Statizoid

Free and Fair Elections Index in Nicaragua

Nicaragua: Free and Fair Elections Index was 0.137 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.137
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
139th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.684
in 1991
All-time low
0
in 1838
Years of data
188
1838–2025

Free and Fair Elections Index in Nicaragua, 1838–2025

00.20.40.6183819312025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Nicaragua recorded 0.137 for free and fair elections index in 2025.

The figure is down 54.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, free and fair elections index in Nicaragua peaked at 0.684 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1838.

Nicaragua ranks 139th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Free and Fair Elections Index in Nicaragua, year by year

Year Value Change
1838 0 —
1839 0 —
1840 0 —
1841 0 —
1842 0 —
1843 0 —
1844 0 —
1845 0 —
1846 0 —
1847 0 —
1848 0 —
1849 0 —
1850 0 —
1851 0 —
1852 0 —
1853 0 —
1854 0 —
1855 0 —
1856 0 —
1857 0.044 —
1858 0.358 +713.6%
1859 0.358 +0.0%
1860 0.358 +0.0%
1861 0.358 +0.0%
1862 0.358 +0.0%
1863 0.358 +0.0%
1864 0.358 +0.0%
1865 0.358 +0.0%
1866 0.358 +0.0%
1867 0.358 +0.0%
1868 0.358 +0.0%
1869 0.358 +0.0%
1870 0.358 +0.0%
1871 0.358 +0.0%
1872 0.358 +0.0%
1873 0.358 +0.0%
1874 0.358 +0.0%
1875 0.358 +0.0%
1876 0.358 +0.0%
1877 0.358 +0.0%
1878 0.358 +0.0%
1879 0.358 +0.0%
1880 0.358 +0.0%
1881 0.358 +0.0%
1882 0.358 +0.0%
1883 0.358 +0.0%
1884 0.358 +0.0%
1885 0.358 +0.0%
1886 0.358 +0.0%
1887 0.358 +0.0%
1888 0.358 +0.0%
1889 0.358 +0.0%
1890 0.358 +0.0%
1891 0.358 +0.0%
1892 0.358 +0.0%
1893 0.202 -43.6%
1894 0.047 -76.7%
1895 0.047 +0.0%
1896 0 -100.0%
1897 0 —
1898 0 —
1899 0.02 —
1900 0.047 +135.0%
1901 0.044 -6.4%
1902 0 -100.0%
1903 0 —
1904 0 —
1905 0.004 —
1906 0 -100.0%
1907 0 —
1908 0 —
1909 0 —
1910 0 —
1911 0 —
1912 0.004 —
1913 0.026 +550.0%
1914 0.026 +0.0%
1915 0.028 +7.7%
1916 0.027 -3.6%
1917 0.025 -7.4%
1918 0.025 +0.0%
1919 0.025 +0.0%
1920 0.027 +8.0%
1921 0.032 +18.5%
1922 0.032 +0.0%
1923 0.032 +0.0%
1924 0.036 +12.5%
1925 0.044 +22.2%
1926 0.002 -95.5%
1927 0 -100.0%
1928 0.013 —
1929 0.079 +507.7%
1930 0.077 -2.5%
1931 0.067 -13.0%
1932 0.066 -1.5%
1933 0.064 -3.0%
1934 0.061 -4.7%
1935 0.045 -26.2%
1936 0.04 -11.1%
1937 0.019 -52.5%
1938 0.019 +0.0%
1939 0.019 +0.0%
1940 0.021 +10.5%
1941 0.021 +0.0%
1942 0.021 +0.0%
1943 0.021 +0.0%
1944 0.021 +0.0%
1945 0.021 +0.0%
1946 0.021 +0.0%
1947 0.008 -61.9%
1948 0 -100.0%
1949 0 —
1950 0.013 —
1951 0.021 +61.5%
1952 0.021 +0.0%
1953 0.021 +0.0%
1954 0.021 +0.0%
1955 0.021 +0.0%
1956 0.021 +0.0%
1957 0.019 -9.5%
1958 0.018 -5.3%
1959 0.018 +0.0%
1960 0.018 +0.0%
1961 0.018 +0.0%
1962 0.018 +0.0%
1963 0.02 +11.1%
1964 0.02 +0.0%
1965 0.02 +0.0%
1966 0.02 +0.0%
1967 0.024 +20.0%
1968 0.024 +0.0%
1969 0.024 +0.0%
1970 0.024 +0.0%
1971 0.024 +0.0%
1972 0.012 -50.0%
1973 0 -100.0%
1974 0.007 —
1975 0.021 +200.0%
1976 0.021 +0.0%
1977 0.021 +0.0%
1978 0.021 +0.0%
1979 0.013 -38.1%
1980 0 -100.0%
1981 0 —
1982 0 —
1983 0 —
1984 0.072 —
1985 0.455 +531.9%
1986 0.455 +0.0%
1987 0.455 +0.0%
1988 0.461 +1.3%
1989 0.482 +4.6%
1990 0.654 +35.7%
1991 0.684 +4.6%
1992 0.684 +0.0%
1993 0.684 +0.0%
1994 0.684 +0.0%
1995 0.684 +0.0%
1996 0.667 -2.5%
1997 0.596 -10.6%
1998 0.596 +0.0%
1999 0.553 -7.2%
2000 0.553 +0.0%
2001 0.558 +0.9%
2002 0.584 +4.7%
2003 0.584 +0.0%
2004 0.584 +0.0%
2005 0.584 +0.0%
2006 0.562 -3.8%
2007 0.477 -15.1%
2008 0.477 +0.0%
2009 0.477 +0.0%
2010 0.474 -0.6%
2011 0.449 -5.3%
2012 0.32 -28.7%
2013 0.299 -6.6%
2014 0.299 +0.0%
2015 0.299 +0.0%
2016 0.291 -2.7%
2017 0.238 -18.2%
2018 0.22 -7.6%
2019 0.22 +0.0%
2020 0.22 +0.0%
2021 0.207 -5.9%
2022 0.135 -34.8%
2023 0.137 +1.5%
2024 0.137 +0.0%
2025 0.137 +0.0%

Nicaragua compared with similar countries

  • Nicaragua's 0.137 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.321, 43% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • Nicaragua's 0.137 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.768, 18% of the median. (25 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1830s 0 0 0 2
1840s 0 0 0 10
1850s 0.076 0 0.358 10
1860s 0.358 0.358 0.358 10
1870s 0.358 0.358 0.358 10
1880s 0.358 0.358 0.358 10
1890s 0.139 0 0.358 10
1900s 0.0095 0 0.047 10
1910s 0.0186 0 0.028 10
1920s 0.0297 0 0.079 10
1930s 0.0477 0.019 0.077 10
1940s 0.0155 0 0.021 10
1950s 0.0194 0.013 0.021 10
1960s 0.0206 0.018 0.024 10
1970s 0.0164 0 0.024 10
1980s 0.238 0 0.482 10
1990s 0.6486 0.553 0.684 10
2000s 0.544 0.477 0.584 10
2010s 0.3109 0.22 0.474 10
2020s 0.1622 0.135 0.22 6

Countries ranked near Nicaragua

  1. 136 Pakistan 0.174 compare
  2. 137 Zimbabwe 0.171 compare
  3. 138 Djibouti 0.167 compare
  4. 139 Egypt 0.137 compare
  5. 141 Russia 0.135 compare
  6. 142 Uganda 0.129 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Nicaragua

All data for Nicaragua →

Frequently asked questions

What is free and fair elections index in Nicaragua?
Free and fair elections index in Nicaragua was 0.137 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest free and fair elections index recorded in Nicaragua?
The highest recorded value was 0.684 in 1991.
What is the lowest free and fair elections index recorded in Nicaragua?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1838.
How does Nicaragua rank for free and fair elections index?
Nicaragua ranks 139th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is free and fair elections index rising or falling in Nicaragua?
Over the last ten years it is down 54.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Free and Fair Elections Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Free and Fair Elections Index in Nicaragua. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/free-and-fair-elections-index/nicaragua/

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About this data

Indicator
Free and Fair Elections Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 30,402 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of the extent to which registration fraud, systematic irregularities, government intimidation of the opposition, vote buying, and election violence are absent, and the election management body is autonomous and has enough staff and resources.