Nicaragua
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Republic of Nicaragua.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
Lake Nicaragua is freshwater, but its famous lake sharks are bull sharks linked to the sea by a river.
Matchup file
Nicaragua vs Panama
107 shared metrics.
Turn the comparison into a round
Think you can spot the next winner?
Panama leads by 29 metrics. Use the same instinct in a quick real-data brawl.
Country briefing
What matters for both sides
Short real-world notes so the comparison reads like more than a stat strip.
Panama
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Republic of Panama.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
The Panama Canal lets ships cross between Atlantic and Pacific waters without rounding South America.
Analysis
Panama leads in 68 of 107 shared metrics, while Nicaragua leads in 39.
Nicaragua's Current Account Balance (% of GDP) is 27.7x that of Panama (8.6% of GDP vs 0.30% of GDP).
Nicaragua's Capital Elevation is 6.2x that of Panama (143 m vs 20 m).
Nicaragua's Inflation Rate is 5.6x that of Panama (4.6% vs 0.70%).
Nicaragua's Irrigated Land is 4.0x that of Panama (2.0K km² vs 394 km²).
Nicaragua's Tax Revenue (% GDP) is 1.7x that of Panama (19.94% of GDP vs 7.5% of GDP).
Key Comparisons
Current Account Balance (% of GDP)Nicaragua leads
Nicaragua
8.6% of GDP
Panama
0.30% of GDP
Capital ElevationNicaragua leads
Nicaragua
143 m
Panama
20 m
Inflation RateNicaragua leads
Nicaragua
4.6%
Panama
0.70%
Irrigated LandNicaragua leads
Nicaragua
2.0K km²
Panama
394 km²
Tax Revenue (% GDP)Nicaragua leads
Nicaragua
19.94% of GDP
Panama
7.5% of GDP
Spirits ConsumptionNicaragua leads
Nicaragua
2.0 L/person/yr
Panama
0.78 L/person/yr
All Metrics
Current Account Balance (% of GDP)
NicaraguaNicaragua
8.6% of GDP
Panama
0.30% of GDP
2767% higher
Capital Elevation
NicaraguaNicaragua
143 m
Panama
20 m
615% higher
Inflation Rate
NicaraguaNicaragua
4.6%
Panama
0.70%
557% higher
Irrigated Land
NicaraguaNicaragua
2.0K km²
Panama
394 km²
405% higher
Tax Revenue (% GDP)
NicaraguaNicaragua
19.94% of GDP
Panama
7.5% of GDP
167% higher
Spirits Consumption
NicaraguaNicaragua
2.0 L/person/yr
Panama
0.78 L/person/yr
159% higher
Women in Parliament (%)
NicaraguaNicaragua
53.85%
Panama
21.43%
151% higher
Merchant Fleet Size
PanamaNicaragua
5.0
Panama
8.2K
100% lower
Shipping Traffic
PanamaNicaragua
153.4K
Panama
8.52M
98% lower
Freedom of Expression Index
PanamaNicaragua
0.02
Panama
0.81
98% lower
Liberal Democracy Index
PanamaNicaragua
0.02
Panama
0.57
97% lower
Political Corruption Index
NicaraguaNicaragua
0.94
Panama
0.48
94% higher
Solar Electricity Share
PanamaNicaragua
0.66%
Panama
7.4%
91% lower
McDonald's Outlets per Million People
PanamaNicaragua
1.3 per 1M people
Panama
13.89 per 1M people
90% lower
Scientific Publications
PanamaNicaragua
41.45
Panama
376.12
89% lower
GNI Per Capita
PanamaNicaragua
$2,510
Panama
$18,010
86% lower
Health Spending Per Capita
PanamaNicaragua
$208.48
Panama
$1,472.05
86% lower
Road Traffic Death Rate
NicaraguaNicaragua
13.6 per 100k
Panama
7.3 per 100k
86% higher
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
NicaraguaNicaragua
6.9% of GDP
Panama
3.7% of GDP
83% higher
Land Border Length
NicaraguaNicaragua
1.3K km
Panama
687 km
82% higher
Renewable Energy (%)
NicaraguaNicaragua
50.4%
Panama
28%
80% higher
Electoral Democracy Index
PanamaNicaragua
0.15
Panama
0.73
79% lower
Mobile Money Accounts
PanamaNicaragua
8.1% of adults
Panama
38.05% of adults
79% lower
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
PanamaNicaragua
$8,708.8
Panama
$41,369.42
79% lower
GDP (Nominal)
PanamaNicaragua
$19,693,982,967.59
Panama
$86,523,959,131.75
77% lower
EV Chargers per 100,000 People
PanamaNicaragua
0.06 per 100k people
Panama
0.24 per 100k people
76% lower
Wind Electricity Share
NicaraguaNicaragua
12.39%
Panama
7.2%
73% higher
Electricity Use (Per Capita)
PanamaNicaragua
682.4 kWh/person
Panama
2.5K kWh/person
73% lower
Broadband Access (%)
PanamaNicaragua
5.0 per 100 people
Panama
18 per 100 people
72% lower
CO2 Per Capita
PanamaNicaragua
0.81 t/person/yr
Panama
2.8 t/person/yr
71% lower
Credit Card Ownership
PanamaNicaragua
3.8% of adults
Panama
12.72% of adults
70% lower
ATMs per 100,000 Adults
PanamaNicaragua
22.68 per 100k
Panama
72.6 per 100k
69% lower
Digital Payments Used
PanamaNicaragua
16.39% of adults
Panama
52.08% of adults
69% lower
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
PanamaNicaragua
2.0 sites
Panama
6.0 sites
67% lower
Beer Consumption
PanamaNicaragua
1.2 L/person/yr
Panama
3.5 L/person/yr
66% lower
High-Tech Exports (%)
PanamaNicaragua
0.60%
Panama
1.8%
66% lower
Electricity Generation
PanamaNicaragua
4.4 TWh
Panama
12.87 TWh
66% lower
Minimum Paid Vacation Days
PanamaNicaragua
11 days/yr
Panama
30 days/yr
63% lower
Teen Birth Rate
NicaraguaNicaragua
93.45 per 1k
Panama
57.34 per 1k
63% higher
Coastline Length
PanamaNicaragua
910 km
Panama
2.5K km
63% lower
Land Area
NicaraguaNicaragua
120.3K km²
Panama
74.2K km²
62% higher
Electric Generating Capacity
PanamaNicaragua
1.85M kW
Panama
4.49M kW
59% lower
Corruption Perceptions Index
PanamaNicaragua
14 pts
Panama
33 pts
58% lower
Doctors (per 1,000)
PanamaNicaragua
0.68 per 1k
Panama
1.6 per 1k
58% lower
Armed Forces Personnel
PanamaNicaragua
12.0K
Panama
28.0K
57% lower
Forest Coverage (%)
PanamaNicaragua
25.82%
Panama
56.34%
54% lower
Total CO2 Emissions
PanamaNicaragua
5.7 Mt CO2e
Panama
12.37 Mt CO2e
54% lower
Meat Consumption per Person
PanamaNicaragua
30.82 kg/person/yr
Panama
65.02 kg/person/yr
53% lower
Seafood Consumption per Person
PanamaNicaragua
6.5 kg/person/yr
Panama
13.74 kg/person/yr
53% lower
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
PanamaNicaragua
0.90 per 1k
Panama
1.9 per 1k
53% lower
Youth Unemployment Rate
PanamaNicaragua
9.5% of youth labor force
Panama
19.77% of youth labor force
52% lower
Population
NicaraguaNicaragua
6.74M
Panama
4.54M
49% higher
Airports
PanamaNicaragua
39
Panama
76
49% lower
Imports (% GDP)
NicaraguaNicaragua
58.06% of GDP
Panama
39.32% of GDP
48% higher
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
NicaraguaNicaragua
16.81 µg/m³
Panama
11.47 µg/m³
47% higher
University Enrollment Rate
PanamaNicaragua
30.36%
Panama
53.7%
43% lower
Agricultural Land (%)
NicaraguaNicaragua
42.31%
Panama
29.52%
43% higher
Energy Use (Per Capita)
PanamaNicaragua
608.25 kg oil eq/person
Panama
1.1K kg oil eq/person
43% lower
Elderly Population (%)
PanamaNicaragua
5.5%
Panama
9.4%
41% lower
Highest Elevation
PanamaNicaragua
2.1K m
Panama
3.5K m
40% lower
Informal Employment Share
NicaraguaNicaragua
81.79% of employed people
Panama
58.69% of employed people
39% higher
Electricity Carbon Intensity
NicaraguaNicaragua
300.89 gCO2/kWh
Panama
221.15 gCO2/kWh
36% higher
Protected Land (%)
PanamaNicaragua
21.2%
Panama
31.4%
32% lower
Mobile Subscriptions (%)
PanamaNicaragua
106 per 100 people
Panama
157 per 100 people
32% lower
Insufficient Physical Activity
PanamaNicaragua
36.91% of adults
Panama
54.63% of adults
32% lower
GDP Growth Rate
NicaraguaNicaragua
3.6%
Panama
2.7%
31% higher
Unemployment Rate
PanamaNicaragua
4.6%
Panama
6.5%
30% lower
Suicide Rate
NicaraguaNicaragua
4.2 per 100k
Panama
3.3 per 100k
29% higher
Women's Political Empowerment
PanamaNicaragua
0.53
Panama
0.74
28% lower
Tourist Arrivals
PanamaNicaragua
474.0K
Panama
647.0K
27% lower
Forest Area
PanamaNicaragua
31.1K km²
Panama
41.8K km²
26% lower
Internet Users (%)
PanamaNicaragua
58%
Panama
78%
26% lower
Fertility Rate
PanamaNicaragua
1.8 children/woman
Panama
2.3 children/woman
22% lower
Milk Consumption per Person
NicaraguaNicaragua
85.16 kg/person/yr
Panama
70.29 kg/person/yr
21% higher
Alcohol Consumption
PanamaNicaragua
3.7 L/adult/yr
Panama
4.7 L/adult/yr
21% lower
Women in Senior Management
NicaraguaNicaragua
53.68% of managers
Panama
46.05% of managers
17% higher
Human Development Index
PanamaNicaragua
0.71
Panama
0.84
16% lower
Education Spending (% GDP)
NicaraguaNicaragua
2.9% of GDP
Panama
2.5% of GDP
16% higher
Youth Population (%)
NicaraguaNicaragua
28.76%
Panama
24.89%
16% higher
Median Age
PanamaNicaragua
25.3 years
Panama
29.6 years
15% lower
Government Debt (% GDP)
PanamaNicaragua
33.3% of GDP
Panama
37.4% of GDP
11% lower
Obesity Rate
PanamaNicaragua
32.42%
Panama
36.08%
10% lower
Urban Population (%)
PanamaNicaragua
59.26%
Panama
66%
10% lower
Electricity Access (%)
PanamaNicaragua
88.3%
Panama
97%
9% lower
Exports (% GDP)
PanamaNicaragua
40.46% of GDP
Panama
44.36% of GDP
9% lower
Water Stress (%)
PanamaNicaragua
0.81%
Panama
0.89%
8% lower
Population Density
PanamaNicaragua
56.7 /km²
Panama
60.11 /km²
6% lower
Birth Rate
PanamaNicaragua
16.07 per 1k
Panama
17.11 per 1k
6% lower
Death Rate
PanamaNicaragua
5.1 per 1k
Panama
5.5 per 1k
6% lower
Life Expectancy
PanamaNicaragua
74.9 years
Panama
79.6 years
6% lower
Health Spending (% GDP)
NicaraguaNicaragua
9.0% of GDP
Panama
8.5% of GDP
6% higher
Water Withdrawal
NicaraguaNicaragua
1.3 B m³
Panama
1.2 B m³
5% higher
Food Waste per Person
PanamaNicaragua
151.27 kg/person/yr
Panama
158.59 kg/person/yr
5% lower
Life Evaluation Score
PanamaNicaragua
6.3 pts
Panama
6.5 pts
4% lower
Can Raise Emergency Money
NicaraguaNicaragua
88.4% of adults
Panama
84.87% of adults
4% higher
Infant Mortality
PanamaNicaragua
10.3 per 1k births
Panama
10.6 per 1k births
3% lower
Homicide Rate
PanamaNicaragua
11.35 per 100k
Panama
11.71 per 100k
3% lower
Child Mortality
NicaraguaNicaragua
13.4 per 1k births
Panama
13.3 per 1k births
1% higher
Average Weekly Work Hours
NicaraguaNicaragua
36.45 hrs/week
Panama
36.01 hrs/week
1% higher
Time Zones Count
NicaraguaNicaragua
2.0 time zones
Panama
2.0 time zones
equal
Dependency Ratio
NicaraguaNicaragua
52.19% of working-age pop.
Panama
52.09% of working-age pop.
equal
Coal Electricity Share
PanamaNicaragua
0%
Panama
3.7%
ranked lower
Hypertension Prevalence
NicaraguaNicaragua
36.1% of adults
Panama
36.1% of adults
equal
Nobel Laureates Born per Million People
NicaraguaNicaragua
0 per 1M people
Panama
0 per 1M people
ranked higher
Lowest Elevation
NicaraguaNicaragua
0 m
Panama
0 m
ranked higher
Official Languages Count
NicaraguaNicaragua
1.0
Panama
1.0
equal
Border Neighbors
NicaraguaNicaragua
2.0
Panama
2.0
equal
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