Total population (thousands) in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Total population (thousands) was 6,962 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
6,962 thousands
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
108th
of 233 countries
All-time high
6,962 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
2,385 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Nicaragua, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population in Nicaragua is 6,962 thousands, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Nicaragua peaked at 6,962 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2,385 thousands, in 1970.
That places Nicaragua 108th out of 233 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2,385 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 2,461 thousands | +3.2% |
| 1972 | 2,539 thousands | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 2,608 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 2,690 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 2,774 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 2,860 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 2,948 thousands | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 3,037 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 3,123 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 3,206 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 3,299 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 3,392 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 3,485 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 3,575 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 3,663 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 3,750 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 3,838 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 3,926 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 4,019 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 4,114 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 4,211 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 4,309 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 4,406 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 4,502 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 4,597 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 4,689 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 4,771 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 4,848 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 4,919 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 4,989 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 5,056 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 5,119 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 5,180 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 5,242 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 5,304 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 5,380 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 5,458 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 5,537 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 5,616 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 5,697 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 5,778 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 5,860 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 5,943 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 6,025 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 6,108 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 6,191 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 6,274 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 6,358 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 6,442 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 6,525 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 6,605 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 6,684 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 6,777 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 6,870 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 6,962 thousands | +1.3% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 6,962 thousands is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,314 thousands, 57% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 6,962 thousands is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3,039 thousands, 2.3× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2,743 thousands | 2,385 thousands | 3,123 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 3,615 thousands | 3,206 thousands | 4,019 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,537 thousands | 4,114 thousands | 4,919 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,288 thousands | 4,989 thousands | 5,616 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,068 thousands | 5,697 thousands | 6,442 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,737 thousands | 6,525 thousands | 6,962 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More population data for Nicaragua
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.4231 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3894 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 9,095 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.15 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7708 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.4% (2100)
- Population density 71.56 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 394,954 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Nicaragua?
- Total population in Nicaragua was 6,962 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 6,962 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,385 thousands in 1970.
- How does Nicaragua rank for total population?
- Nicaragua ranks 108th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total 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 UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release