External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp was -13.26 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-13.26
Change on year
up 22.8%
World rank
142nd
of 191 countries
All-time high
13.89
in 1979
All-time low
-40.29
in 1988
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Nicaragua, 1960–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Nicaragua recorded -13.26 for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in 2025.
The figure is up 22.8% on the previous year and up 26.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Nicaragua peaked at 13.89 in 1979 and was at its lowest, -40.29, in 1988.
That places Nicaragua 142nd out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -2.52 | — |
| 1961 | -1.15 | -54.2% |
| 1962 | -2.47 | +114.7% |
| 1963 | -1.42 | -42.6% |
| 1964 | -1.63 | +14.7% |
| 1965 | -3.11 | +91.1% |
| 1966 | -7.01 | +125.5% |
| 1967 | -8.58 | +22.5% |
| 1968 | -3.71 | -56.8% |
| 1969 | -2.79 | -24.6% |
| 1970 | -2.46 | -12.0% |
| 1971 | -2.24 | -8.9% |
| 1972 | 5.65 | -352.1% |
| 1973 | -9.59 | -269.9% |
| 1974 | -13.53 | +41.1% |
| 1975 | -8.9 | -34.3% |
| 1976 | 1.15 | -113.0% |
| 1977 | -5.34 | -562.8% |
| 1978 | 3.16 | -159.2% |
| 1979 | 13.89 | +339.6% |
| 1980 | -19.04 | -237.1% |
| 1981 | -19.44 | +2.1% |
| 1982 | -10.08 | -48.2% |
| 1983 | -10.59 | +5.1% |
| 1984 | -13.01 | +22.8% |
| 1985 | -7.06 | -45.7% |
| 1986 | -8.06 | +14.1% |
| 1987 | -1.99 | -75.3% |
| 1988 | -40.29 | +1924.9% |
| 1989 | -32.65 | -18.9% |
| 1990 | -21.39 | -34.5% |
| 1991 | -30.68 | +43.4% |
| 1992 | -36.02 | +17.4% |
| 1993 | -27.43 | -23.8% |
| 1994 | -12.8 | -53.3% |
| 1995 | -11.85 | -7.4% |
| 1996 | -14.79 | +24.8% |
| 1997 | -19.17 | +29.6% |
| 1998 | -18.34 | -4.3% |
| 1999 | -25.48 | +38.9% |
| 2000 | -21.08 | -17.3% |
| 2001 | -19.9 | -5.6% |
| 2002 | -20.4 | +2.5% |
| 2003 | -20.77 | +1.8% |
| 2004 | -21.08 | +1.5% |
| 2005 | -22.88 | +8.6% |
| 2006 | -24.78 | +8.3% |
| 2007 | -26.9 | +8.6% |
| 2008 | -27.85 | +3.5% |
| 2009 | -19.03 | -31.7% |
| 2010 | -19.43 | +2.1% |
| 2011 | -21.79 | +12.2% |
| 2012 | -20.24 | -7.1% |
| 2013 | -20.56 | +1.6% |
| 2014 | -16.68 | -18.8% |
| 2015 | -18.03 | +8.1% |
| 2016 | -16.05 | -11.0% |
| 2017 | -13.7 | -14.6% |
| 2018 | -9.43 | -31.2% |
| 2019 | -4.43 | -53.0% |
| 2020 | -5.15 | +16.1% |
| 2021 | -13.4 | +160.4% |
| 2022 | -15.66 | +16.9% |
| 2023 | -13.29 | -15.2% |
| 2024 | -17.17 | +29.2% |
| 2025 | -13.26 | -22.8% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's -13.26 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -9.16, 1.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's -13.26 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is -2.12, 6.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Nicaragua changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | -1924.9% | -1.99 | -40.29 |
| 1977 | -562.8% | 1.15 | -5.34 |
| 1972 | +352.1% | -2.24 | 5.65 |
| 1979 | +339.6% | 3.16 | 13.89 |
| 1973 | -269.9% | 5.65 | -9.59 |
| 1980 | -237.1% | 13.89 | -19.04 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -3.44 | -8.58 | -1.15 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.82 | -13.53 | 13.89 | 10 |
| 1980s | -16.22 | -40.29 | -1.99 | 10 |
| 1990s | -21.8 | -36.02 | -11.85 | 10 |
| 2000s | -22.47 | -27.85 | -19.03 | 10 |
| 2010s | -16.03 | -21.79 | -4.43 | 10 |
| 2020s | -12.99 | -17.17 | -5.15 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
- 139 Seychelles -13.05 compare
- 140 Bosnia and Herzegovina -13.12 compare
- 141 Guinea-Bissau -13.15 compare
- 143 Uzbekistan -13.33 compare
- 144 Rwanda -13.56 compare
- 145 Philippines -13.69 compare
More economy & growth data for Nicaragua
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 37.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.29 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.5 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0168 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 53.46 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.8097 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0123 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 39.04 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate -11.79 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Nicaragua?
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp in Nicaragua was -13.26 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 13.89 in 1979.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was -40.29 in 1988.
- How does Nicaragua rank for external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp?
- Nicaragua ranks 142nd out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of External balance on goods and services as a percent of gdp. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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