0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 7.64% | +0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 7.49% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 7.45% | -0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 7.71% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 7.69% | +0.5 pp |
| 2008 | 7.17% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 6.96% | +0.6 pp |
| 2006 | 6.36% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 6.22% | +0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 6.06% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 6.08% | +0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 5.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 5.48% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 5.24% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Nicaragua’s Health spending in 2001?
5.48% (2001). 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 % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Nicaragua’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +58.4% in total — about 2.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. 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: 2023: 8.3%; 2022: 8.98%; 2021: 9.55%; 2020: 8.56%; 2019: 8.5%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). 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.