Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 9.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Nicaragua, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Nicaragua stood at 9.5%.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Nicaragua peaked at 12.7% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 2017.
Nicaragua ranks 121st of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | 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% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 9.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.1%, 94% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 9.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 14.0%, 68% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Nicaragua changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +55.4% | 6.3% | 9.7% |
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 unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Nicaragua?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Nicaragua was 9.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 12.7% in 2009.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 2017.
- How does Nicaragua rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Nicaragua ranks 121st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) 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 database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.