Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access was 72.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Nicaragua, 1993–2024
Source: SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of rural population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Nicaragua is 72.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Nicaragua peaked at 72.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 42.7%, in 1998.
Nicaragua ranks 166th of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 46.9% | — |
| 1994 | 42.9% | -8.6% |
| 1995 | 43.5% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 44.2% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 44.9% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 42.7% | -5.0% |
| 1999 | 46.4% | +8.7% |
| 2000 | 47.5% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 47.9% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 48.9% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 49.6% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 50.3% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 46.4% | -7.8% |
| 2006 | 51.7% | +11.4% |
| 2007 | 52.4% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 53.1% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 51.7% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 56.6% | +9.5% |
| 2011 | 58.2% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 58.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 59.3% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 59.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 62.3% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 63.3% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 64.4% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 65.2% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 65.9% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 66.3% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 66.4% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 71.0% | +6.9% |
| 2024 | 72.2% | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.5% | 42.7% | 46.9% | 7 |
| 2000s | 50.0% | 46.4% | 53.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.8% | 56.6% | 65.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.4% | 65.9% | 72.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More energy & mining data for Nicaragua
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 0.3302 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 12.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Nicaragua?
- Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access in Nicaragua was 72.2% in 2024, according to SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 72.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.7% in 1998.
- How does Nicaragua rank for share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access?
- Nicaragua ranks 166th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Having access to electricity is defined in international statistics as having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.