Homicide rate in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Homicide rate was 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022. ▼ Falling
Homicide rate in Nicaragua, 2005–2022
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicide rate in Nicaragua is 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.2% on the previous year and down 51.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Nicaragua peaked at 10.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2005 and was at its lowest, 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2022.
That places Nicaragua 30th out of 111 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.
Homicide rate in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 10.5 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2006 | 6.86 deaths per 100,000 people | -34.7% |
| 2007 | 8.37 deaths per 100,000 people | +22.1% |
| 2008 | 9.9 deaths per 100,000 people | +18.2% |
| 2009 | 8.63 deaths per 100,000 people | -12.8% |
| 2010 | 6.06 deaths per 100,000 people | -29.8% |
| 2011 | 6.79 deaths per 100,000 people | +12.1% |
| 2012 | 7.02 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 6.27 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.7% |
| 2014 | 6.69 deaths per 100,000 people | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 3.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -40.9% |
| 2016 | 5.25 deaths per 100,000 people | +32.8% |
| 2017 | 4.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.7% |
| 2018 | 8.68 deaths per 100,000 people | +75.3% |
| 2019 | 4.66 deaths per 100,000 people | -46.3% |
| 2020 | 5.31 deaths per 100,000 people | +14.0% |
| 2021 | 4.34 deaths per 100,000 people | -18.3% |
| 2022 | 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people | -21.2% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.5018 deaths per 100,000 people, 6.8× the median. (6 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12.02 deaths per 100,000 people, 28% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.85 deaths per 100,000 people | 6.86 deaths per 100,000 people | 10.5 deaths per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 6.03 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.95 deaths per 100,000 people | 8.68 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.36 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people | 5.31 deaths per 100,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
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 Nicaragua?
- Homicide rate in Nicaragua was 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 10.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2005.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022.
- How does Nicaragua rank for homicide rate?
- Nicaragua ranks 30th out of 111 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual number of homicides per 100,000 people.