Nicaragua — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Nicaragua, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Nicaragua was 5.04% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 8.16% in 2009. The lowest was 3.30% in 2017 (about 1.5× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.32% per year.
Nicaragua ranks 100 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 53%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 5.99%, so Nicaragua sits below it. It peaked in 2009 and has fallen 38% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 7%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 21 of 31 economies; Honduras (4.92%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 58% in 2018.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 74th of 187 in 1991 → 90th of 187 in 2000 → 78th of 187 in 2010 → 96th of 187 in 2020 → 95th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 4.98% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 4.7% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 4.97% | -1.1 pp |
| 2021 | 6.08% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 6.18% | +0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 5.46% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 5.2% | +1.9 pp |
| 2017 | 3.3% | -0.6 pp |
| 2016 | 3.9% | -0.8 pp |
| 2015 | 4.7% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 4.52% | -0.8 pp |
| 2013 | 5.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 5.21% | -1.4 pp |
| 2011 | 6.61% | -1.2 pp |
| 2010 | 7.83% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 8.16% | +2.0 pp |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +1.3 pp |
| 2007 | 4.89% | -0.4 pp |
| 2006 | 5.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 5.37% | -1.0 pp |
| 2004 | 6.41% | -1.2 pp |
| 2003 | 7.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 7.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 7.22% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 7.18% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 7.18% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 7.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 7.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 7.12% | -0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 7.41% | -0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 7.67% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 7.83% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 7.81% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 7.91% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Nicaragua’s Unemployment in 1992?
7.81% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Nicaragua’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -36.3% in total — about 1.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 5.04%; 2024: 4.98%; 2023: 4.7%; 2022: 4.97%; 2021: 6.08%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.