MigrantoNicaraguan Diaspora
905.3K Nicaraguans live abroad — 13% of the population of Nicaragua
Nicaraguan diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 90% of the diaspora
| 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 region
55% of the diaspora lives in Latin America
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Key facts
The Nicaraguan diaspora in numbers
The community in Spain is growing fastest
The number of Nicaraguans living in Spain has grown 331% since 2015, from 22.8K to 98.5K.
Most Nicaraguans abroad live in Costa Rica
47% of the diaspora lives in Costa Rica, while the next country accounts for just 33%.
The diaspora has grown 21% since 2020
The number of Nicaraguans living abroad rose from 749.6K to 905.3K in four years.
1 in 8 people born in Nicaragua lives abroad
905.3K people born in Nicaragua now live in other countries — 13.1% of a population of 6.9M.
The diaspora is more concentrated than in 1990
The largest country's share rose from 39% to 47%, and today that country is Costa Rica.
The share of the diaspora living in Europe has grown since 1990
0.3% of the diaspora lived in Europe in 1990, compared with 11.2% today.
Nicaraguan diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 445757 |
| 1995 | 487148 |
| 2000 | 494067 |
| 2005 | 545324 |
| 2010 | 609093 |
| 2015 | 633892 |
| 2020 | 749552 |
| 2024 | 905251 |
Largest communities over time
Nicaraguans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| 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 communities
How the number of Nicaraguans in each country has changed since the selected year
Nicaraguans among immigrants in other countries
Where Nicaraguans make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Nicaraguans live outside Nicaragua?
Around 905.3K Nicaraguans live abroad, the world's #73 largest diaspora.
Where do most Nicaraguans abroad live?
Most Nicaraguans live in Costa Rica, USA and Spain — these three countries account for about 90% of all Nicaraguans living abroad.
Which country has the largest Nicaraguan population outside Nicaragua?
Costa Rica is home to the largest Nicaraguan community abroad — 423.4K people, about 47% of all Nicaraguans living abroad.
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.
Is the Nicaraguan diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Nicaraguans living abroad has grown from 633.9K to 905.3K, about 43%.
Where does the data on the Nicaraguan diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Nicaragua who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Nicaragua
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