Youth unemployment rate in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Youth unemployment rate was 9.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Youth unemployment rate in Nicaragua, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth unemployment rate in Nicaragua is 9.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth unemployment rate in Nicaragua peaked at 12.7% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 2017.
That places Nicaragua 120th out of 186 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.
Youth unemployment rate in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.0% | — |
| 1992 | 11.9% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 11.9% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 11.7% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 11.5% | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 11.2% | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 11.3% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 11.4% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 11.4% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 11.5% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 11.9% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 12.0% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 10.3% | -14.4% |
| 2005 | 8.7% | -15.6% |
| 2006 | 8.6% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 7.9% | -8.5% |
| 2008 | 9.9% | +25.7% |
| 2009 | 12.7% | +28.4% |
| 2010 | 12.1% | -5.0% |
| 2011 | 10.2% | -15.7% |
| 2012 | 8.1% | -20.1% |
| 2013 | 9.0% | +10.6% |
| 2014 | 8.4% | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 8.8% | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 7.3% | -16.5% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | -14.8% |
| 2018 | 9.7% | +55.4% |
| 2019 | 10.1% | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 11.4% | +13.6% |
| 2021 | 11.1% | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 9.5% | -14.1% |
| 2023 | 9.2% | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 9.6% | +4.1% |
| 2025 | 9.5% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.6% | 11.2% | 12.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.5% | 7.9% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 6.3% | 12.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More work & labour data for Nicaragua
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 1.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 1.41 % change on previous year (2023)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 1.36 % change on previous year (2023)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2248 % change on previous year (2023)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2023)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,954 1000 No (2023)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 2,653 1000 No (2023)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 3,468 1000 No (2023)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 3,356 1000 No (2023)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 6,916 1000 No (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth unemployment rate in Nicaragua?
- Youth unemployment rate in Nicaragua was 9.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest youth unemployment rate recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 12.7% in 2009.
- What is the lowest youth unemployment rate recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 2017.
- How does Nicaragua rank for youth unemployment rate?
- Nicaragua ranks 120th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is youth unemployment rate rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Youth unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force aged 15-24 without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.