Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 5.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Nicaragua, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Nicaragua is 5.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 17.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Nicaragua peaked at 7.8% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 2017.
That places Nicaragua 93rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.8% | — |
| 1992 | 7.7% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 7.6% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 7.3% | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 7.0% | -4.2% |
| 1997 | 7.0% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 7.1% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 7.0% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 7.0% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 7.1% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 7.4% | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 7.5% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 5.6% | -25.1% |
| 2005 | 5.2% | -8.0% |
| 2006 | 5.5% | +6.6% |
| 2007 | 4.8% | -12.5% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | +20.1% |
| 2009 | 7.6% | +32.1% |
| 2010 | 7.3% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 6.2% | -15.6% |
| 2012 | 4.9% | -21.5% |
| 2013 | 5.2% | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 3.8% | -25.6% |
| 2015 | 4.2% | +10.3% |
| 2016 | 3.7% | -13.5% |
| 2017 | 3.2% | -13.2% |
| 2018 | 5.2% | +62.3% |
| 2019 | 5.4% | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 6.3% | +15.4% |
| 2021 | 6.1% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 4.9% | -20.2% |
| 2023 | 4.6% | -5.9% |
| 2024 | 4.9% | +6.5% |
| 2025 | 5.0% | +1.1% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 5.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.3%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 5.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.7%, 88% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Nicaragua changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +62.3% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.4% | 7.0% | 7.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.3% | 4.8% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 3.2% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More education data for Nicaragua
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 12,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 85,306 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 132,281 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 131,337 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 463,660 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 880,080 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9095 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.129 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Nicaragua?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Nicaragua was 5.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 7.8% in 1991.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 2017.
- How does Nicaragua rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Nicaragua ranks 93rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.