Nicaragua — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Nicaragua, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Nicaragua was 1.31% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.14% in 1969. The lowest was 1.18% in 2003 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.28% per year.
Nicaragua ranks 80 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 37%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 0.48%, so Nicaragua sits above it. It peaked in 1969 and has fallen 58% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 3%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 7 of 42 economies; Panama (1.22%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 10% in 2005.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 49th of 216 in 1961 → 31st of 216 in 1970 → 64th of 216 in 1980 → 85th of 216 in 1990 → 105th of 217 in 2000 → 94th of 217 in 2010 → 92nd of 217 in 2020 → 80th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 1.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 1.37% | +0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 1.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 1.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 1.25% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 1.3% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 1.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 1.33% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 1.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 1.36% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 1.37% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 1.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 1.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 1.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 1.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 1.42% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 1.43% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 1.44% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 1.43% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 1.3% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 1.18% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 1.18% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 1.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 1.29% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 1.38% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 1.43% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 1.53% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 1.67% | -0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 1.86% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 2.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 2.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 2.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.26% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 2.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 2.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 1989 | 2.34% | +0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 2.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 2.29% | -0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 2.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 2.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 2.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 2.63% | -0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 2.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 2.83% | +0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 2.74% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 2.7% | -0.2 pp |
| 1978 | 2.89% | -0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 3.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 3.04% | -0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 3.06% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 3.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 1973 | 2.9% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 2.91% | -0.2 pp |
| 1971 | 3.12% | -0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 3.13% | -0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 3.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 3.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 3.12% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 3.09% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 3.06% | +0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 3.03% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 3.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 2.99% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Nicaragua’s Population growth in 1962?
3% (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 Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -56.1% in total — about 1.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. 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: 1.31%; 2024: 1.35%; 2023: 1.37%; 2022: 1.28%; 2021: 1.2%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population 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.