Total factor productivity in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Total factor productivity was 1 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Total factor productivity in Nicaragua, 1980–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total factor productivity in Nicaragua is 1, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total factor productivity in Nicaragua peaked at 1.7 in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.9388, in 2020.
Nicaragua ranks 38th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Total factor productivity in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.68 | — |
| 1981 | 1.7 | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 1.64 | -3.6% |
| 1983 | 1.65 | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 1.57 | -5.2% |
| 1985 | 1.46 | -7.2% |
| 1986 | 1.4 | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 1.33 | -4.5% |
| 1988 | 1.13 | -15.4% |
| 1989 | 1.07 | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 1.05 | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.05 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 1.04 | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 1.03 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 1.05 | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 1.07 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.06 | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 1.05 | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 1.05 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 1.04 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 1.04 | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 1.02 | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 1.02 | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 1.03 | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 1.03 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 1.04 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 1.04 | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 1.05 | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 1.01 | -3.7% |
| 2010 | 1.02 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 1.03 | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 1.04 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 1.04 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 1.04 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 1.04 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.04 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 1.05 | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.9973 | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 0.9588 | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 0.9388 | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 1 | +6.5% |
| 2022 | 0.9934 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 1 | +1.0% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 1 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.9979, 1.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 1 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1, 1.0× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.46 | 1.07 | 1.7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.05 | 1.03 | 1.07 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.03 | 1.01 | 1.05 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.03 | 0.9588 | 1.05 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.984 | 0.9388 | 1 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More economy & growth data for Nicaragua
- 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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 73.80 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0037 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 10.67 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 1.35 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 21.4 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0687 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 195.53 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 36.36 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total factor productivity in Nicaragua?
- Total factor productivity in Nicaragua was 1 in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total factor productivity recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 1.7 in 1981.
- What is the lowest total factor productivity recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9388 in 2020.
- How does Nicaragua rank for total factor productivity?
- Nicaragua ranks 38th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total factor productivity rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Total factor productivity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This is the level of total factor productivity, relative to each country's value in 2021 (which is set to 1). This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.