Annual deforestation in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Annual deforestation was 28,870 hectares per year in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
28,870 hectares per year
World rank
32nd
of 112 countries
All-time high
101,930 hectares per year
in 2000
All-time low
28,850 hectares per year
in 2015
Years of data
5
1990–2020
Annual deforestation in Nicaragua, 1990–2020
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares per year.
Analysis
Nicaragua recorded 28,870 hectares per year for annual deforestation in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual deforestation in Nicaragua peaked at 101,930 hectares per year in 2000 and was at its lowest, 28,850 hectares per year, in 2015.
Nicaragua ranks 32nd of 112 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Annual deforestation in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 99,320 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 101,930 hectares per year | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 29,790 hectares per year | -70.8% |
| 2015 | 28,850 hectares per year | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 28,870 hectares per year | +0.1% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 28,870 hectares per year is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14,965 hectares per year, 1.9× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 28,870 hectares per year is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 22,700 hectares per year, 1.3× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 99,320 hectares per year | 99,320 hectares per year | 99,320 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 101,930 hectares per year | 101,930 hectares per year | 101,930 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 29,320 hectares per year | 28,850 hectares per year | 29,790 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 28,870 hectares per year | 28,870 hectares per year | 28,870 hectares per year | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More environment data for Nicaragua
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 3.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 4.53 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Standard Deviation 0.243 °C (2024)
- Temperature change 1.89 °C (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.0474 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual deforestation in Nicaragua?
- Annual deforestation in Nicaragua was 28,870 hectares per year in 2020, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual deforestation recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 101,930 hectares per year in 2000.
- What is the lowest annual deforestation recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 28,850 hectares per year in 2015.
- How does Nicaragua rank for annual deforestation?
- Nicaragua ranks 32nd out of 112 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual deforestation rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual deforestation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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