Rural population in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Rural population was 2.84 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Rural population in Nicaragua, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Nicaragua is 2.84 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Nicaragua peaked at 2.84 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.08 million, in 1960.
That places Nicaragua 93rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.08 million | — |
| 1961 | 1.11 million | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 1.13 million | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 1.15 million | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 1.17 million | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 1.19 million | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 1.21 million | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 1.22 million | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 1.24 million | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 1.26 million | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 1.28 million | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 1.30 million | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 1.33 million | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 1.36 million | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 1.39 million | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 1.42 million | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 1.46 million | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 1.49 million | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 1.52 million | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 1.56 million | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 1.59 million | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 1.63 million | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 1.66 million | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 1.70 million | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 1.73 million | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 1.76 million | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 1.80 million | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 1.83 million | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 1.86 million | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 1.90 million | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 1.94 million | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 1.97 million | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 2.01 million | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 2.05 million | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 2.08 million | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 2.12 million | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 2.15 million | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 2.17 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 2.20 million | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 2.23 million | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 2.25 million | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 2.27 million | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 2.29 million | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 2.31 million | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 2.33 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 2.35 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 2.38 million | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 2.40 million | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 2.43 million | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 2.45 million | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 2.48 million | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 2.50 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 2.52 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.55 million | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 2.57 million | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 2.59 million | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 2.62 million | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 2.64 million | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.66 million | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 2.69 million | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 2.71 million | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 2.73 million | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 2.76 million | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 2.79 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 2.82 million | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 2.84 million | +0.9% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 2.84 million is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.28 million, 54% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 2.84 million is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 622,054, 4.6× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.18 million | 1.08 million | 1.26 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.41 million | 1.28 million | 1.56 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.75 million | 1.59 million | 1.90 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.09 million | 1.94 million | 2.23 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.35 million | 2.25 million | 2.45 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.58 million | 2.48 million | 2.69 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.78 million | 2.71 million | 2.84 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More agriculture & rural data for Nicaragua
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 12.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1448 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 459.4 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.8714 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4056 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 14.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 14.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Nicaragua?
- Rural population in Nicaragua was 2.84 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 2.84 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.08 million in 1960.
- How does Nicaragua rank for rural population?
- Nicaragua ranks 93rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.