Military expenditure (current LCU) in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 4.28 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
4.28 billion current LCU
Change on year
up 7.6%
World rank
124th
of 168 countries
All-time high
4.28 billion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
0.0142 current LCU
in 1968
Years of data
50
1968–2025
Military expenditure in Nicaragua, 1968–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, military expenditure in Nicaragua stood at 4.28 billion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.6% on the previous year and up 58.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Nicaragua peaked at 4.28 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0142 current LCU, in 1968.
That places Nicaragua 124th out of 168 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 0.0142 current LCU | — |
| 1969 | 0.0144 current LCU | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 0.0172 current LCU | +19.4% |
| 1971 | 0.0174 current LCU | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 0.0226 current LCU | +29.9% |
| 1973 | 0.0215 current LCU | -4.9% |
| 1974 | 0.0309 current LCU | +43.7% |
| 1975 | 0.0382 current LCU | +23.6% |
| 1976 | 0.052 current LCU | +36.1% |
| 1977 | 0.0726 current LCU | +39.6% |
| 1978 | 0.0918 current LCU | +26.4% |
| 1979 | 0.09 current LCU | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 0.139 current LCU | +54.4% |
| 1981 | 0.212 current LCU | +52.5% |
| 1990 | 161.00 million current LCU | +75943396126.4% |
| 1991 | 289.00 million current LCU | +79.5% |
| 1992 | 236.00 million current LCU | -18.3% |
| 1993 | 226.00 million current LCU | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 238.00 million current LCU | +5.3% |
| 1995 | 265.00 million current LCU | +11.3% |
| 1996 | 266.00 million current LCU | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 286.00 million current LCU | +7.5% |
| 1998 | 278.00 million current LCU | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 318.00 million current LCU | +14.4% |
| 2000 | 391.00 million current LCU | +23.0% |
| 2001 | 377.00 million current LCU | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 496.40 million current LCU | +31.7% |
| 2003 | 533.30 million current LCU | +7.4% |
| 2004 | 520.00 million current LCU | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 571.00 million current LCU | +9.8% |
| 2006 | 655.10 million current LCU | +14.7% |
| 2007 | 728.20 million current LCU | +11.2% |
| 2008 | 826.40 million current LCU | +13.5% |
| 2009 | 848.60 million current LCU | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 945.50 million current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2011 | 1.15 billion current LCU | +22.0% |
| 2012 | 1.65 billion current LCU | +43.1% |
| 2013 | 1.84 billion current LCU | +11.6% |
| 2014 | 2.11 billion current LCU | +14.7% |
| 2015 | 2.70 billion current LCU | +27.6% |
| 2016 | 2.43 billion current LCU | -9.8% |
| 2017 | 2.60 billion current LCU | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 2.58 billion current LCU | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 2.53 billion current LCU | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 2.73 billion current LCU | +8.0% |
| 2021 | 2.71 billion current LCU | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 3.02 billion current LCU | +11.4% |
| 2023 | 3.60 billion current LCU | +19.3% |
| 2024 | 3.98 billion current LCU | +10.4% |
| 2025 | 4.28 billion current LCU | +7.6% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 4.28 billion current LCU is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 121.21 billion current LCU, 4% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 4.28 billion current LCU is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 12.18 billion current LCU, 35% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +75943396126.4% | 0.212 current LCU | 161.00 million current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0143 current LCU | 0.0142 current LCU | 0.0144 current LCU | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.0454 current LCU | 0.0172 current LCU | 0.0918 current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1755 current LCU | 0.139 current LCU | 0.212 current LCU | 2 |
| 1990s | 256.30 million current LCU | 161.00 million current LCU | 318.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 594.70 million current LCU | 377.00 million current LCU | 848.60 million current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.05 billion current LCU | 945.50 million current LCU | 2.70 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.39 billion current LCU | 2.71 billion current LCU | 4.28 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More public sector data for Nicaragua
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2019)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 2.01 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2019)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2019)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -91.86 % change on previous year (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Nicaragua?
- Military expenditure in Nicaragua was 4.28 billion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 4.28 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0142 current LCU in 1968.
- How does Nicaragua rank for military expenditure?
- Nicaragua ranks 124th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)