
Population growth in Nicaragua
From 1960 to 2020 the population of Nicaragua increased from 1.77 m to 6.62 m people. This is a growth by 273.6 percent in 60 years. The highest increase in Nicaragua was recorded in 1961 with 3.19%. The smallest increase in 2020 with 1.21%.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 156.0 percent.
The average age in Nicaragua rose by 4.56 years from 2012 to 2020 from 22.74 to 27.30 years (median value).
Around 59% of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 1.6% 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 | Birthrate | Deathrate | Population World | Change | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 % | 22.2 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 6.22 M | 1.31 % | 21.9 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,348 M | 1.18 % | |
2016 | 6.30 M | 1.30 % | 21.5 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,434 M | 1.17 % | |
2017 | 6.38 M | 1.28 % | 21.1 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 7,519 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 6.47 M | 1.26 % | 20.6 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,602 M | 1.11 % | |
2019 | 6.55 M | 1.24 % | 20.2 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,683 M | 1.07 % | |
2020 | 6.62 M | 1.21 % | 19.8 ‰ | 5.1 ‰ | 7,763 M | 1.04 % |

Birth- and deathrate in Nicaragua
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. The example of the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Nicaragua increased by about 79,100 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 5.1 per 1000 people (~ 33,300 deaths) and the birth rate was 19.8 per 1000 people (~ 130,000 births). As a result, around 17,600 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 31,633 in Nicaragua. The number of births was 135,055 annually.
The development of births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1000 inhabitants.
Birthrate Deathrate