Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nepal

Nepal: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 10.7% in 2017. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2017)
10.7%
Change on year
up 243.9%
World rank
29th
of 187 countries
All-time high
10.7%
in 2017
All-time low
1.4%
in 2008
Years of data
6
1996–2017

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nepal, 1996–2017

2468101996200620171996: 4.51999: 1.82003: 1.52008: 1.42015: 3.12017: 10.7

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2017, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nepal stood at 10.7%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of up 243.9% on the previous year and up 673.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nepal peaked at 10.7% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2008.

That places Nepal 29th out of 187 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nepal, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in Nepal, 1996 to 2017.
Year Value Change
1996 4.5%
1999 1.8% -59.0%
2003 1.5% -19.7%
2008 1.4% -7.0%
2015 3.1% +125.0%
2017 10.7% +243.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.2% 1.8% 4.5% 2
2000s 1.4% 1.4% 1.5% 2
2010s 6.9% 3.1% 10.7% 2

Countries ranked near Nepal

  1. 26 Kosovo 10.8% compare
  2. 26 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 10.8% compare
  3. 28 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.7% compare
  4. 30 Spain 10.5% compare
  5. 31 Mauritania 10.4% compare
  6. 32 Angola 10.4% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Nepal

All data for Nepal →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nepal?
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nepal was 10.7% in 2017, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Nepal?
The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 2017.
What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Nepal?
The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2008.
How does Nepal rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
Nepal ranks 29th out of 187 countries with data for 2017.
Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Nepal?
Over the last ten years it is up 673.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Nepal data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Nepal. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-total-percent-of-total-labor-force-national-estimate/nepal/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
220 places, 6,054 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.