Nicaragua population pyramid 2026
Latin America and the Caribbean · Central America
7,097,329 people in 2026 (projected). Nicaragua’s base stopped widening around 2000, and emigration of about 1.3 million people since 1950 has left women outnumbering men from their mid-thirties.
- 2026 population
- 7.1Mrank 108 of 237
- Median age
- 26.3 yearsoldest rank 162
- Fertility rate
- 2.16births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Transitional5.9% age 65+
Nicaragua population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
Download this population pyramid
Use the publication-ready SVG, create a high-resolution PNG, or download the complete age-by-sex dataset.
The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Nicaragua age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 27.9% of the population, while 5.9% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 66.3% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Nicaragua’s age structure as transitional; the guide to population pyramid types explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 50.9: about 51 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (42.1 children and 8.9 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Nicaragua’s population pyramid
When the base stopped growing
In 1950 Nicaraguan women had about 7 children each, and with mortality falling fast the pyramid of 1975 was a steep triangle, with almost a fifth of the population under five and a median age of about 15. Fertility then fell sharply, from about 6 in 1980 to 4.6 in 1990 and 3.1 in 2000. The effect is clear in the 2000 pyramid, where the 0–4 and 5–9 bands are the same size: the number of births had stopped rising, even though the number of women of childbearing age kept increasing.
By 2026 fertility is about 2.2, just above replacement, and the bottom of the pyramid has become a near-vertical block. The largest bands are 10–14, 5–9 and 15–19, born about 2007–2021, with the 0–4 band slightly smaller. Because the cohorts entering their twenties and thirties are still larger than the older ones, births continue to outnumber deaths by almost four to one.
Emigration and the missing men
The UN estimates net emigration of about 660,000 people before 2000 and a similar number again between 2000 and 2023, large totals for a country of under 7 million. The main destinations have been neighbouring Costa Rica and the United States, and departures were particularly heavy during the conflict of the 1980s and again after the political crisis that began in 2018. The pyramid shows the result above age 35, where women outnumber men in every band, with about 92 men per 100 women at ages 40–54. Below 30, boys and young men still slightly outnumber their female peers. The contrast with neighbouring Honduras, where men outnumber women up to the mid-forties, is a reminder that emigration affects the sexes differently from one country to another.
A late and modest peak
Under the medium scenario Nicaragua grows from about 7.1 million in 2026 to 8.8 million in 2050 and peaks at about 9.2 million in 2071, with deaths first exceeding births in 2076 (see the population peak year ranking). The median age rises from about 26 to 35 by 2050, when the pyramid is nearly straight-sided up to the mid-forties. In 2026 its age structure most resembles those of Bolivia, Laos, Djibouti, Bangladesh and Nepal.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Nicaragua’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2076. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2065.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Nicaragua is projected to record 131,205 births (about 359 births a day) and 33,653 deaths, a natural increase of 97,552. Net migration adds −8,485 people, ranking #156 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 3,285,437 births, 743,602 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −660,838. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −217,355 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 77.9 years42.0 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 72.8 years39.3 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 17.1 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 10.2per 1,000 births · 167 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 12.4per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 26.0 yearssex ratio at birth 103.5
Women in Nicaragua are projected to live 5.1 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 167 to 10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #112 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 26.0 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Nicaragua
The median age of 26.3 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 2.16 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 75.4 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,097,329 | #108 | Largest first |
| Median age | 26.3 years | #162 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 2.16 | #98 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.3% | #81 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 75.4 years | #125 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 5.9% | #159 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Nicaragua
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10–14 | 668,038 | 9.4% | 338.9K / 329.1K |
| 2 | 5–9 | 659,517 | 9.3% | 334.8K / 324.7K |
| 3 | 15–19 | 659,511 | 9.3% | 334.3K / 325.2K |
| 4 | 0–4 | 650,558 | 9.2% | 330.5K / 320.1K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 626,202 | 8.8% | 317K / 309.2K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Nicaragua has 3,492,753 males and 3,604,576 females. That is 96.9 males per 100 females, ranking #153 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.2% of the population and females for 50.8%. There are 111,823 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 71.5 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 103.5 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Nicaragua has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 1,331,439 in 1950 to 7,097,329 in 2026, a change of 433%. Over the same span, median age moved from 16.5 to 26.3 years.
The under-15 share changed from 44.7% to 27.9%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.7% to 5.9%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Nicaragua’s population is projected to grow by about 23%, reaching 8,756,430 in 2050. The median age changes from 26.3 to 34.9 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 6.9 percentage points to 12.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 20.2%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 9,236,798 in 2071. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,331,439 | 16.5 | 7.12 | 40.6 | 72,046 | 31,987 | −2,195 | +2.8% |
| 1960 | 1,782,370 | 15.1 | 7.16 | 46.4 | 89,194 | 33,530 | −2,418 | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 2,423,065 | 15.0 | 6.77 | 53.8 | 113,517 | 32,391 | −5,423 | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 3,252,403 | 15.1 | 5.96 | 58.0 | 143,280 | 34,677 | −15,130 | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 4,162,559 | 15.6 | 4.60 | 62.5 | 152,547 | 31,867 | −24,280 | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 5,022,634 | 18.0 | 3.12 | 66.4 | 140,057 | 30,864 | −42,087 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 5,737,450 | 21.2 | 2.60 | 71.8 | 139,679 | 29,206 | −29,081 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 6,565,267 | 24.3 | 2.30 | 70.8 | 134,259 | 43,746 | −10,383 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 6,823,613 | 25.3 | 2.22 | 74.9 | 132,214 | 31,294 | −7,996 | +1.4% |
| 2024* | 6,916,140 | 25.6 | 2.21 | 75.1 | 132,383 | 32,065 | −8,189 | +1.3% |
| 2026* | 7,097,329 | 26.3 | 2.16 | 75.4 | 131,205 | 33,653 | −8,485 | +1.3% |
| 2030* | 7,441,603 | 27.7 | 2.07 | 76.1 | 128,474 | 37,074 | −8,632 | +1.1% |
| 2040* | 8,189,914 | 31.3 | 1.94 | 77.6 | 122,078 | 47,064 | −8,809 | +0.8% |
| 2050* | 8,756,430 | 34.9 | 1.86 | 79.2 | 114,392 | 59,150 | −8,546 | +0.5% |
| 2060* | 9,107,126 | 38.2 | 1.80 | 80.7 | 105,920 | 73,339 | −8,683 | +0.3% |
| 2070* | 9,235,612 | 41.1 | 1.76 | 82.1 | 98,274 | 87,462 | −8,810 | +0.0% |
| 2080* | 9,164,172 | 43.4 | 1.74 | 83.4 | 91,202 | 99,070 | −8,117 | -0.2% |
| 2090* | 8,938,113 | 45.4 | 1.72 | 84.7 | 84,242 | 104,988 | −7,113 | -0.3% |
| 2100* | 8,611,722 | 46.9 | 1.72 | 85.9 | 78,143 | 107,539 | −7,647 | -0.4% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 330,462 | 320,096 | 650,558 | 9.2% |
| 5–9 | 334,827 | 324,690 | 659,517 | 9.3% |
| 10–14 | 338,927 | 329,111 | 668,038 | 9.4% |
| 15–19 | 334,303 | 325,208 | 659,511 | 9.3% |
| 20–24 | 316,976 | 309,226 | 626,202 | 8.8% |
| 25–29 | 307,214 | 301,012 | 608,226 | 8.6% |
| 30–34 | 293,921 | 293,544 | 587,465 | 8.3% |
| 35–39 | 263,245 | 274,083 | 537,328 | 7.6% |
| 40–44 | 223,345 | 243,902 | 467,247 | 6.6% |
| 45–49 | 191,616 | 210,523 | 402,139 | 5.7% |
| 50–54 | 161,325 | 175,096 | 336,421 | 4.7% |
| 55–59 | 127,885 | 142,236 | 270,121 | 3.8% |
| 60–64 | 95,102 | 112,947 | 208,049 | 2.9% |
| 65–69 | 68,775 | 87,248 | 156,023 | 2.2% |
| 70–74 | 48,979 | 66,683 | 115,662 | 1.6% |
| 75–79 | 31,569 | 46,422 | 77,991 | 1.1% |
| 80–84 | 16,379 | 25,833 | 42,212 | 0.6% |
| 85–89 | 6,490 | 12,466 | 18,956 | 0.3% |
| 90–94 | 1,286 | 3,649 | 4,935 | 0.1% |
| 95–99 | 123 | 563 | 686 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 6 | 40 | 46 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Nicaragua’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Bolivia98% overlap · median age 25.5
- Laos98% overlap · median age 25.3
- Djibouti98% overlap · median age 25.2
- Bangladesh98% overlap · median age 26.3
- Nepal97% overlap · median age 25.7
- Paraguay97% overlap · median age 27.3
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Nicaragua.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
Embed the population pyramid
Cite this page
APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Nicaragua Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/nicaragua/
MLA
“Nicaragua Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/nicaragua/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Nicaragua Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/nicaragua/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nicaragua in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Nicaragua's population in 2026 is projected at 7,097,329.
What is the median age in Nicaragua?
The projected median age in Nicaragua in 2026 is 26.3 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Nicaragua?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 2.16 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Nicaragua's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 23%, from 7.1M to 8.8M.
What share of Nicaragua is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 5.9% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 12.8%.
How many babies are born in Nicaragua each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 131,205 births and 33,653 deaths in 2026, about 359 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 97,552.
What is life expectancy in Nicaragua for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 77.9 years for women and 72.8 years for men, a gap of 5.1 years in favour of women.
Does Nicaragua have more immigrants or emigrants?
Nicaragua is projected to lose about 8,485 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −660,838.
What is the sex ratio in Nicaragua?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 96.9 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.