Population in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Population was 6.82 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
6.82 million people
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
109th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.82 million people
in 2023
All-time low
1.33 million people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Nicaragua, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in Nicaragua is 6.82 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Nicaragua peaked at 6.82 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.33 million people, in 1950.
Nicaragua ranks 109th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.33 million people | — |
| 1951 | 1.37 million people | +2.9% |
| 1952 | 1.41 million people | +2.9% |
| 1953 | 1.45 million people | +2.9% |
| 1954 | 1.49 million people | +2.9% |
| 1955 | 1.54 million people | +2.9% |
| 1956 | 1.58 million people | +3.0% |
| 1957 | 1.63 million people | +3.0% |
| 1958 | 1.68 million people | +3.0% |
| 1959 | 1.73 million people | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 1.78 million people | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 1.84 million people | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 1.89 million people | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 1.95 million people | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 2.01 million people | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 2.07 million people | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 2.14 million people | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 2.21 million people | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 2.28 million people | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 2.35 million people | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 2.42 million people | +3.2% |
| 1971 | 2.50 million people | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 2.57 million people | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 2.65 million people | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 2.73 million people | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 2.82 million people | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 2.90 million people | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 2.99 million people | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 3.08 million people | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 3.16 million people | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 3.25 million people | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 3.35 million people | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 3.44 million people | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 3.53 million people | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 3.62 million people | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 3.71 million people | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 3.79 million people | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 3.88 million people | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 3.97 million people | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 4.07 million people | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 4.16 million people | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 4.26 million people | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 4.36 million people | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 4.45 million people | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 4.55 million people | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 4.64 million people | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 4.73 million people | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 4.81 million people | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 4.88 million people | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 4.95 million people | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 5.02 million people | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 5.09 million people | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 5.15 million people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 5.21 million people | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 5.27 million people | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 5.34 million people | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 5.42 million people | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 5.50 million people | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 5.58 million people | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 5.66 million people | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 5.74 million people | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 5.82 million people | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 5.90 million people | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 5.98 million people | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 6.07 million people | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 6.15 million people | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 6.23 million people | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 6.32 million people | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 6.40 million people | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 6.48 million people | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 6.57 million people | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 6.64 million people | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 6.73 million people | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 6.82 million people | +1.4% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 6.82 million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.20 million people, 56% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 6.82 million people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3.04 million people, 2.2× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.52 million people | 1.33 million people | 1.73 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.05 million people | 1.78 million people | 2.35 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.78 million people | 2.42 million people | 3.16 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.66 million people | 3.25 million people | 4.07 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.58 million people | 4.16 million people | 4.95 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.32 million people | 5.02 million people | 5.66 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.11 million people | 5.74 million people | 6.48 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.69 million people | 6.57 million people | 6.82 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
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 population in Nicaragua?
- Population in Nicaragua was 6.82 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 6.82 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.33 million people in 1950.
- How does Nicaragua rank for population?
- Nicaragua ranks 109th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.