Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua

Nicaragua: Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted was 17.3% in 2012. ▼ Falling

Latest (2012)
17.3%
World rank
57th
of 97 countries
All-time high
30.5%
in 1998
All-time low
17.3%
in 2012
Years of data
7
1993–2012

Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua, 1993–2012

01020301993200220121993: 29.6 %1998: 30.5 %2001: 25.1 %2004: 18.8 %2005: 21.5 %2007: 23.1 %2012: 17.3 %

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2012, malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua stood at 17.3%. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

That represents a change of down 31.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua peaked at 30.5% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 17.3%, in 2012.

That places Nicaragua 57th out of 97 countries with data for 2012, putting it in the middle of the range.

Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua, year by year

Annual values for Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua, 1993 to 2012.
Year % Change
1993 29.6%
1998 30.5% +3.0%
2001 25.1% -17.7%
2004 18.8% -25.1%
2005 21.5% +14.4%
2007 23.1% +7.4%
2012 17.3% -25.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 30.1% 29.6% 30.5% 2
2000s 22.1% 18.8% 25.1% 4
2010s 17.3% 17.3% 17.3% 1

Countries ranked near Nicaragua

  1. 55 Ecuador 17.4% compare
  2. 55 Ghana 17.4% compare
  3. 58 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 16.1% compare
  4. 59 Maldives 15.3% compare
  5. 60 Morocco 14.2% compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More reference data data for Nicaragua

All data for Nicaragua →

Frequently asked questions

What is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua?
Malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua was 17.3% in 2012, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in Nicaragua?
The highest recorded value was 30.5% in 1998.
What is the lowest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in Nicaragua?
The lowest recorded value was 17.3% in 2012.
How does Nicaragua rank for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted?
Nicaragua ranks 57th out of 97 countries with data for 2012.
Is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted rising or falling in Nicaragua?
Over the last ten years it is down 31.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Nicaragua. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-children-younger-than-5-who-suffer-from-stunting/nicaragua/

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About this data

Indicator
Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
97 places, 955 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed

Share of children younger than five years old who are defined as stunted. Stunting is when a child is significantly shorter than the average for their age. It is a consequence of poor nutrition or repeated infection.