Statizoid

Participatory Democracy Index in Nicaragua

Nicaragua: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.098 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.098
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
145th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.445
in 1991
All-time low
0.007
in 1856
Years of data
187
1839–2025

Participatory Democracy Index in Nicaragua, 1839–2025

00.10.20.30.4183919322025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, participatory democracy index in Nicaragua stood at 0.098.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 47.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Nicaragua peaked at 0.445 in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.007, in 1856.

That places Nicaragua 145th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Participatory Democracy Index in Nicaragua, year by year

Year Value Change
1839 0.008 —
1840 0.01 +25.0%
1841 0.01 +0.0%
1842 0.01 +0.0%
1843 0.01 +0.0%
1844 0.01 +0.0%
1845 0.01 +0.0%
1846 0.01 +0.0%
1847 0.01 +0.0%
1848 0.009 -10.0%
1849 0.01 +11.1%
1850 0.01 +0.0%
1851 0.01 +0.0%
1852 0.01 +0.0%
1853 0.009 -10.0%
1854 0.009 +0.0%
1855 0.009 +0.0%
1856 0.007 -22.2%
1857 0.008 +14.3%
1858 0.013 +62.5%
1859 0.017 +30.8%
1860 0.024 +41.2%
1861 0.024 +0.0%
1862 0.024 +0.0%
1863 0.024 +0.0%
1864 0.024 +0.0%
1865 0.024 +0.0%
1866 0.024 +0.0%
1867 0.024 +0.0%
1868 0.024 +0.0%
1869 0.024 +0.0%
1870 0.024 +0.0%
1871 0.024 +0.0%
1872 0.024 +0.0%
1873 0.024 +0.0%
1874 0.024 +0.0%
1875 0.024 +0.0%
1876 0.024 +0.0%
1877 0.024 +0.0%
1878 0.024 +0.0%
1879 0.022 -8.3%
1880 0.022 +0.0%
1881 0.022 +0.0%
1882 0.022 +0.0%
1883 0.024 +9.1%
1884 0.024 +0.0%
1885 0.024 +0.0%
1886 0.028 +16.7%
1887 0.028 +0.0%
1888 0.039 +39.3%
1889 0.037 -5.1%
1890 0.034 -8.1%
1891 0.036 +5.9%
1892 0.029 -19.4%
1893 0.046 +58.6%
1894 0.045 -2.2%
1895 0.055 +22.2%
1896 0.043 -21.8%
1897 0.043 +0.0%
1898 0.043 +0.0%
1899 0.043 +0.0%
1900 0.026 -39.5%
1901 0.026 +0.0%
1902 0.036 +38.5%
1903 0.036 +0.0%
1904 0.036 +0.0%
1905 0.036 +0.0%
1906 0.036 +0.0%
1907 0.035 -2.8%
1908 0.035 +0.0%
1909 0.035 +0.0%
1910 0.028 -20.0%
1911 0.028 +0.0%
1912 0.029 +3.6%
1913 0.033 +13.8%
1914 0.033 +0.0%
1915 0.037 +12.1%
1916 0.037 +0.0%
1917 0.037 +0.0%
1918 0.037 +0.0%
1919 0.037 +0.0%
1920 0.04 +8.1%
1921 0.04 +0.0%
1922 0.04 +0.0%
1923 0.04 +0.0%
1924 0.041 +2.5%
1925 0.041 +0.0%
1926 0.033 -19.5%
1927 0.032 -3.0%
1928 0.031 -3.1%
1929 0.032 +3.2%
1930 0.032 +0.0%
1931 0.032 +0.0%
1932 0.032 +0.0%
1933 0.028 -12.5%
1934 0.034 +21.4%
1935 0.033 -2.9%
1936 0.029 -12.1%
1937 0.028 -3.4%
1938 0.028 +0.0%
1939 0.028 +0.0%
1940 0.028 +0.0%
1941 0.028 +0.0%
1942 0.028 +0.0%
1943 0.028 +0.0%
1944 0.028 +0.0%
1945 0.028 +0.0%
1946 0.028 +0.0%
1947 0.027 -3.6%
1948 0.028 +3.7%
1949 0.028 +0.0%
1950 0.028 +0.0%
1951 0.028 +0.0%
1952 0.028 +0.0%
1953 0.028 +0.0%
1954 0.028 +0.0%
1955 0.028 +0.0%
1956 0.034 +21.4%
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 0.034 +0.0%
1971 0.034 +0.0%
1972 0.032 -5.9%
1973 0.036 +12.5%
1974 0.036 +0.0%
1975 0.037 +2.8%
1976 0.037 +0.0%
1977 0.036 -2.7%
1978 0.036 +0.0%
1979 0.045 +25.0%
1980 0.095 +111.1%
1981 0.096 +1.1%
1982 0.077 -19.8%
1983 0.075 -2.6%
1984 0.094 +25.3%
1985 0.124 +31.9%
1986 0.125 +0.8%
1987 0.125 +0.0%
1988 0.135 +8.0%
1989 0.159 +17.8%
1990 0.39 +145.3%
1991 0.445 +14.1%
1992 0.435 -2.2%
1993 0.428 -1.6%
1994 0.427 -0.2%
1995 0.427 +0.0%
1996 0.418 -2.1%
1997 0.388 -7.2%
1998 0.388 +0.0%
1999 0.347 -10.6%
2000 0.352 +1.4%
2001 0.353 +0.3%
2002 0.361 +2.3%
2003 0.358 -0.8%
2004 0.358 +0.0%
2005 0.358 +0.0%
2006 0.333 -7.0%
2007 0.269 -19.2%
2008 0.263 -2.2%
2009 0.261 -0.8%
2010 0.259 -0.8%
2011 0.253 -2.3%
2012 0.229 -9.5%
2013 0.19 -17.0%
2014 0.186 -2.1%
2015 0.186 +0.0%
2016 0.173 -7.0%
2017 0.162 -6.4%
2018 0.129 -20.4%
2019 0.125 -3.1%
2020 0.12 -4.0%
2021 0.115 -4.2%
2022 0.102 -11.3%
2023 0.102 +0.0%
2024 0.098 -3.9%
2025 0.098 +0.0%

Nicaragua compared with similar countries

  • Nicaragua's 0.098 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2215, 44% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • Nicaragua's 0.098 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.429, 23% of the median. (25 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1830s 0.008 0.008 0.008 1
1840s 0.0099 0.009 0.01 10
1850s 0.0102 0.007 0.017 10
1860s 0.024 0.024 0.024 10
1870s 0.0238 0.022 0.024 10
1880s 0.027 0.022 0.039 10
1890s 0.0417 0.029 0.055 10
1900s 0.0337 0.026 0.036 10
1910s 0.0336 0.028 0.037 10
1920s 0.037 0.031 0.041 10
1930s 0.0304 0.028 0.034 10
1940s 0.0279 0.027 0.028 10
1950s 0.0303 0.028 0.034 10
1960s 0.034 0.034 0.034 10
1970s 0.0363 0.032 0.045 10
1980s 0.1105 0.075 0.159 10
1990s 0.4093 0.347 0.445 10
2000s 0.3266 0.261 0.361 10
2010s 0.1892 0.125 0.259 10
2020s 0.1058 0.098 0.12 6

Countries ranked near Nicaragua

  1. 142 Burkina Faso 0.104 compare
  2. 143 Angola 0.103 compare
  3. 144 Bangladesh 0.099 compare
  4. 146 Algeria 0.095 compare
  5. 146 Somalia 0.095 compare
  6. 148 Cameroon 0.093 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Nicaragua

All data for Nicaragua →

Frequently asked questions

What is participatory democracy index in Nicaragua?
Participatory democracy index in Nicaragua was 0.098 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Nicaragua?
The highest recorded value was 0.445 in 1991.
What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Nicaragua?
The lowest recorded value was 0.007 in 1856.
How does Nicaragua rank for participatory democracy index?
Nicaragua ranks 145th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Nicaragua?
Over the last ten years it is down 47.3%. 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 Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Participatory Democracy Index in Nicaragua. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/participatory-democracy-index/nicaragua/

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About this data

Indicator
Participatory Democracy Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 29,363 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.