Military spending per armed forces personnel in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 8,167 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Nicaragua, 1990–2020
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
Nicaragua recorded 8,167 constant 2024 US$ for military spending per armed forces personnel in 2020.
That represents a change of up 4.2% on the previous year and up 71.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Nicaragua peaked at 9,942 constant 2024 US$ in 2015 and was at its lowest, 2,579 constant 2024 US$, in 1998.
That places Nicaragua 131st out of 160 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4,316 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1991 | 5,008 constant 2024 US$ | +16.0% |
| 1992 | 4,473 constant 2024 US$ | -10.7% |
| 1993 | 3,774 constant 2024 US$ | -15.6% |
| 1994 | 4,106 constant 2024 US$ | +8.8% |
| 1995 | 4,801 constant 2024 US$ | +16.9% |
| 1996 | 3,046 constant 2024 US$ | -36.5% |
| 1997 | 3,000 constant 2024 US$ | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 2,579 constant 2024 US$ | -14.0% |
| 1999 | 2,819 constant 2024 US$ | +9.3% |
| 2000 | 3,237 constant 2024 US$ | +14.8% |
| 2001 | 2,945 constant 2024 US$ | -9.0% |
| 2002 | 4,271 constant 2024 US$ | +45.0% |
| 2003 | 4,358 constant 2024 US$ | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 3,917 constant 2024 US$ | -10.1% |
| 2005 | 3,925 constant 2024 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 4,126 constant 2024 US$ | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 4,127 constant 2024 US$ | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4,560 constant 2024 US$ | +10.5% |
| 2009 | 4,516 constant 2024 US$ | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 4,771 constant 2024 US$ | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 5,387 constant 2024 US$ | +12.9% |
| 2012 | 7,193 constant 2024 US$ | +33.5% |
| 2013 | 7,492 constant 2024 US$ | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 8,101 constant 2024 US$ | +8.1% |
| 2015 | 9,942 constant 2024 US$ | +22.7% |
| 2016 | 8,666 constant 2024 US$ | -12.8% |
| 2017 | 8,901 constant 2024 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 8,423 constant 2024 US$ | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 7,837 constant 2024 US$ | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 8,167 constant 2024 US$ | +4.2% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 8,167 constant 2024 US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 15,998 constant 2024 US$, 51% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 8,167 constant 2024 US$ is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 23,332 constant 2024 US$, 35% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3,792 constant 2024 US$ | 2,579 constant 2024 US$ | 5,008 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,998 constant 2024 US$ | 2,945 constant 2024 US$ | 4,560 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 7,671 constant 2024 US$ | 4,771 constant 2024 US$ | 9,942 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 8,167 constant 2024 US$ | 8,167 constant 2024 US$ | 8,167 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
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 spending per armed forces personnel in Nicaragua?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in Nicaragua was 8,167 constant 2024 US$ in 2020, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 9,942 constant 2024 US$ in 2015.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,579 constant 2024 US$ in 1998.
- How does Nicaragua rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- Nicaragua ranks 131st out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 71.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total military expenditure divided by armed forces personnel. This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.