Population growth in Nicaragua
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Nicaragua increased from 1.77 million to 6.85 million people. This is a growth of 286.4 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Nicaragua was recorded in 1961 with 3.19 percent. The smallest increase in 2014 with 1.32 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Nicaragua rose by 4.56 years from 2012 to 2021 from 22.74 to 27.30 years (median value).
Around 59 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.8 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Nicaragua
Population development in Nicaragua since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants)| Year | Population Nicaragua | Change Nicaragua | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.83 M | 3.19 % | 50.9 ‰ | 18.1 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 1.89 M | 3.15 % | 49.9 ‰ | 17.5 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 1.95 M | 3.12 % | 49.0 ‰ | 16.8 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 2.01 M | 3.10 % | 48.2 ‰ | 16.3 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 2.07 M | 3.09 % | 47.5 ‰ | 15.7 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 2.13 M | 3.07 % | 47.0 ‰ | 15.2 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 2.20 M | 3.06 % | 46.6 ‰ | 14.7 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 2.26 M | 3.06 % | 46.4 ‰ | 14.2 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 2.33 M | 3.08 % | 46.2 ‰ | 13.8 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 2.41 M | 3.09 % | 46.1 ‰ | 13.4 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 2.48 M | 3.11 % | 46.1 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 2.56 M | 3.12 % | 46.1 ‰ | 12.7 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 2.64 M | 3.13 % | 46.1 ‰ | 12.4 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 2.72 M | 3.13 % | 46.0 ‰ | 12.2 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 2.81 M | 3.14 % | 45.9 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 2.89 M | 3.14 % | 45.8 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 2.99 M | 3.13 % | 45.6 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 3.08 M | 3.09 % | 45.3 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 3.17 M | 3.04 % | 45.0 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 3.27 M | 2.97 % | 44.6 ‰ | 10.8 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 3.36 M | 2.90 % | 44.1 ‰ | 10.5 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 3.46 M | 2.83 % | 43.5 ‰ | 10.3 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 3.55 M | 2.74 % | 42.7 ‰ | 10.0 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 3.64 M | 2.63 % | 41.8 ‰ | 9.6 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 3.73 M | 2.51 % | 40.9 ‰ | 9.3 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 3.82 M | 2.38 % | 39.9 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 3.91 M | 2.26 % | 38.8 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 4.00 M | 2.20 % | 37.8 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 4.08 M | 2.19 % | 36.8 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 4.17 M | 2.22 % | 35.9 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 4.27 M | 2.26 % | 34.9 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 4.36 M | 2.27 % | 34.0 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 4.46 M | 2.24 % | 33.0 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 4.56 M | 2.16 % | 32.0 ‰ | 6.1 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 4.65 M | 2.04 % | 31.1 ‰ | 6.0 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 4.74 M | 1.92 % | 30.1 ‰ | 5.8 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 4.83 M | 1.82 % | 29.2 ‰ | 5.7 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 4.91 M | 1.72 % | 28.4 ‰ | 5.5 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 4.99 M | 1.64 % | 27.7 ‰ | 5.4 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 5.07 M | 1.57 % | 27.1 ‰ | 5.3 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 5.15 M | 1.50 % | 26.5 ‰ | 5.3 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 5.22 M | 1.44 % | 26.0 ‰ | 5.2 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 5.29 M | 1.39 % | 25.6 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 5.36 M | 1.38 % | 25.3 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 5.44 M | 1.37 % | 25.0 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 5.51 M | 1.38 % | 24.7 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 5.59 M | 1.38 % | 24.4 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 5.67 M | 1.38 % | 24.1 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 5.75 M | 1.38 % | 23.8 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 5.82 M | 1.37 % | 23.6 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 5.90 M | 1.36 % | 23.2 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 5.98 M | 1.35 % | 22.9 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 6.06 M | 1.34 % | 22.6 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 6.14 M | 1.32 % | 23.1 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 6.30 M | 2.54 % | 22.8 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 6.39 M | 1.44 % | 22.5 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 6.48 M | 1.43 % | 22.1 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 6.57 M | 1.42 % | 21.7 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 6.66 M | 1.40 % | 21.3 ‰ | 4.6 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 6.76 M | 1.38 % | 20.9 ‰ | 5.7 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 6.85 M | 1.40 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Nicaragua
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Nicaragua increased by about 92,000 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 5.7 per 1,000 people (~ 38,000 deaths) and the birth rate was 20.9 per 1,000 people (~ 139,000 births). As a result, around 9,000 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 30,704 in Nicaragua. The number of births was 140,930 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life 2023 in country comparison
Active volcanoes and eruptions in the United States