| Region | Central America | |
| Population (000, 2024) | 6 916a | |
| Pop. density (per km2, 2024) | 57.5a | |
| Capital city | Managua | |
| Capital city pop. (000, 2024) | 1 055.5c | |
| UN membership date | 24 October 1945 | |
| Surface area (km2) | 130 374b | |
| Sex ratio (m per 100 f) | 96.8a | |
| National currency | Cordoba Oro (NIO) | |
| Exchange rate (per US$) | 36.6d |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) | 12 757 | 12 678 | 15 672b |
| GDP growth rate (annual %, const. 2015 prices) | 4.8 | -1.8 | 3.8b |
| GDP per capita (current US$) | 2 025.3 | 1 876.6 | 2 255.4b |
| Economy: Agriculture (% of Gross Value Added) | 17.8 | 17.4 | 18.8b |
| Economy: Industry (% of Gross Value Added) | 28.5 | 28.2 | 29.2b |
| Economy: Services and other activity (% of GVA) | 53.7 | 54.4 | 52b |
| Employment in agriculturee (% of employed) | 30.9 | 28.5 | 27.7b |
| Employment in industrye (% of employed) | 17.8 | 18 | 18.2b |
| Employment in servicese (% employed) | 51.3 | 53.4 | 54.1b |
| Unemployment (% of labour force) | 4.7 | 6.3e | 4.6e |
| Labour force participation ratee (female/male pop. %) | 48.3 / 82.9 | 47.5 / 82.1 | 49.6 / 82.7 |
| CPI: Consumer Price Index (2010=100) | 137 | 169 | 212d |
| Agricultural production index (2014-2016=100) | 97 | 124 | 128b |
| International trade: exports (million current US$) | 4 667 | 5 087 | 7 378d |
| International trade: imports (million current US$) | 5 866 | 6 545 | 10 912d |
| International trade: balance (million current US$) | - 1 199 | - 1 458 | - 3 533d |
| Balance of payments, current account (million US$) | - 1 260 | 470 | 1 381d |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| Population growth rate (average annual %) | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.3a |
| Urban population (% of total population) | 57.9 | 58.8c | ... |
| Urban population growth rate (average annual %) | 1.5f | ... | ... |
| Fertility rate, total (live births per woman) | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.2a |
| Life expectancy at birth (females/males, years) | 75.6 / 70.1 | 74.0 / 67.6 | 77.6 / 72.5a |
| Population age distributiong (0-14/60+ years old, %) | 32.2 / 7.0 | 30.4 / 7.7 | 28.8 / 8.3a |
| International migrant stock (000/% of total pop.) | 40.3 / 0.6h | 42.2 / 0.6h | ... / ... |
| Refugees and others of concern to UNHCR (000) | 0.4 | 1 | 1d |
| Under five mortality rate (per 1000 live births) | 19.4 | 16.2 | 13.2a |
| Health: Current expendituree,i (% of GDP) | 8 | 8.7 | 9.7j |
| Health: Physicians (per 1 000 pop.) | 0.9 | 0.7k | ... |
| Education: Government expenditure (% of GDP) | 4.1e | 4.6 | 4.1j |
| Education: Primary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 106.0 / 109.3 | 106.1 / 109.7 | 105.4 / 108.9j |
| Education: Lowr. sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 78.8 / 76.6l | ... / ... | ... / ... |
| Education: Upr. Sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 58.7 / 47.8l | ... / ... | ... / ... |
| Intentional homicide rate (per 100 000 pop.) | 8.3 | 7.7c | 11j |
| Seats held by women in national parliaments (%) | 39.1 | 47.2m | 53.8m |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| Individuals using the Internete (per 100 inhabitants) | 19.7 | 54.9 | 61.1b |
| Research & Development expenditure (% of GDP) | 0.1n | ... | ... |
| Threatened species (number) | 141 | 161 | 310d |
| Forested area (% of land area) | 32.5 | 28.3 | 27.5j |
| CO2 emission estimates (million tons/tons per capita) | 5.2 / 0.8 | 4.5 / 0.7 | 5.0 / 0.7j |
| Energy production, primary (Petajoules) | 88 | 94 | 95j |
| Energy supply per capita (Gigajoules) | 26 | 24 | 25j |
| Tourist/visitor arrivals at national borderso (000) | 1 386 | 384 | 818b |
| Important sites for terrestrial biodiversity protected (%) | 68.7 | 68.7 | 68.7d |
| Pop. using safely managed drinking water (urban/rural, %) | 67.2 / 38.6 | 67.3 / 38.5 | ... / ... |
| Net Official Development Assist. received (% of GNI) | 3.73 | 3.92 | 5.71j |
| Footnotes |
| a | Projected estimate (medium fertility variant). | |
| b | 2022 | |
| c | 2019 | |
| d | 2023 | |
| e | Estimate. | |
| f | Data refers to a 5-year period preceding the reference year. | |
| g | Calculated by the UN Statistics Division. | |
| h | Including refugees. | |
| i | Data based on calendar year (January 1 to December 31). | |
| j | 2021 | |
| k | 2018 | |
| l | 2010 | |
| m | Data are as at 1 January of reporting year. | |
| n | Higher Education only. | |
| o | Including nationals residing abroad. |