Unemployment rate in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Unemployment rate was 5.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
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 unemployment rate 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 rate in Nicaragua peaked at 8.2% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 2017.
That places Nicaragua 99th 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.
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 work & labour data for Nicaragua
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 69.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 51.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 62.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 81.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 66.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 54.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Nicaragua?
- Unemployment rate in Nicaragua was 5.0% 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 Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 8.2% in 2009.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 2017.
- How does Nicaragua rank for unemployment rate?
- Nicaragua ranks 99th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate 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, 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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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.