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Trading Basics

Nicaragua

Capital
Managua
Region
Latin America & Caribbean
Income group
Lower middle income
Population
7.0 million (2025)

At a glance

  • Prices in Nicaragua rose 2.1% in 2025, slower than in most countries.
  • Nicaragua's economy grew 4.9% in 2025, faster than most economies.
  • Output per person in Nicaragua was US$3,173 in 2025, lower than in most countries.
  • 5.0% of Nicaragua's labour force had no job in 2025, close to the middle of the range worldwide.
  • Nicaragua had 7.0 million people in 2025: about less than 0.1% of everyone on Earth, the 108th largest population of 217 countries and territories.
  • Nicaragua had a current account surplus of 4.2% of GDP in 2024, higher than in most countries.

Consumer prices, change over the year (yearly average)

2.1%
World median 3.0%

Since 2000

Show the numbers
Inflation in Nicaragua and the world median, last ten years
YearNicaraguaWorld median
20252.1%3.0%
20244.6%3.0%
20238.4%5.7%
202210.5%8.0%
20214.9%3.5%
20203.7%1.9%
20195.4%2.2%
20185.0%2.5%
20173.9%2.3%
20163.5%1.6%

Real GDP, change over the year

4.9%
World median 3.4%

Since 2000

Show the numbers
Economic growth in Nicaragua and the world median, last ten years
YearNicaraguaWorld median
20254.9%3.4%
20243.6%3.4%
20234.4%3.2%
20223.6%4.3%
202110.5%5.1%
2020−2.2%−3.8%
2019−2.9%2.8%
2018−3.4%3.2%
20174.6%3.3%
20164.6%3.1%

GDP divided by population, in US dollars at current prices

US$3,173
World median US$7,882

Since 2000

Show the numbers
GDP per person in Nicaragua and the world median, last ten years
YearNicaraguaWorld median
2025US$3,173US$7,882
2024US$2,848US$7,853
2023US$2,609US$7,862
2022US$2,323US$7,656
2021US$2,138US$7,269
2020US$1,938US$6,433
2019US$1,959US$7,037
2018US$2,035US$6,978
2017US$2,183US$6,548
2016US$2,132US$5,982

Share of the labour force without a job (ILO modelled estimate)

5.0%
World median 5.1%

Since 2000

Show the numbers
Unemployment in Nicaragua and the world median, last ten years
YearNicaraguaWorld median
20255.0%5.1%
20245.0%5.1%
20234.7%5.2%
20225.0%5.3%
20216.1%6.0%
20206.2%6.4%
20195.5%5.4%
20185.2%5.4%
20173.3%5.6%
20163.9%5.9%

Everyone living in the country, mid-year

7.0 million

Since 2000

Show the numbers
Population in Nicaragua and the world median, last ten years
YearNicaragua
20257.0 million
20246.9 million
20236.8 million
20226.7 million
20216.6 million
20206.6 million
20196.5 million
20186.4 million
20176.3 million
20166.2 million

Current account balance, % of GDP

4.2%
World median −1.3%

Since 2000

Show the numbers
Current account balance in Nicaragua and the world median, last ten years
YearNicaraguaWorld median
20244.2%−1.3%
20238.2%−1.2%
2022−2.9%−3.0%
2021−2.8%−2.4%
20203.8%−1.7%
20195.9%−2.1%
2018−1.8%−2.9%
2017−7.2%−2.1%
2016−8.5%−2.8%
2015−9.9%−2.8%

No recent World Bank figure for Nicaragua: government debt.

About these figures

All numbers are yearly. The world median is the middle value of all countries with a figure for the same year: half of them are above it and half below. Sparklines show Nicaragua since 2000 or since its first figure.

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0), updated 2026-10-08. Original sources: Inflation: International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics; Economic growth: national statistical offices and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates; GDP per person: national statistical offices and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates; Unemployment: International Labour Organization, ILO modelled estimates (ILOSTAT); Population: United Nations Population Division (World Population Prospects) and national statistical offices; Current account balance: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments Statistics, with World Bank and OECD data. Yearly figures; recent years are often revised. All sources and terms.