Unemployment rate in Nepal
Nepal: Unemployment rate was 10.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Nepal, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Nepal is 10.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Nepal peaked at 13.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 10.4%, in 2023.
That places Nepal 36th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 10.5% | — |
| 1992 | 10.5% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 10.5% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 10.5% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 10.5% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 10.4% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 10.5% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 10.5% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 10.5% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 10.5% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 10.5% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 10.6% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 10.7% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 10.6% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 10.6% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 10.6% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 10.6% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 10.6% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 10.6% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 10.6% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 10.7% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 10.6% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 10.6% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 10.7% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 10.7% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 10.6% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 10.5% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 13.0% | +24.4% |
| 2021 | 12.2% | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 10.7% | -12.9% |
| 2023 | 10.4% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 10.5% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 10.5% | -0.3% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 10.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.1%, 2.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 10.5% is above the median for South Asia, which is 4.1%, 2.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.5% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.6% | 10.5% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 10.5% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.2% | 10.4% | 13.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More work & labour data for Nepal
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.568 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.6174 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8524 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,496 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 22,611 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 16,146 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 15,685 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 31,831 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Nepal?
- Unemployment rate in Nepal was 10.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 13.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.4% in 2023.
- How does Nepal rank for unemployment rate?
- Nepal ranks 36th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.