Military personnel in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Military personnel was 12,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
12,000 people
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
116th
of 194 countries
All-time high
80,000 people
in 1987
All-time low
1,000 people
in 1920
Years of data
117
1900–2022
Military personnel in Nicaragua, 1900–2022
Source: Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel in Nicaragua stood at 12,000 people.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel in Nicaragua peaked at 80,000 people in 1987 and was at its lowest, 1,000 people, in 1920.
Nicaragua ranks 116th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 2,000 people | — |
| 1901 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 4,000 people | +100.0% |
| 1907 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 2,000 people | -50.0% |
| 1917 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 1,000 people | -50.0% |
| 1921 | 2,000 people | +100.0% |
| 1922 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 3,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1924 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 2,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1933 | 3,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1934 | 2,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1935 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 3,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1938 | 2,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1939 | 4,000 people | +100.0% |
| 1946 | 3,000 people | -25.0% |
| 1947 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 4,000 people | +33.3% |
| 1958 | 4,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 5,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1960 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 6,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1965 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 5,000 people | -16.7% |
| 1976 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 6,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1978 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 24,000 people | +300.0% |
| 1981 | 39,000 people | +62.5% |
| 1982 | 41,000 people | +5.1% |
| 1983 | 46,000 people | +12.2% |
| 1984 | 67,000 people | +45.7% |
| 1985 | 74,000 people | +10.4% |
| 1986 | 75,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 80,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1988 | 74,000 people | -7.5% |
| 1989 | 65,000 people | -12.2% |
| 1990 | 28,000 people | -56.9% |
| 1991 | 20,000 people | -28.6% |
| 1992 | 15,000 people | -25.0% |
| 1993 | 15,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 14,000 people | -6.7% |
| 1995 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 12,000 people | -14.3% |
| 2000 | 16,000 people | +33.3% |
| 2001 | 16,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 14,000 people | -12.5% |
| 2003 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 14,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 12,000 people | -14.3% |
| 2010 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 12,000 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 15,500 people, 77% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 12,000 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12,000 people, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 2,800 people | 2,000 people | 4,000 people | 10 |
| 1910s | 3,200 people | 2,000 people | 4,000 people | 10 |
| 1920s | 2,600 people | 1,000 people | 3,000 people | 10 |
| 1930s | 2,600 people | 2,000 people | 4,000 people | 10 |
| 1940s | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 4 |
| 1950s | 3,400 people | 3,000 people | 5,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 5,600 people | 5,000 people | 6,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 5,800 people | 5,000 people | 6,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 58,500 people | 24,000 people | 80,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 16,000 people | 12,000 people | 28,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 14,200 people | 12,000 people | 16,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,000 people | 12,000 people | 12,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 12,000 people | 12,000 people | 12,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
- 115 Togo 13,000 people compare
- 116 Benin 12,000 people compare
- 116 Cyprus 12,000 people compare
- 119 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11,000 people compare
- 119 Kyrgyzstan 11,000 people compare
- 119 Malawi 11,000 people compare
- 119 Mozambique 11,000 people compare
More reference data data for Nicaragua
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4575 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.76 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0819 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.76 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.4557 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4457 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel in Nicaragua?
- Military personnel in Nicaragua was 12,000 people in 2022, according to Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 80,000 people in 1987.
- What is the lowest military personnel recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,000 people in 1920.
- How does Nicaragua rank for military personnel?
- Nicaragua ranks 116th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 117 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Troops under the command of the national government, intended for use against foreign adversaries, and held ready for combat as of January 1 of the given year.