Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 5.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nicaragua, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nicaragua is 5.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nicaragua peaked at 8.2% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 2017.
That places Nicaragua 100th 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, total (% of total labor force) in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.9% | — |
| 1992 | 7.8% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 7.8% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 7.7% | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 7.4% | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 7.1% | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 7.1% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 7.2% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 7.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 7.2% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 7.2% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 7.5% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 7.6% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 6.4% | -15.7% |
| 2005 | 5.4% | -16.2% |
| 2006 | 5.3% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 4.9% | -7.9% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +26.8% |
| 2009 | 8.2% | +31.6% |
| 2010 | 7.8% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 6.6% | -15.5% |
| 2012 | 5.2% | -21.2% |
| 2013 | 5.3% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 4.5% | -14.4% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 3.9% | -17.0% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | -15.4% |
| 2018 | 5.2% | +57.6% |
| 2019 | 5.5% | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 6.2% | +13.2% |
| 2021 | 6.1% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | -18.2% |
| 2023 | 4.7% | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | +6.0% |
| 2025 | 5.0% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.5% | 7.1% | 7.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.6% | 4.9% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.2% | 3.3% | 7.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 4.7% | 6.2% | 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, total (% of total labor force) in Nicaragua?
- Unemployment, total (% of total 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, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 8.2% in 2009.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 2017.
- How does Nicaragua rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Nicaragua ranks 100th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.