MigrantoNicaraguan Diaspora
905.3K Nicaraguans live abroad — the #73 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 90% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Costa Rica | 423401 |
| USA | 295024 |
| Spain | 98452 |
| Panama | 23672 |
| Mexico | 18139 |
| Canada | 10768 |
| Guatemala | 10131 |
| Honduras | 8086 |
| El Salvador | 8063 |
| Venezuela | 1838 |
| Italy | 1626 |
| Australia | 877 |
| Colombia | 625 |
| Chile | 569 |
| Cayman Islands | 481 |
| Brazil | 455 |
| Peru | 446 |
| Ecuador | 409 |
| Dominican Republic | 327 |
| Argentina | 304 |
| Denmark | 274 |
| Norway | 248 |
| Greece | 171 |
| Aruba | 163 |
| Finland | 139 |
| Bolivia | 137 |
| Jamaica | 126 |
| Puerto Rico | 91 |
| Bulgaria | 52 |
| Cuba | 50 |
| Hungary | 31 |
| Luxembourg | 20 |
| Slovakia | 13 |
| Bahamas | 10 |
| Iceland | 9 |
| Cyprus | 8 |
| Slovenia | 6 |
| Guinea | 3 |
| Estonia | 3 |
| Liechtenstein | 3 |
| Lithuania | 1 |
| Latvia | 0 |
By destination region
Latin America is the leading destination region at 55%
497.5K
305.8K
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Nicaragua.
Spain is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Spain has increased by 331% since 2015, rising from 22.8K to 98.5K in 9 years.
Costa Rica is the primary destination for emigrants
Costa Rica attracts 47% of all emigrants from Nicaragua, while the second-largest destination receives just 33%.
Emigration has accelerated notably since 2020
The emigrant population grew 21% from 749.6K to 905.3K, indicating an acceleration in emigration flows following COVID and recent geopolitical shifts.
A significant share of the population lives abroad
1 in 8 residents of Nicaragua has emigrated — 905.3K out of 6.9M, representing 13.1% of the population.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 445757 |
| 1995 | 487148 |
| 2000 | 494067 |
| 2005 | 545324 |
| 2010 | 609093 |
| 2015 | 633892 |
| 2020 | 749552 |
| 2024 | 905251 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Costa Rica | USA | Spain | Panama | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 99153 | 174914 | 942 | 4553 | 2325 |
| 1995 | 131695 | 249023 | 1337 | 4593 | 2599 |
| 2000 | 230085 | 222154 | 1863 | 4923 | 2578 |
| 2005 | 268157 | 228735 | 3397 | 7240 | 3046 |
| 2010 | 288033 | 255351 | 13854 | 11032 | 3603 |
| 2015 | 292232 | 259238 | 22838 | 12915 | 4620 |
| 2020 | 350854 | 264538 | 65254 | 15517 | 8906 |
| 2024 | 423401 | 295024 | 98452 | 23672 | 18139 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Nicaragua as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Nicaragua
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Nicaraguans move to?
Most Nicaraguans have moved to Costa Rica, USA and Spain — these three countries account for about 90% of all Nicaraguans living abroad.
How many Nicaraguans live abroad?
Around 905.3K Nicaraguans live abroad, making it the #73-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Nicaragua lives abroad?
About 13% of the population of Nicaragua lives abroad — that's 905.3K out of a total population of 6.9M.
How has emigration from Nicaragua changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Nicaragua has grown from 633.9K to 905.3K people, a growth of about 43%.
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