Photo: Neil Palmer (CIAT) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Nicaragua: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
Nicaragua is placed joint 90th of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 74.95 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 11.24 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
joint90th
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
- 74.95Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 11.24Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- —Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024No reading for this country
- —Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Nicaragua on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
74.95
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
Nicaragua: 74.95. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Central America
- 80.8 Costa Rica
- Land neighbours
- Costa Rica 80.8 · Honduras 72.88
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
11.24
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
Nicaragua: 11.24. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Central America
- 10.05 El Salvador
- Land neighbours
- Costa Rica 10.41 · Honduras 14.96
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
No reading
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Nicaragua, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Central America
- 9 Costa Rica
- Land neighbours
- Costa Rica 9 · Honduras 18.71
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
FAO publishes no 2024 figure for Nicaragua, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
- Best in Central America
- 2.3 Costa Rica
- Land neighbours
- Costa Rica 2.3 · Honduras 14.3
02Over time
Which way Nicaragua is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
NicaraguaWorld median
Nicaragua rose from 66.36 in 2000 to 74.95 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year Nicaragua World median 2023 74.9 74.630 2022 74.5 74.313 2021 70.5 72.433 2020 70.8 73.063 2019 73.8 74.196 2018 73.9 74.081 2017 73.4 74.029 2016 73.2 74.013 2015 72.9 73.783 2014 72.8 73.330 2013 72.6 73.386 2012 72.4 73.210 2011 72.0 73.003 2010 71.8 72.827 2009 71.5 72.426 2008 71.4 72.264 2007 71.2 72.113 2006 71.0 72.027 2005 70.4 71.876 2004 69.5 71.477 2003 68.7 71.409 2002 68.0 71.173 2001 67.0 70.926 2000 66.4 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
NicaraguaWorld median
Nicaragua fell from 37.13 in 2000 to 11.24 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year Nicaragua World median 2024 11.24 14.5 2023 13.84 15.2 2022 14.28 14.7 2021 14.18 15.1 2020 14.15 15.3 2019 14.27 15.7 2018 14.63 16.3 2017 15.27 16.8 2016 16.14 17.5 2015 17.17 17.9 2014 18.27 18.3 2013 19.43 18.7 2012 20.64 18.8 2011 21.89 19.0 2010 23.17 19.2 2009 24.49 20.8 2008 25.77 20.7 2007 27.08 21.8 2006 28.38 22.8 2005 29.69 24.0 2004 31.05 25.9 2003 32.40 26.9 2002 33.77 28.0 2001 35.27 29.1 2000 37.13 30.4
03In context
Nicaragua beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
Nicaragua and the countries it borders
Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Costa Rica | 60th | 80.8 | 10.41 | 9 | 2.3 |
| Nicaragua | =90th | 74.95 | 11.24 | — | — |
 Honduras | 132nd | 72.88 | 14.96 | 18.71 | 14.3 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Central America
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below Nicaragua in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Nicaragua is ahead of the world, and behind
40 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median16
Statistics on which Nicaragua does better than the middle country measured.
Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with DiarrhoeaUNICEF · 2024 · world median 41.595.441.5No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 95.4 · world median 41.5 · Children under 5 with diarrhoea given oral rehydration salts (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 9.9 to 95.4; higher is better.
Position 1st of 127 · derived.
Agreement That Vaccines Are SafeWellcome Trust · 2018 · world median 77.6592.8877.65No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 92.88 · world median 77.65 · People aged 15+ who agree that vaccines are safe (% of those who had heard of vaccines). Wellcome Trust, 2018 edition, data for 2018.
Published values in that edition run from 29.29 to 97.91; higher is better.
Position 9th of 144 · derived.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2588.371.25No real change since 2013
Nicaragua: 88.3 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 13th of 196 · derived.
Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum)MAP · 2025 · world median 52.470.13752.47No real change since 2015
Nicaragua: 0.137 · world median 52.47 · New P. falciparum malaria cases per 1,000 people per year. Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 334.75; lower is better.
Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum)MAP · 2024 · world median 8.1060.0998.106▼ Worsened since 2014
Nicaragua: 0.099 · world median 8.106 · Deaths from P. falciparum malaria per 100,000 people per year. Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 133.27; lower is better.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 919691▼ Worsened since 2015
Nicaragua: 96 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 909490▼ Worsened since 2015
Nicaragua: 94 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four VisitsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 8187.681No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 87.6 · world median 81 · Women with a live birth who had 4+ antenatal visits (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 22.6 to 100; higher is better.
Position 57th of 153 · derived.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1345.318.134▲ Improved since 2014
Nicaragua: 5.31 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 124th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.269.43712.26▲ Improved since 2014
Nicaragua: 9.437 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 118th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3916.7516.39No real change since 2013
Nicaragua: 16.75 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 101st of 222 · derived.
Early Initiation of BreastfeedingUNICEF · 2024 · world median 52.9554.452.95No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 54.4 · world median 52.95 · Newborns put to the breast within one hour of birth (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.749 to 93.1; higher is better.
Position 63rd of 136 · derived.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.7128.29133.7▲ Improved since 2013
Nicaragua: 128.29 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 117th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.2110.110.21▲ Improved since 2010
Nicaragua: 10.1 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.
Position 83rd of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.
Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 PandemicAriel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset) · 2026 · world median 272.35264.4272.35No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 264.4 · world median 272.35 · Excess deaths per 100,000 people, March 2020 to the end of each country's data (at most December 2023). Ariel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from -264.9 to 1,013; lower is better.
HPV Vaccination Coverage, GirlsWUENIC · 2025 · world median 65.56665.5▼ Worsened since 2024
Nicaragua: 66 · world median 65.5 · Girls in the target group given the final dose of HPV vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 99; higher is better.
Behind the world median16
Statistics on which Nicaragua does worse than the middle country measured.
Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of PneumoniaUNICEF · 2024 · world median 67.767.467.7No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 67.4 · world median 67.7 · Children under 5 with pneumonia symptoms taken to a health provider (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 14 to 99.1; higher is better.
Position 65th of 127 · derived.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8583.0422.858▲ Improved since 2014
Nicaragua: 3.042 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 95th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.6560.3546.65▲ Improved since 2013
Nicaragua: 60.35 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 87th of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Malaria Incidence (P. vivax)MAP · 2025 · world median 1.3821.5641.382▼ Worsened since 2015
Nicaragua: 1.564 · world median 1.382 · New P. vivax malaria cases per 1,000 people per year. Malaria Atlas Project (MAP), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.001 to 184.62; lower is better.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.4516.814.45▼ Worsened since 2013
Nicaragua: 16.8 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 91st of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.4080.351▼ Worsened since 2013
Nicaragua: 0.408 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 103rd of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.5080.564▼ Worsened since 2017
Nicaragua: 0.508 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 105th of 172 · derived.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.4810.153.48▲ Improved since 2015
Nicaragua: 10.15 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1639.498.163No real change since 2013
Nicaragua: 9.49 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 77th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.7060.762No real change since 2013
Nicaragua: 0.706 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 123rd of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 40.7431.740.74No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 31.7 · world median 40.74 · Infants under 6 months exclusively breastfed (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 3.497 to 83.3; higher is better.
Position 95th of 136 · derived.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 415141▼ Worsened since 2012
Nicaragua: 51 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.8359.4484.83▲ Improved since 2013
Nicaragua: 59.44 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.97196.9No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 71 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.6937.16102.69▲ Improved since 2013
Nicaragua: 37.16 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.4693.4527.46▼ Worsened since 2013
Nicaragua: 93.45 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 22nd of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end8
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.8824.736.88No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 24.73 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry OnWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 20.0535.3220.05No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 35.32 · world median 20.05 · People aged 15+ who have ever been too anxious or depressed to continue their usual activities for two weeks or more (%). Wellcome Trust, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.934 to 49.35.
Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.456.835.4Moved since 2013
Nicaragua: 56.8 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.
Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.2558.941.25Moved since 2013
Nicaragua: 58.9 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.
Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.6529.720.65No earlier reading
Nicaragua: 29.7 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8336.2657.83Moved since 2013
Nicaragua: 36.26 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8935.9238.89Moved since 2015
Nicaragua: 35.92 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 125th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.177.3416.17Moved since 2013
Nicaragua: 7.34 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
No current reading for Nicaragua
Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff (last 2022), Children with Functional Difficulties, Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric Consumption (last 2022), Cost of a Healthy Diet (last 2023), Dietary Energy Supply (last 2022), Fatal Occupational Injuries (last 2010), Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (last 2024), Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index (last 2023), Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Overweight Prevalence in Children Under Five, Pesticide Use per Hectare (last 2022), Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Undernourishment (last 2022), Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet (last 2023), Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Violent Discipline of Children and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among Nicaragua’s 15 topics
Health & Wellbeing is Nicaragua’s 4th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 15th of 1862/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 78th of 1824/4 keys
- Energy73rd of 1653/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 90th of 2002/4 keys
- Gender & Equality87th of 1834/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 116th of 1934/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation119th of 1764/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital135th of 1963/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge146th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 132nd of 1774/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 150th of 1983/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade147th of 1774/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 138th of 1592/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions181st of 1944/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties193rd of 1984/4 keys
No standing on Food & Agriculture: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Nicaragua can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Americas
United States=30th4/4 keysHighest in Central America
Costa Rica60th4/4 keysThis page
Nicaragua=90th2/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Nicaragua and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
Nicaragua on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Nicaragua rank on health & wellbeing?
Nicaragua is placed joint 90th of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth and Under-Five Mortality Rate). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Nicaragua?
74.95 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Nicaragua?
11.24 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How does Nicaragua compare with Honduras on health & wellbeing?
Honduras is placed 132nd of 200, and Nicaragua joint 90th. Life Expectancy at Birth: Honduras 72.88, Nicaragua 74.95; Under-Five Mortality Rate: Honduras 14.96, Nicaragua 11.24.
How have Nicaragua’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 66.36 in 2000 to 74.95 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 37.13 in 2000 to 11.24 in 2024.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Nicaragua?
No current reading is published for Nicaragua on Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff, Children with Functional Difficulties, Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric Consumption, Cost of a Healthy Diet, Dietary Energy Supply, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Overweight Prevalence in Children Under Five, Pesticide Use per Hectare, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Undernourishment, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Violent Discipline of Children and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 40 statistics on this page come from 15 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Nicaragua’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Nicaragua (banner) — Neil Palmer (CIAT), CC BY-SA 2.0
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Nicaragua: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/nicaragua/health