Nicaragua
Nicaragua is a lower-middle-income economy in Latin America & Caribbean, with its capital at Managua. 88.7% of its people had electricity in 2024.
- Electricity access
- 88.7%
- 2024, world 91.9%
- Renewable electricity
- 69.5%
- 2021, world 27.8%
- CO₂ per person
- 0.83 t
- 2024, world 4.69 t
- Consumption per person
- 647 kWh
- 2024, world 3,708 kWh
- Clean cooking
- 63.0%
- 2024, world 75.4%
- GDP per person
- 3,173
- 2025, world 14,406
Electricity generation mix
- Oil
- Coal
- Gas
- Hydro
- Nuclear
- Solar, wind & other
Nicaragua2024
Latin America & Caribbean2024
World2024
View data table
| Economy | Oil | Coal | Gas | Hydro | Nuclear | Solar, wind & other | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicaragua | 36.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 15.3% | 0.0% | 55.3% | 2024 |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 5.3% | 4.4% | 24.8% | 41.9% | 2.2% | 15.1% | 2024 |
| World | 2.3% | 34.5% | 21.9% | 14.6% | 9.8% | 12.4% | 2024 |
Share of electricity production by source, latest year available. Shares may not sum to exactly 100% because of rounding and minor sources.
Access to electricity
% of population, compared with Latin America & Caribbean and the world.
- Nicaragua
- World
- Latin America & Caribbean
0%
50%
100%
Latin America & CaribbeanWorldNicaragua View data table
| Year | Nicaragua | World | Latin America & Caribbean |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 88.7% | 91.9% | 98.0% |
| 2023 | 88.3% | 91.6% | 98.4% |
| 2022 | 86.5% | 91.3% | 98.6% |
| 2021 | 86.3% | 91.3% | 98.3% |
| 2020 | 86.0% | 90.4% | 98.1% |
| 2019 | 85.7% | 90.1% | 98.0% |
| 2018 | 85.2% | 89.8% | 97.8% |
| 2017 | 84.6% | 88.9% | 97.7% |
| 2016 | 83.9% | 88.1% | 97.5% |
| 2015 | 83.2% | 86.9% | 97.3% |
| 2014 | 81.9% | 86.2% | 97.1% |
| 2013 | 81.9% | 85.7% | 96.9% |
| 2012 | 81.3% | 84.9% | 96.6% |
| 2011 | 81.2% | 84.5% | 96.2% |
| 2010 | 80.1% | 83.5% | 95.9% |
| 2009 | 77.9% | 82.9% | 95.4% |
| 2008 | 77.5% | 82.7% | 95.2% |
| 2007 | 76.9% | 82.0% | 94.5% |
| 2006 | 76.3% | 81.4% | 94.3% |
| 2005 | 73.8% | 80.7% | 93.5% |
| 2004 | 75.2% | 80.0% | 93.2% |
| 2003 | 74.6% | 80.0% | 92.7% |
| 2002 | 74.1% | 79.1% | 92.7% |
| 2001 | 72.2% | 78.7% | 92.3% |
| 2000 | 73.0% | 78.2% | 91.7% |
| 1999 | 72.2% | 74.5% | 91.3% |
| 1998 | 69.0% | 73.2% | 90.6% |
| 1997 | 71.0% | – | 90.0% |
| 1996 | 70.4% | – | 89.6% |
| 1995 | 69.8% | – | 88.6% |
Energy production and use
| Measure | Latest | Year | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil consumption | 36 thousand b/d | 2024 | 123 of 216 |
| Electricity generation | 4.5 TWh | 2024 | 133 of 211 |
| Renewable generation | 2.8 TWh | 2024 | 105 of 206 |
| Primary energy consumption | 0.09 quad Btu | 2024 | 138 of 215 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Statistics.
Power generation, 2024
Nicaragua generated 4.5 TWh of electricity in 2024, 62% of it from low-carbon sources, at 300 grams of CO₂ per kWh.
Source: Ember, yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0).
Nicaragua in world rankings
- Oil consumption#121 of 203
- Electricity generation#131 of 202
- Renewable generation#104 of 200
- Primary energy consumption#135 of 203
- Clean electricity share#64 of 190
- Grid carbon intensity#66 of 190
- Solar share of electricity#138 of 169
- Wind share of electricity#26 of 103
- Hydro share of electricity#88 of 140
Emissions
CO₂ per person, tonnes, excluding land use.
- Nicaragua
- World
- Latin America & Caribbean
0 t
2 t
4 t
6 t
WorldLatin America & CaribbeanNicaragua View data table
| Year | Nicaragua | World | Latin America & Caribbean |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0.83 t | 4.69 t | 2.68 t |
| 2023 | 0.81 t | 4.68 t | 2.66 t |
| 2022 | 0.78 t | 4.67 t | 2.64 t |
| 2021 | 0.78 t | 4.68 t | 2.64 t |
| 2020 | 0.72 t | 4.47 t | 2.45 t |
| 2019 | 0.82 t | 4.70 t | 2.76 t |
| 2018 | 0.81 t | 4.73 t | 2.78 t |
| 2017 | 0.90 t | 4.67 t | 2.88 t |
| 2016 | 0.92 t | 4.65 t | 2.92 t |
| 2015 | 0.89 t | 4.70 t | 3.01 t |
| 2014 | 0.81 t | 4.78 t | 3.06 t |
| 2013 | 0.78 t | 4.81 t | 3.08 t |
| 2012 | 0.82 t | 4.77 t | 3.05 t |
| 2011 | 0.84 t | 4.76 t | 2.94 t |
| 2010 | 0.81 t | 4.67 t | 2.88 t |
| 2009 | 0.80 t | 4.45 t | 2.71 t |
| 2008 | 0.83 t | 4.56 t | 2.83 t |
| 2007 | 0.88 t | 4.59 t | 2.79 t |
| 2006 | 0.86 t | 4.48 t | 2.73 t |
| 2005 | 0.83 t | 4.39 t | 2.70 t |
| 2004 | 0.88 t | 4.28 t | 2.64 t |
| 2003 | 0.87 t | 4.15 t | 2.56 t |
| 2002 | 0.80 t | 4.02 t | 2.53 t |
| 2001 | 0.78 t | 4.01 t | 2.56 t |
| 2000 | 0.75 t | 4.01 t | 2.60 t |
| 1999 | 0.73 t | 3.95 t | 2.56 t |
| 1998 | 0.74 t | 3.98 t | 2.61 t |
| 1997 | 0.64 t | 4.02 t | 2.55 t |
| 1996 | 0.61 t | 4.01 t | 2.46 t |
| 1995 | 0.59 t | 3.99 t | 2.34 t |
Currency
36.78 NIO
per US dollar, mid-market reference. 1 NIO = ₦36.20
Sunshine in Managua
6.0 kWh/m² today
- We6.0 kWh per square metre
- Th6.0 kWh per square metre
- Fr5.8 kWh per square metre
- Sa6.2 kWh per square metre
- Su5.9 kWh per square metre
- Mo5.7 kWh per square metre
- Tu4.9 kWh per square metre
Open-Meteo forecast, modelled irradiation.
Power plants
Installed capacity by fuel
16 plants, 863 MW recorded in WRI’s Global Power Plant Database.
- Oil407 MW
- Geothermal159 MW
- Waste116 MW
- Hydro104 MW
- Gas65 MW
- Solar13 MW
Snapshot as of the database’s 2021 release; newer plants are not included. Nameplate capacity, not available generation.
Largest plants
| Plant | Fuel | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jacinto-Tizate Geothermal Power Plant Nicaragua | Geothermal | 82 | – |
| Momotombo Geothermal Power Plant Nicaragua | Geothermal | 77 | – |
| Corinto Barge IC Power Plant Nicaragua | Oil | 71 | – |
| ENEL Las Brisas Thermal Power Plant Nicaragua | Gas | 65 | – |
| CENSA Amfels IC Poqwer Plant Nicaragua | Oil | 64 | – |
| ALBANISA Che Guevara II IV V (Masaya) IC Power Plant Nicaragua | Oil | 61 | – |
| Nicaragua Sugar Estates Cogen Power Plant Nicaragua | Waste | 59 | – |
| ENEL Managua Thermal Power Plant Nicaragua | Oil | 57 | – |
| Monte Rosa Cogen Power Plant Nicaragua | Waste | 57 | – |
| ALBANISA Che Guevara VI VII (Nagarote) IC Power Plant Nicaragua | Oil | 54 | – |
| Carlos Fonesca (Santa Barbara) Hydroelectric Power Plant Nicaragua | Hydro | 54 | – |
| Tipitapa IC Power Plant Nicaragua | Oil | 51 | – |
All indicators
Nicaragua in numbers
Energy access
| Indicator | Nicaragua | Year | Latin America & Caribbean | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to electricity % of population | 88.7% | 2024 | 98.0% | 91.9% |
| Access to electricity, rural % of rural population | 72.2% | 2024 | 91.0% | 84.9% |
| Access to electricity, urban % of urban population | 100.0% | 2024 | 99.7% | 97.8% |
| Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking % of population | 63.0% | 2024 | 90.5% | 75.4% |
Power supply and mix
| Indicator | Nicaragua | Year | Latin America & Caribbean | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from coal % of total | 0.0% | 2021 | 4.4% | 34.5% |
| Electricity production from natural gas % of total | 0.0% | 2021 | 24.8% | 21.9% |
| Electricity production from oil % of total | 36.1% | 2024 | 5.3% | 2.3% |
| Electricity production from nuclear % of total | 0.0% | 2021 | 2.2% | 9.8% |
| Electricity production from hydroelectric sources % of total | 15.3% | 2024 | 41.9% | 14.6% |
| Electric power transmission and distribution losses % of output | 26.6% | 2024 | 13.6% | 6.9% |
| Electric power consumption per capita kWh per capita | 647 kWh | 2024 | 2,436 kWh | 3,708 kWh |
Energy transition
| Indicator | Nicaragua | Year | Latin America & Caribbean | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from renewables, excluding hydro % of total | 55.3% | 2021 | 15.1% | 12.4% |
| Renewable electricity output % of total electricity output | 69.5% | 2021 | 56.7% | 27.8% |
| Renewable energy consumption % of total final energy consumption | 50.4% | 2021 | 34.2% | 19.7% |
| CO₂ emissions per capita (excluding LULUCF) t CO₂e per capita | 0.83 t | 2024 | 2.68 t | 4.69 t |
| CO₂ emissions, total (excluding LULUCF) Mt CO₂e | 5.7 Mt | 2024 | 1,771.5 Mt | 39,632.7 Mt |
| Energy intensity of primary energy MJ per $2017 PPP GDP | 4.29 MJ/$ | 2021 | 3.27 MJ/$ | 4.54 MJ/$ |
Energy economy
| Indicator | Nicaragua | Year | Latin America & Caribbean | World |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.7% | 2024 | 8.8% | 9.5% |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.02% | 2021 | 1.93% | 1.36% |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00% | 2021 | 0.15% | 0.52% |
| GDP per capita current US$ | 3,173 | 2025 | 11,095 | 14,406 |
| Population, total people | 7M | 2025 | 666.6M | 8.2B |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0). Latest year available per series.
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