Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 2.21 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.21 births per woman
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
93rd
of 215 countries
All-time high
7.16 births per woman
in 1960
All-time low
2.21 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Nicaragua, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Nicaragua recorded 2.21 births per woman for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 10.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Nicaragua peaked at 7.16 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 2.21 births per woman, in 2024.
That places Nicaragua 93rd out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.16 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 7.11 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1962 | 7.1 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 7.08 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 7.06 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 7.03 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 6.99 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 6.94 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 6.88 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1969 | 6.83 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 6.77 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 6.71 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 6.65 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 6.59 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 6.52 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 6.45 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 6.37 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 6.28 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 6.16 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 6.07 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 5.96 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 5.84 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 5.74 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 5.61 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 5.49 births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 5.36 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 5.22 births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1987 | 5.07 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 4.93 births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 4.76 births per woman | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 4.6 births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 4.43 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 4.27 births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 4.1 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 3.94 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 3.77 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 1996 | 3.62 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 3.47 births per woman | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 3.34 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 3.22 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 2000 | 3.12 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 3 births per woman | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 2.89 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 2.83 births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 2.78 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 2.77 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 2.73 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 2.7 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 2.66 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 2.63 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 2.6 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 2.56 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 2.53 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 2.49 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 2.46 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 2.43 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 2.41 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 2.38 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 2.35 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 2.32 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 2.3 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 2.27 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 2.24 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 2.22 births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 2.21 births per woman | -0.5% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 2.21 births per woman is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.12 births per woman, 71% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 2.21 births per woman is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.62 births per woman, 1.4× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.02 births per woman | 6.83 births per woman | 7.16 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.46 births per woman | 6.07 births per woman | 6.77 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.4 births per woman | 4.76 births per woman | 5.96 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.88 births per woman | 3.22 births per woman | 4.6 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.81 births per woman | 2.63 births per woman | 3.12 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.45 births per woman | 2.32 births per woman | 2.6 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.25 births per woman | 2.21 births per woman | 2.3 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
- 90 Lebanon 2.23 births per woman compare
- 91 Dominican Republic 2.22 births per woman compare
- 92 Morocco 2.21 births per woman compare
- 94 South Africa 2.21 births per woman compare
- 95 Bangladesh 2.14 births per woman compare
- 96 Indonesia 2.12 births per woman compare
More population data for Nicaragua
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3894 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4231 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.18 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.4231 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 394,954 people (2100)
- Population density 71.56 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7708 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.15 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Nicaragua?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Nicaragua was 2.21 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 7.16 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.21 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Nicaragua rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- Nicaragua ranks 93rd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.