2025 country profile

How democratic is
Nicaragua?

Nicaragua scores 11.9 out of 100 and ranks 174 of 179 in our independent 2025 democracy measure. Its lowest-scoring test is public reasoning. Explore the evidence and history below.

Democracys.org beta estimate, derived from V-Dem v16. A measure of political institutions and conditions—not a percentage of democracy or a judgment of people.

Printable country brief Compare this country

DEMOCRACYS SCORE

11.9out of 100Far from the standard

2025 rank174 of 179

10-year change−21.1

25-year change−43.7

Source-bound range7.7–14.4

Weakest areaReasoning

The source-bound range is an uncertainty guide, not a confidence interval for this combined score. How to read the range →

SCORE HISTORY

Nicaragua, 1975–2025

The shaded area is a plain-language uncertainty guide. Treat small score differences cautiously.

About uncertainty

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

What changed on the ground?

A documented development to help interpret the institutions behind the score.

2025 context · Freedom House assessment

Constitutional changes concentrated power in the executive

Reforms gave the presidency authority over legislative, judicial, electoral, and oversight bodies and created a copresidency for Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo. They also extended the presidential term. The mechanism is weakened institutional separation: bodies intended to constrain executive power become more directly subordinated to it.

Read the country report · Freedom in the World 2026

AI-assisted source summary · not independently expert-reviewed

What this context does—and does not—explain

This is a selected development, not a complete political history. Its date may differ from the selected comparison period. It is not evidence that one event caused a particular number of points, and it may describe progress even when this index declines.

The scores use V-Dem. The narrative summarizes a separate assessment by Freedom House, whose definitions and coverage differ. Neither organization endorses this website. The summary is AI-assisted, source-linked, and has not received independent country-expert review. Source checked October 5, 2026.

Why democracy measures can disagree →

UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE

What drove the score?

2015–2025 · the measured story

The score for Nicaragua fell 21.1 points, from 33.0 to 11.9 between 2015 and 2025. All five areas declined. Public reasoning contributed the largest downward push in the score calculation.

Read the political context ↓

Largest influence on the calculation

Public reasoning

The evidence rates public justification, consultation, and engagement with opposing arguments less favorably.

Area score: 28.4 → 1.6
Approx. contribution to overall change: −7.8 points

Another important influence

Rights and checks

The evidence points toward weaker civil liberties, equality before the law, or constraints on executive power.

Area score: 24.9 → 2.3
Approx. contribution to overall change: −6.5 points

These contributions explain the calculation—not the causes. The five area scores combine several indicators; they do not identify which individual law, election, or event changed.

When did the biggest shifts appear?

The largest year-to-year movements within this period. These are changes in annual estimates, not precise dates of political events.

2016–2017−2.3 points
The overall score fell from 32.2 to 29.9. Political equality supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2017–2018−13.7 points
The overall score fell from 29.9 to 16.2. Public reasoning supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2021–2022−2.0 points
The overall score fell from 15.1 to 13.1. Elections supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.

Highest published score in this window: 33.0 in 2015. Small differences may fall within the source’s uncertainty.

See all five areas and how contributions are calculated

Changes in inputs versus contributions to the overall score
Area	2015	2025	Input change	Approx. contribution
Public reasoning	28.4	1.6	−26.8	−7.8
Rights and checks	24.9	2.3	−22.6	−6.5
Elections	31.8	15.1	−16.7	−3.0
Participation	43.5	31.0	−12.5	−1.9
Political equality	37.8	26.2	−11.6	−1.8

We change the five inputs from their starting to ending values in every possible order, then average each area’s effect on the formula. This distributes the formula’s interactions (a Shapley allocation). It is a mathematical attribution, not a causal estimate.

Inputs and published scores are rounded, so contributions are approximate and may not add exactly to the displayed total. No significance test is implied. Read the full scoring method →

BENEATH THE SCORE

Five dimensions of democracy

The headline score cannot show where a political system is strong or constrained. These five tests can. Each has equal weight in the beta standard.

Free and fair elections

Can people choose their leaders through broad voting rights, honest elections, free political groups, and open public debate?

15.1

Rights and checks on power

Are basic freedoms protected, laws applied fairly, courts independent, and leaders prevented from abusing power?

2.3

Public participation

Can people shape public life through civic groups, direct voting, and meaningful local and regional government?

31.0

Public reasoning

Do leaders explain decisions, consult the public, answer opposing arguments, and consider the common good?

1.6

Political equality

Do different social groups have equal rights, access, resources, and a real chance to influence political power?

26.2

HOW TO READ THIS PROFILE

Two kinds of evidence.
One clearer picture.

The score breakdown identifies which parts of the measure changed most. The country report adds documented political context. Together they help explain the institutions at stake—but they do not prove that a specific event produced a specific number of points.

Why this score differs from other democracy indices →

What a declining score can—and cannot—tell us about democratic backsliding

A recent improvement can coexist with a long-term decline. Always compare the dates, check the linked source, and consider developments the selected narrative does not cover.

ANNUAL DATA

Nicaragua score table

Download Nicaragua CSV

Year	Score	Source-bound range	Elections	Rights & checks	Participation	Reasoning	Equality
2025	11.9	7.7–14.4	15.1	2.3	31.0	1.6	26.2
2024	12.0	7.8–14.6	15.1	2.5	31.0	1.6	26.2
2023	13.1	8.8–15.8	15.8	2.7	31.8	2.0	30.4
2022	13.1	8.5–16.3	15.8	4.7	31.8	2.0	25.0
2021	15.1	10.2–18.6	19.5	5.3	33.2	2.9	28.4
2020	15.6	10.4–19.2	21.5	7.5	33.0	1.6	31.3
2019	15.4	10.6–19.1	21.5	8.0	34.9	1.0	31.5
2018	16.2	10.8–19.5	22.1	9.3	35.7	1.2	32.0
2017	29.9	22.6–35.4	28.1	21.6	39.9	28.1	33.3
2016	32.2	25.2–38.5	30.5	25.0	41.2	28.3	37.6
2015	33.0	25.4–38.9	31.8	24.9	43.5	28.4	37.8
2014	33.6	26.4–39.8	31.9	25.4	43.5	29.8	39.1
2013	33.8	26.7–40.2	31.9	25.4	44.6	29.8	39.1
2012	42.4	35.7–49.8	37.1	29.3	49.8	59.0	40.0
2011	44.0	36.3–51.1	42.5	32.2	49.8	58.1	39.8
2010	44.6	37.1–51.9	43.6	32.2	49.8	59.4	40.4
2009	45.8	38.7–53.2	44.1	33.2	49.8	63.8	40.9
2008	46.2	38.4–53.2	44.5	34.5	49.8	63.8	41.0
2007	47.0	40.0–54.9	45.7	36.4	49.9	63.4	41.8
2006	53.8	46.9–61.7	56.3	49.7	52.0	75.1	39.0
2005	56.1	48.7–63.7	59.1	56.8	53.4	76.3	38.3
2004	56.6	49.3–64.2	59.1	56.8	53.4	78.9	38.3
2003	56.6	49.3–64.3	59.1	56.6	53.4	78.9	38.6
2002	56.6	49.0–64.2	60.1	56.6	53.1	78.9	38.2
2001	55.4	48.2–63.5	58.8	57.4	53.1	73.3	37.5
2000	55.6	48.6–64.0	58.6	58.4	53.1	73.8	37.5
1999	55.4	48.1–63.6	59.7	58.1	50.5	73.8	38.1
1998	57.0	49.8–65.2	63.2	58.3	54.6	73.8	38.1
1997	58.7	51.7–66.9	63.2	58.3	54.6	75.6	44.2
1996	61.8	54.9–69.2	67.6	61.2	55.1	83.1	45.3
1995	62.8	55.5–69.8	68.9	66.2	55.1	84.6	43.0
1994	62.8	55.6–70.1	69.0	65.7	55.4	84.6	43.0
1993	62.8	55.8–70.1	69.1	65.7	55.4	84.6	43.0
1992	63.6	56.8–70.8	68.8	64.8	56.7	84.6	46.3
1991	62.9	56.7–70.6	68.8	63.5	58.8	84.6	42.7
1990	61.3	53.8–68.2	63.1	60.1	55.5	85.0	45.9
1989	42.5	34.8–50.2	40.1	31.8	27.0	72.8	47.4
1988	41.0	32.9–48.3	38.2	31.8	22.7	72.8	47.4
1987	39.9	31.8–47.1	36.4	30.2	21.4	72.8	47.3
1986	39.9	31.8–47.3	36.5	30.6	21.4	72.8	46.7
1985	39.2	30.9–47.0	36.2	33.1	21.4	65.5	46.6
1984	34.8	27.8–41.3	19.8	24.4	25.9	65.9	47.2
1983	31.8	25.0–38.0	17.7	19.3	20.9	65.9	47.2
1982	31.9	25.2–38.3	17.0	19.3	22.0	65.9	47.2
1981	34.9	28.6–41.5	18.7	22.9	27.3	68.7	47.3
1980	34.6	28.1–41.2	18.2	22.9	27.3	68.7	46.6
1979	16.0	10.7–20.4	14.7	6.2	11.9	37.2	16.9
1978	6.7	3.3–8.5	17.2	6.6	7.3	1.6	4.9
1977	6.6	3.3–8.4	17.2	6.6	7.3	1.6	4.6
1976	6.4	3.2–8.1	17.4	6.5	7.3	1.6	3.8
1975	6.4	3.2–8.1	17.4	6.5	7.3	1.6	3.8
1974	6.4	3.2–8.1	17.2	6.5	7.3	1.6	3.8
1973	6.4	3.2–8.1	17.1	6.5	7.3	1.6	3.8
1972	6.0	3.0–7.6	16.1	6.0	6.6	1.6	3.8
1971	6.3	3.2–7.9	17.5	6.5	6.6	1.6	3.8
1970	6.4	3.2–8.1	17.5	7.3	6.6	1.6	3.8
1969	6.5	3.3–8.2	17.5	6.5	6.6	2.2	3.8
1968	6.5	3.3–8.2	17.5	6.5	6.6	2.2	3.8
1967	7.5	3.8–9.4	17.6	6.5	6.6	5.5	3.9
1966	7.5	3.8–9.4	17.4	6.5	6.6	5.5	3.9
1965	7.5	3.8–9.4	17.5	6.5	6.6	5.5	3.9
1964	7.5	3.8–9.4	17.5	6.5	6.6	5.5	3.9
1963	7.5	3.8–9.4	17.4	6.5	6.6	5.5	3.9
1962	7.5	3.8–9.4	17.4	6.5	6.6	5.5	3.9
1961	7.4	3.8–9.4	17.3	6.5	6.6	5.5	3.9
1960	7.4	3.9–9.4	17.2	6.5	6.6	5.5	3.8
1959	7.1	3.7–9.0	17.0	6.5	6.6	4.4	3.8
1958	7.1	3.7–9.0	17.2	6.5	6.6	4.4	3.8
1957	7.1	3.7–9.0	17.2	6.5	6.6	4.4	3.8
1956	8.6	4.6–10.9	17.2	6.7	6.6	11.4	3.8
1955	8.0	4.2–10.4	14.0	6.7	6.2	11.4	3.8
1954	6.0	3.0–7.9	14.0	6.5	6.2	2.2	3.9
1953	6.0	3.0–7.9	14.0	6.5	6.2	2.2	3.9
1952	6.0	3.0–7.9	14.0	6.5	6.2	2.2	3.9
1951	6.0	3.0–7.9	14.0	6.5	6.2	2.2	3.9
1950	6.0	3.0–7.8	13.9	6.5	6.2	2.2	3.9
1949	6.7	3.4–8.7	13.7	7.7	6.2	4.1	3.7
1948	6.7	3.4–8.7	13.7	7.7	6.2	4.1	3.7
1947	6.5	3.3–8.6	12.8	7.6	6.2	4.1	3.7
1946	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.2	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1945	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.2	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1944	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.3	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1943	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.3	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1942	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.3	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1941	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.3	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1940	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.3	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1939	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.2	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1938	6.9	3.5–8.9	14.2	8.2	6.2	4.1	3.7
1937	6.7	3.4–8.7	14.2	7.5	6.2	4.1	3.7
1936	6.9	3.6–9.0	14.6	9.3	6.2	3.3	3.8
1935	8.3	4.4–10.8	14.8	10.9	7.7	6.0	4.2
1934	8.4	4.4–10.8	15.2	10.7	7.7	6.0	4.2
1933	9.1	4.7–12.0	9.6	12.0	8.3	12.6	4.4
1932	10.4	5.4–13.4	10.7	17.8	9.2	12.6	4.3
1931	10.4	5.4–13.4	10.7	17.8	9.2	12.6	4.3
1930	10.5	5.4–13.4	10.8	17.8	9.2	12.6	4.5
1929	10.8	5.5–13.9	10.9	17.8	9.2	14.2	4.5
1928	10.6	5.4–13.8	9.9	17.8	9.2	14.2	4.5
1927	9.5	5.1–12.5	10.9	15.6	9.2	10.6	3.6
1926	10.0	5.5–13.1	11.3	16.0	9.2	12.9	3.6
1925	10.7	6.0–13.7	16.9	16.0	9.2	11.0	3.6
1924	10.7	5.9–13.8	16.8	16.0	9.2	11.4	3.6
1923	11.8	6.9–15.5	16.5	16.0	9.2	18.2	3.6
1922	12.1	7.1–15.7	16.4	16.0	9.2	20.2	3.6
1921	12.1	7.1–15.7	16.4	16.0	9.2	20.2	3.6
1920	12.1	7.1–15.6	16.2	16.0	9.2	20.2	3.6
1919	10.8	6.1–13.7	16.1	16.5	8.4	15.2	2.6
1918	10.8	6.1–13.7	16.1	16.5	8.4	15.2	2.6
1917	10.8	6.1–13.7	16.1	16.5	8.4	15.2	2.6
1916	10.3	5.8–13.1	16.2	16.4	8.4	12.5	2.6
1915	10.3	5.7–13.0	16.2	16.1	8.4	12.5	2.6
1914	9.8	5.3–12.6	13.3	16.1	8.4	12.5	2.6
1913	9.6	5.2–12.3	13.1	16.1	8.4	11.4	2.6
1912	9.9	5.3–13.0	9.9	15.4	8.4	16.8	3.0
1911	10.2	5.6–13.4	9.7	17.1	8.0	17.1	3.2
1910	10.0	5.3–13.1	10.1	16.4	8.0	15.8	3.3
1909	9.4	5.1–12.3	9.6	18.3	10.9	6.9	4.0
1908	9.4	5.1–12.3	9.6	18.5	10.9	6.9	4.0
1907	9.4	5.1–12.3	9.6	18.5	10.9	6.9	4.0
1906	9.5	5.2–12.4	10.0	18.5	10.9	6.9	4.0
1905	9.5	5.2–12.4	10.0	18.5	10.9	6.9	4.0
1904	9.5	5.2–12.4	9.9	18.5	10.9	6.9	4.0
1903	9.4	5.1–12.3	9.9	18.0	10.9	6.9	4.0
1902	9.5	5.1–12.4	9.9	18.6	10.9	6.9	4.0
1901	8.9	4.5–11.6	10.6	18.6	7.1	6.9	4.0
1900	8.9	4.5–11.7	10.7	18.6	7.1	6.9	4.0

CITE THIS PROFILE

Source and attribution

Democracys.org (2026), “Nicaragua Democracy Score, 1900–2025,” Democracys Standard v1.0 beta; derived from Coppedge et al. (2026), V-Dem Country-Year Dataset v16.

Open source DOI

NEARBY IN THE 2025 RANKING

#172South Sudan12.7 #173Sudan12.4 #175Turkmenistan11.7 #176Burma/Myanmar10.8

All rankings

How democratic isNicaragua?

Nicaragua, 1975–2025

Constitutional changes concentrated power in the executive

Public reasoning

Rights and checks

When did the biggest shifts appear?

Five dimensions of democracy

Free and fair elections

Rights and checks on power

Public participation

Public reasoning

Political equality

Two kinds of evidence.One clearer picture.

Nicaragua score table

Source and attribution

How democratic is
Nicaragua?

Two kinds of evidence.
One clearer picture.