Key features of liberal democracy in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Key features of liberal democracy was 0.019 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.019
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
172nd
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.485
in 1995
All-time low
0.019
in 2025
Years of data
187
1839–2025
Key features of liberal democracy in Nicaragua, 1839–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key features of liberal democracy in Nicaragua is 0.019, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 187 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 84.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of liberal democracy in Nicaragua peaked at 0.485 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.019, in 2025.
Nicaragua ranks 172nd of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key features of liberal democracy in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1839 | 0.029 | — |
| 1840 | 0.031 | +6.9% |
| 1841 | 0.032 | +3.2% |
| 1842 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.028 | -12.5% |
| 1846 | 0.032 | +14.3% |
| 1847 | 0.031 | -3.1% |
| 1848 | 0.03 | -3.2% |
| 1849 | 0.031 | +3.3% |
| 1850 | 0.029 | -6.5% |
| 1851 | 0.028 | -3.4% |
| 1852 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.027 | -3.6% |
| 1854 | 0.026 | -3.7% |
| 1855 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.024 | -7.7% |
| 1857 | 0.025 | +4.2% |
| 1858 | 0.047 | +88.0% |
| 1859 | 0.051 | +8.5% |
| 1860 | 0.062 | +21.6% |
| 1861 | 0.062 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.07 | +12.9% |
| 1863 | 0.062 | -11.4% |
| 1864 | 0.07 | +12.9% |
| 1865 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.065 | -7.1% |
| 1867 | 0.069 | +6.2% |
| 1868 | 0.069 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.065 | -5.8% |
| 1870 | 0.07 | +7.7% |
| 1871 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.065 | -7.1% |
| 1876 | 0.07 | +7.7% |
| 1877 | 0.072 | +2.9% |
| 1878 | 0.072 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.069 | -4.2% |
| 1880 | 0.068 | -1.4% |
| 1881 | 0.06 | -11.8% |
| 1882 | 0.068 | +13.3% |
| 1883 | 0.071 | +4.4% |
| 1884 | 0.071 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.071 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.076 | +7.0% |
| 1887 | 0.077 | +1.3% |
| 1888 | 0.081 | +5.2% |
| 1889 | 0.08 | -1.2% |
| 1890 | 0.059 | -26.3% |
| 1891 | 0.067 | +13.6% |
| 1892 | 0.059 | -11.9% |
| 1893 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.058 | -1.7% |
| 1895 | 0.069 | +19.0% |
| 1896 | 0.05 | -27.5% |
| 1897 | 0.056 | +12.0% |
| 1898 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.057 | +1.8% |
| 1901 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.055 | -3.5% |
| 1903 | 0.054 | -1.8% |
| 1904 | 0.055 | +1.9% |
| 1905 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.054 | -1.8% |
| 1910 | 0.05 | -7.4% |
| 1911 | 0.051 | +2.0% |
| 1912 | 0.047 | -7.8% |
| 1913 | 0.053 | +12.8% |
| 1914 | 0.054 | +1.9% |
| 1915 | 0.059 | +9.3% |
| 1916 | 0.06 | +1.7% |
| 1917 | 0.059 | -1.7% |
| 1918 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.06 | +1.7% |
| 1926 | 0.051 | -15.0% |
| 1927 | 0.049 | -3.9% |
| 1928 | 0.053 | +8.2% |
| 1929 | 0.054 | +1.9% |
| 1930 | 0.054 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.054 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.054 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.038 | -29.6% |
| 1934 | 0.042 | +10.5% |
| 1935 | 0.042 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.038 | -9.5% |
| 1937 | 0.032 | -15.8% |
| 1938 | 0.034 | +6.3% |
| 1939 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.031 | -8.8% |
| 1948 | 0.032 | +3.2% |
| 1949 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.029 | -9.4% |
| 1951 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.034 | +17.2% |
| 1957 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.033 | -2.9% |
| 1960 | 0.034 | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.036 | +5.9% |
| 1971 | 0.034 | -5.6% |
| 1972 | 0.031 | -8.8% |
| 1973 | 0.034 | +9.7% |
| 1974 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.024 | -29.4% |
| 1980 | 0.082 | +241.7% |
| 1981 | 0.083 | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 0.069 | -16.9% |
| 1983 | 0.07 | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 0.09 | +28.6% |
| 1985 | 0.167 | +85.6% |
| 1986 | 0.159 | -4.8% |
| 1987 | 0.157 | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 0.17 | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 0.178 | +4.7% |
| 1990 | 0.414 | +132.6% |
| 1991 | 0.471 | +13.8% |
| 1992 | 0.478 | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 0.482 | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 0.484 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 0.485 | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 0.45 | -7.2% |
| 1997 | 0.409 | -9.1% |
| 1998 | 0.409 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.383 | -6.4% |
| 2000 | 0.378 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 0.373 | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 0.377 | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 0.371 | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 0.372 | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 0.372 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.322 | -13.4% |
| 2007 | 0.216 | -32.9% |
| 2008 | 0.203 | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 0.197 | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 0.192 | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 0.188 | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 0.156 | -17.0% |
| 2013 | 0.125 | -19.9% |
| 2014 | 0.126 | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 0.124 | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 0.12 | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 0.103 | -14.2% |
| 2018 | 0.051 | -50.5% |
| 2019 | 0.046 | -9.8% |
| 2020 | 0.045 | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 0.034 | -24.4% |
| 2022 | 0.027 | -20.6% |
| 2023 | 0.021 | -22.2% |
| 2024 | 0.02 | -4.8% |
| 2025 | 0.019 | -5.0% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 0.019 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.203, 9% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 0.019 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.506, 4% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Key features of liberal democracy in Nicaragua changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +241.7% | 0.024 | 0.082 |
| 1990 | +132.6% | 0.178 | 0.414 |
| 1858 | +88.0% | 0.025 | 0.047 |
| 1985 | +85.6% | 0.09 | 0.167 |
| 2018 | -50.5% | 0.103 | 0.051 |
| 2007 | -32.9% | 0.322 | 0.216 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 0.029 | 0.029 | 0.029 | 1 |
| 1840s | 0.0311 | 0.028 | 0.032 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.0311 | 0.024 | 0.051 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.0664 | 0.062 | 0.07 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.0698 | 0.065 | 0.072 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.0723 | 0.06 | 0.081 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.0589 | 0.05 | 0.069 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.0552 | 0.054 | 0.057 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.0551 | 0.047 | 0.06 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0562 | 0.049 | 0.06 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0422 | 0.032 | 0.054 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0333 | 0.031 | 0.034 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0309 | 0.029 | 0.034 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.034 | 0.034 | 0.034 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0329 | 0.024 | 0.036 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1225 | 0.069 | 0.178 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4465 | 0.383 | 0.485 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3181 | 0.197 | 0.378 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1231 | 0.046 | 0.192 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0277 | 0.019 | 0.045 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
- 169 Sudan 0.034 compare
- 169 Turkmenistan 0.034 compare
- 171 Vatican 0.027 compare
- 173 Afghanistan 0.018 compare
- 174 Myanmar 0.015 compare
- 175 North Korea 0.014 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 key features of liberal democracy in Nicaragua?
- Key features of liberal democracy in Nicaragua was 0.019 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 0.485 in 1995.
- What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.019 in 2025.
- How does Nicaragua rank for key features of liberal democracy?
- Nicaragua ranks 172nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 84.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key features of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 187 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.