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Guyana vs Nicaragua
Side-by-side comparison of Guyana and Nicaragua from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Guyana
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 60 years
Nicaragua
Latin America & Caribbean · nation age 205 years
In short
Guyana scores 45.8 in the NationsTree Index (104th in the world) and Nicaragua scores 42.8 (117th), a gap of 3.0 points. Their trees are 5.2 m and 4.6 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Nicaragua has 8.4 times the population of Guyana. Guyana has 65% more land area than Nicaragua. The economy of Guyana is 26% larger than that of Nicaragua (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Guyana 835,986 and Nicaragua 7.0 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $97,899 in Guyana and $9,284 in Nicaragua (2025, international dollars). People in Nicaragua live on average 4.8 years longer (75.1 vs 70.3 years).
Of 31 indicators reported by both countries, Guyana ranks higher in the world on 22 and Nicaragua on 9. Guyana is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, military and infrastructure & digital. Nicaragua is clearly stronger in main industries, tourism and land & people.
As a nation, Nicaragua is the older of the two (statehood since 1821, 205 years), compared with Guyana (since 1966). Over the last five years Nicaragua improved faster (direction score 93 vs 91 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Guyana and Nicaragua.
Guyana
-5.5%
159th of 192
Nicaraguabetter
3.5%
13th of 192
GDP per person (PPP)Economy
Guyanabetter
$97,899
9th of 199
Nicaragua
$9,284
143rd of 199
High-tech exportsTrade
Guyanabetter
13.3%
54th of 168
Nicaragua
0.6%
153rd of 168
Voice & accountabilityInstitutions & safety
Guyanabetter
58.9
99th of 205
Nicaragua
25.4
197th of 205
Hospital bedsSociety & health
Guyanabetter
3.2
53rd of 145
Nicaragua
1.0
121st of 145
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Guyana overtook Nicaragua in GDP (PPP) in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.
Guyana overtook Nicaragua in the NationsTree Index in 2019 and has stayed ahead since.
Guyana has been ahead of Nicaragua in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Nicaragua has been ahead of Guyana in life expectancy and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
GuyanaNicaragua All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Guyana | Nicaragua |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 214,97084th/216 · 2024 | 130,37098th/216 · 2023 |
| Land area km² | 211,14083rd/216 · 2024 | 120,34099th/216 · 2023 |
| Population people | 835,986164th/217 · 2025 | 7.0 m108th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.59%131st/217 · 2025 | 1.31%80th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 3.9211th/216 · 2024 | 56.7148th/216 · 2023 |
| Urban population % | 26.5%202nd/217 · 2025 | 59.4%128th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 28.9%76th/217 · 2025 | 28.3%80th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 7.0%125th/217 · 2025 | 5.7%141st/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $27.10 bn120th/210 · 2025 | $22.24 bn129th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $81.84 bn110th/199 · 2025 | $65.06 bn122nd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $69.94 bn110th/199 · 2025 | $55.59 bn121st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $32,41453rd/210 · 2025 | $3,173157th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $97,8999th/199 · 2025 | $9,284143rd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $28,47051st/201 · 2025 | $2,850152nd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 19.3%1st/210 · 2025 | 4.9%55th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 3.3%98th/180 · 2025 | 2.1%61st/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 12.0%162nd/187 · 2025 | 5.0%88th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 28.9%31st/189 · 2025 | 34.6%46th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.5%159th/192 · 2025 | 3.5%13th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 7.7%86th/197 · 2025 | 14.5%55th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 75.1%1st/200 · 2025 | 29.3%56th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 1.9%177th/192 · 2025 | 12.6%71st/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 14.8%200th/200 · 2025 | 45.2%168th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $698.0 m2005 | $9.25 bn113th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $905.1 m2005 | $12.20 bn114th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 84.6%2005 | 41.6%74th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 109.7%2005 | 54.9%63rd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 194.4%2005 | 96.4%67th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 88.9%5th/170 · 2025 | 0.7%124th/170 · 2024 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 0.2%170th/171 · 2025 | 37.0%81st/171 · 2024 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 1.7%156th/171 · 2025 | 42.6%37th/171 · 2024 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.0%135th/171 · 2025 | 1.1%131st/171 · 2024 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 13.3%54th/168 · 2024 | 0.6%153rd/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 21.4%4th/191 · 2025 | 9.5%21st/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 33.1%4th/196 · 2025 | 6.8%31st/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 33.7%7th/209 · 2021 | 3.8%82nd/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 22.08%8th/197 · 2021 | 0.02%96th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 9.38%13th/209 · 2021 | 2.68%33rd/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 2.22%33rd/209 · 2021 | 1.14%49th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 0.4%196th/206 · 2024 | 12.5%84th/206 · 2022 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 293,3172nd/183 · 2022 | 23,20928th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 86,400169th/194 · 2020 | 474,000127th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $28.0 m2003 | $128.0 m1999 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.2%2003 | 15.2%1999 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 325,00086th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 70.3151st/217 · 2024 | 75.1106th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 25.2132nd/196 · 2024 | 11.281st/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 1.3995th/174 · 2020 | 0.682018 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.253rd/145 · 2023 | 1.0121st/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 98%20th/193 · 2024 | 89%110th/193 · 2023 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 57.0%2019 | 35.5%2014 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 91.4%96th/173 · 2024 | 70.2%140th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | — | 68.2%2014 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.9%123rd/217 · 2025 | 8.6%140th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 2.5%189th/193 · 2023 | 8.3%57th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 85.6%62nd/98 · 2020 | 87.3%2014 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 26.4%109th/150 · 2024 | 30.4%106th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.77689th/193 · 2023 | 0.706123rd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 45.11998 | 46.22014 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 13.0%1998 | 6.6%2014 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 93.0%157th/215 · 2024 | 88.7%165th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 67.2%91st/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 43.4%93rd/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 83.0%91st/186 · 2024 | 61.4%137th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 113114th/210 · 2022 | 106131st/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 12.9107th/208 · 2022 | 5.8136th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.4096th/164 · 2022 | 1.90154th/164 · 2022 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 7,512153rd/161 · 2021 | 61,0312000 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 4.56145th/203 · 2024 | 0.8358th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 12.1%134th/212 · 2022 | 50.4%47th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 16.9100th/200 · 2023 | 20.4123rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 87.1%6th/214 · 2024 | 25.8%117th/214 · 2023 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 6612007 | 613112th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 55.495th/205 · 2025 | 34.0176th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 40.4122nd/207 · 2025 | 20.2192nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 53.5118th/207 · 2025 | 32.5194th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 69.299th/207 · 2025 | 65.4117th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 48.5128th/205 · 2025 | 39.3175th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 58.999th/205 · 2025 | 25.4197th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 19.1128th/145 · 2023 | 11.3119th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $247.6 m118th/156 · 2025 | $116.4 m137th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.0%116th/156 · 2025 | 0.6%140th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.0%109th/154 · 2025 | 2.0%142nd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 3,000152nd/170 · 2020 | 12,000124th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.04%63rd/168 · 2020 | 0.41%128th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 5.0 m129th/163 · 2025 | 13.0 m2019 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | — | 18.0 m1993 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | — | 0.11%2015 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 2123rd/137 · 2024 | 12014 |
| Scientific articles articles | 50155th/197 · 2023 | 41158th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Guyana or Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has the larger population: 7.0 m (2025) compared with 835,986 for Guyana (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Guyana or Nicaragua?
Guyana is larger: 214,970 km² (2024) compared with 130,370 km² for Nicaragua (2023). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Guyana or Nicaragua?
Guyana has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $81.84 bn intl. (2025) compared with $65.06 bn intl. for Nicaragua (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Guyana or Nicaragua?
Guyana has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $97,899 intl. (2025) compared with $9,284 intl. for Nicaragua (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Guyana or Nicaragua?
Nicaragua has the higher life expectancy at birth: 75.1 years (2024) compared with 70.3 years for Guyana (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Guyana or Nicaragua?
Guyana spends more on the military: $247.6 m (2025) compared with $116.4 m for Nicaragua (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Guyana or Nicaragua?
Guyana: 45.8 points (104th in the world); Nicaragua: 42.8 points (117th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
El Salvador
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Trinidad and Tobago
UruguaySources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Guyana vs Nicaragua — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/guyana-vs-nicaragua. Data as of 26 October 2026.