Share of women using contraceptives in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Share of women using contraceptives was 80.4% in 2012. ▲ Rising
Share of women using contraceptives in Nicaragua, 1981–2012
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
In 2012, share of women using contraceptives in Nicaragua stood at 80.4%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of up 17.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women using contraceptives in Nicaragua peaked at 80.4% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 27.0%, in 1981.
Nicaragua ranks 5th of 116 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Share of women using contraceptives in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 27.0% | — |
| 1993 | 48.7% | +80.5% |
| 1998 | 60.3% | +23.7% |
| 2001 | 68.6% | +13.8% |
| 2007 | 72.4% | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 80.4% | +11.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 27.0% | 27.0% | 27.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 54.5% | 48.7% | 60.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 70.5% | 68.6% | 72.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 80.4% | 80.4% | 80.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More gender data for Nicaragua
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,949 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.4088 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 5,493 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 5,493 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.7 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 64,268 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 66,389 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 64,149 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 66,225 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 64,050 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women using contraceptives in Nicaragua?
- Share of women using contraceptives in Nicaragua was 80.4% in 2012, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women using contraceptives recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 80.4% in 2012.
- What is the lowest share of women using contraceptives recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.0% in 1981.
- How does Nicaragua rank for share of women using contraceptives?
- Nicaragua ranks 5th out of 116 countries with data for 2012.
- Is share of women using contraceptives rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women using contraceptives. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Contraceptive prevalence rate is the percentage of women who are practicing, or whose sexual partners are practicing, any form of contraception. It is usually measured for women ages 15-49 who are married or in union.