Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 35,341 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Nicaragua, 1978–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Nicaragua is 35,341, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.7% on the previous year and up 2,305.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Nicaragua peaked at 144,800 in 1978 and was at its lowest, 960, in 1980.
Nicaragua ranks 38th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 144,800 | — |
| 1979 | 16,600 | -88.5% |
| 1980 | 960 | -94.2% |
| 1981 | 2,500 | +160.4% |
| 1982 | 18,970 | +658.8% |
| 1983 | 23,520 | +24.0% |
| 1984 | 35,020 | +48.9% |
| 1985 | 52,650 | +50.3% |
| 1986 | 67,550 | +28.3% |
| 1987 | 68,540 | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 86,563 | +26.3% |
| 1989 | 97,698 | +12.9% |
| 1990 | 52,617 | -46.1% |
| 1991 | 46,789 | -11.1% |
| 1992 | 44,275 | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 33,056 | -25.3% |
| 1994 | 28,596 | -13.5% |
| 1995 | 23,936 | -16.3% |
| 1996 | 22,818 | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 22,495 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 21,390 | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 20,572 | -3.8% |
| 2000 | 5,070 | -75.4% |
| 2001 | 4,397 | -13.3% |
| 2002 | 4,049 | -7.9% |
| 2003 | 3,984 | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 1,822 | -54.3% |
| 2005 | 1,463 | -19.7% |
| 2006 | 1,827 | +24.9% |
| 2007 | 1,899 | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 1,533 | -19.3% |
| 2009 | 1,473 | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 1,426 | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 1,464 | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 1,526 | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 1,530 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 1,580 | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 1,469 | -7.0% |
| 2016 | 1,409 | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 1,467 | +4.1% |
| 2018 | 1,671 | +13.9% |
| 2019 | 4,376 | +161.9% |
| 2020 | 8,701 | +98.8% |
| 2021 | 11,041 | +26.9% |
| 2022 | 16,087 | +45.7% |
| 2023 | 25,483 | +58.4% |
| 2024 | 30,020 | +17.8% |
| 2025 | 35,341 | +17.7% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 35,341 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,568, 3.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 35,341 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 559, 63.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +658.8% | 2,500 | 18,970 |
| 2019 | +161.9% | 1,671 | 4,376 |
| 1981 | +160.4% | 960 | 2,500 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 80,700 | 16,600 | 144,800 | 2 |
| 1980s | 45,397 | 960 | 97,698 | 10 |
| 1990s | 31,654 | 20,572 | 52,617 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,752 | 1,463 | 5,070 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,792 | 1,409 | 4,376 | 10 |
| 2020s | 21,112 | 8,701 | 35,341 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
- 35 Mauritania 43,906 compare
- 36 India 42,610 compare
- 37 Mexico 41,307 compare
- 39 Guatemala 34,994 compare
- 40 Côte d'Ivoire 32,506 compare
- 41 Bangladesh 31,862 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 0 units per person (2023)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -0.3205 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Nicaragua?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Nicaragua was 35,341 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 144,800 in 1978.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 960 in 1980.
- How does Nicaragua rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Nicaragua ranks 38th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2,305.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin with 148 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin with 148 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.