Government spending as share of GDP in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Government spending as share of GDP was 27.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Government spending as share of GDP in Nicaragua, 1960–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, government spending as share of gdp in Nicaragua stood at 27.1%.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending as share of gdp in Nicaragua peaked at 49.4% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 9.9%, in 1961.
Nicaragua ranks 91st of 151 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.0% | 9.9% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.4% | 12.8% | 20.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.2% | 24.8% | 49.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 19.4% | 16.8% | 28.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.9% | 18.7% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.4% | 22.6% | 27.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.1% | 26.0% | 30.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More economy & growth data for Nicaragua
- External balance on goods and services as a percent of GDP -13.3% (2025)
- Inflation of consumer prices 2.1% (2025)
- GDP per capita 2,372 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- Share of manufacturing in gross domestic product (GDP) 12.6% (2025)
- Gross domestic product (GDP) 16.62 billion constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- GDP per capita in international and market dollars 2,372 constant 2015 US$ (2025)
- DEC alternative conversion factor 36.62 LCU per US$ (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) 225.76 billion current LCU (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) 6.16 billion current US$ (2025)
- Taxes less subsidies on products 90.12 billion current LCU (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending as share of gdp in Nicaragua?
- Government spending as share of gdp in Nicaragua was 27.1% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 49.4% in 1982.
- What is the lowest government spending as share of gdp recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.9% in 1961.
- How does Nicaragua rank for government spending as share of gdp?
- Nicaragua ranks 91st out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The sum of all the money spent by the government on goods and services, as a percentage of GDP. It includes interest paid on government debt.