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FDIstats

Two-way investment brief

Australia–Nicaragua

Australian direct investment in Nicaragua was A$3 m — the 43rd-largest destination for Australian direct investment abroad. Nicaragua was Australia’s 117th-largest two-way trading partner in 2025 (goods and services, A$44 m; 0.0% of Australia’s trade). Globally, Nicaragua was the world’s 96th-largest source of FDI outflows in 2024 ($74 m, World Bank).

Nicaragua direct investment in Australia

—

Total Nicaragua investment in Australia

—

FDI + portfolio + other

Australian direct investment in Nicaragua

A$3 m

−25.0%vs 202443rd largest destination

Total Australian investment in Nicaragua

A$3 m

Levels at 31 Dec 2025

Trend

Direct investment in both directions

Direct investment levels, Australia–Nicaragua
  • Nicaragua in Australia
  • Australia in Nicaragua

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Nicaragua’s investment in Australia by type
  • Direct investment
  • Portfolio investment
  • Other investment

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Annual direct investment flows

Net transactions during the year; negative = net disinvestment

  • Nicaragua → Australia
  • Australia → Nicaragua

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Trade relationship

Australia–Nicaragua trade

Investment and trade move together: the partners that invest most in Australia are usually major trading partners too. Goods trade is recorded monthly (latest: July 2026); services annually.

Two-way trade, 2025

A$44 m

117th largest partner · 0.0%

Goods exports to Nicaragua, 2025

—

12 months to July 2026: A$6 m

Goods imports from Nicaragua, 2025

A$44 m

12 months to July 2026: A$42 m

Services trade, 2025

A$0 k

Exports — · imports —
Goods trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS merchandise trade)

  • Exports to Nicaragua
  • Imports from Nicaragua

Source: ABS, International Merchandise Trade (MERCH_EXP / MERCH_IMP), summed to calendar years.

Services trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS international trade in services by country)

  • Exports to Nicaragua
  • Imports from Nicaragua

Source: ABS, International Trade in Services by Country, calendar years.

Economic outlook

Nicaragua’s economy

IMF World Economic Outlook202420252026forecast2027forecast2028forecast
Real GDP growth3.6%4.9%3.8%3.8%3.5%
Inflation4.6%2.1%3.5%3.0%3.0%
Unemployment rate3.1%2.7%2.7%2.7%2.7%
Current account, % GDP4.2%8.6%6.4%5.2%3.8%
Fiscal balance, % GDP2.3%2.1%1.4%1.6%1.8%
Government gross debt, % GDP37.9%34.8%33.2%32.6%32.5%

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook via the IMF DataMapper API. Years from 2026 are IMF projections; recent years may be estimates and are revised in each WEO round (April and October).

2025 at a glance

New FDI from Nicaragua
—
New Australian FDI in Nicaragua
—
Direct investment income paid to investors
—
Direct investment income earned by Australians
—

Nicaragua globally (World Bank)

FDI outflows, 2024
$74 m · 96th
FDI inflows, 2024
$1.4 bn
GDP, 2025
$22.2 bn
Region · income
Latin America & Caribbean · Lower-middle income

Regulatory openness (OECD FDIRRI)

OECD index data loading — see FDI openness

Sources: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (cat. 5352.0), 2025 release, released 2026-05-06 — levels at 31 December and calendar-year flows and income, A$ millions, immediate counterparty basis (investment routed via third economies is attributed to the intermediate economy). World Bank WDI (US$). OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index. np = not published for confidentiality; included in totalsPrepared independently by FDIstats from public statistics; not an Australian Government publication and not investment advice. For foreign investment rules, see the Treasury and FIRB.