Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 was 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021. ▼ Falling
Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Nicaragua, 1990–2021
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides per 100,000 population.
Analysis
In 2021, homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Nicaragua stood at 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population.
That represents a change of up 42.9% on the previous year and down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Nicaragua peaked at 18.96 homicides per 100,000 population in 1992 and was at its lowest, 6.82 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2017.
That places Nicaragua 32nd out of 178 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 16.14 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1991 | 17.18 homicides per 100,000 population | +6.4% |
| 1992 | 18.96 homicides per 100,000 population | +10.3% |
| 1993 | 17.11 homicides per 100,000 population | -9.8% |
| 1994 | 15.94 homicides per 100,000 population | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 15.23 homicides per 100,000 population | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 14 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.1% |
| 1997 | 14.12 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 13.08 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.3% |
| 1999 | 11.32 homicides per 100,000 population | -13.5% |
| 2000 | 9.48 homicides per 100,000 population | -16.3% |
| 2001 | 10.55 homicides per 100,000 population | +11.4% |
| 2002 | 10.76 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 12.19 homicides per 100,000 population | +13.3% |
| 2004 | 12.25 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 13.65 homicides per 100,000 population | +11.4% |
| 2006 | 13.32 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 12.99 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 13.2 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 14.18 homicides per 100,000 population | +7.4% |
| 2010 | 13.68 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 12.68 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.3% |
| 2012 | 11.4 homicides per 100,000 population | -10.1% |
| 2013 | 9.93 homicides per 100,000 population | -13.0% |
| 2014 | 8.65 homicides per 100,000 population | -12.8% |
| 2015 | 8.52 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 7.27 homicides per 100,000 population | -14.7% |
| 2017 | 6.82 homicides per 100,000 population | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 10.66 homicides per 100,000 population | +56.2% |
| 2019 | 7.94 homicides per 100,000 population | -25.5% |
| 2021 | 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population | +42.9% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.2 homicides per 100,000 population, 2.7× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 16.92 homicides per 100,000 population, 67% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.31 homicides per 100,000 population | 11.32 homicides per 100,000 population | 18.96 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.26 homicides per 100,000 population | 9.48 homicides per 100,000 population | 14.18 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.76 homicides per 100,000 population | 6.82 homicides per 100,000 population | 13.68 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population | 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population | 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
- 29 Eswatini 12.51 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 30 Panama 11.71 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 31 Botswana 11.37 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 33 Uruguay 11.25 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 34 Namibia 11.21 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 35 Dominican Republic 10.92 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Nicaragua
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 311 (2023)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 35,341 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.005 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 35,341 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2023)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Nicaragua?
- Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in Nicaragua was 11.35 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 18.96 homicides per 100,000 population in 1992.
- What is the lowest homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.82 homicides per 100,000 population in 2017.
- How does Nicaragua rank for homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020?
- Nicaragua ranks 32nd out of 178 countries with data for 2021.
- Is homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.