Nicaragua: Short-term debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Nicaragua's short-term debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) rose 3.81 percentage points on 2023 (from 12.01% to 15.82%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −17.12 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 46.67 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 154.65 percentage points in 1988 and the biggest yearly fall was 200.41 percentage points in 1995. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 1.61 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 87% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Nicaragua had the 43rd highest value of the 99 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Nicaragua in the 2024 ranking

• Philippines — 40th of 99: 16.99%
• Samoa — 41st of 99: 16.92%
• India — 42nd of 99: 15.98%
• Angola — 44th of 99: 15.45%
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines — 45th of 99: 15.23%
• Haiti — 46th of 99: 14.43%

What this measures

Short-term external debt is defined as debt that has an original maturity of one year or less. Available data permit no distinction between public and private nonguaranteed short-term debt. Exports of goods, services and primary income is the sum of goods (merchandise) exports, exports of (nonfactor) services and income (factor) receipts.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 48 values

Short-term debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) in nearby economies

• Argentina — 47.04% (2024)
• Belize — 0.78% (2024)
• Bolivia — 5.64% (2024)
• Brazil — 19.7% (2024)
• Colombia — 24.24% (2024)
• Dominica — 75.05% (2024)
• Dominican Republic — 13.8% (2024)
• Ecuador — 1.61% (2024)
• El Salvador

More economic policy & debt data for Nicaragua

• General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) — US$2.53 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) — 92.55 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) — US$2.07 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (constant LCU) — 29.48 billion (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) — 11.36% (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) — US$13.16 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (constant LCU) — 195.05 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure per capita (constant 2015 US$)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Nicaragua's short-term debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income)?

15.82% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1977?

It is down 42.71 percentage points from 58.52% in 1977. The highest value was 621.46% in 1988 and the lowest 12.01% in 2023.

How does Nicaragua rank?

43rd highest of 99 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in short-term debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) unusual for Nicaragua?

In 2024, Nicaragua's short-term debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) rose 3.81 percentage points on 2023 (from 12.01% to 15.82%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was −17.12 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 46.67 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator DT.DOD.DSTC.XP.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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