Nepal Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Nepal's unemployment rate was 10.47% in 2025, ranked 149th globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Nepal's unemployment rate stood at 10.47% in 2025, a decline of +0.04pp from 2024. Nepal ranked 149th globally.
Since 1991 Nepal’s unemployment rate has remained remarkably stable at 10.46 percent, matching the figure recorded in the World Bank’s 2025 dataset that places the country 149th globally. The rate’s narrow swing peaked at 13.04 percent in 2020, a spike that coincided with the global COVID‑19 shock, before falling to an all‑time trough of 10.44 percent in 2023. Over the 35‑year span the labor market has shown little long‑term movement, keeping Nepal’s performance close to peers such as Spain, whose unemployment stands at 10.38 percent, and Albania at 10.93 percent. The persistence of a roughly ten‑percent unemployment level suggests structural constraints in job creation rather than cyclical fluctuations. Continued investment in skills development and diversification of the economy will be essential to push the rate below the current plateau and alter the modest downward trajectory observed since the 2023 trough.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10.47% | −0.04pp | #149 |
| 2024 | 10.50% | +0.06pp | #153 |
| 2023 | 10.44% | −0.22pp | #151 |
| 2022 | 10.66% | −1.58pp | #151 |
| 2021 | 12.24% | −0.80pp | #154 |
| 2020 | 13.04% | +2.56pp | #153 |
| 2019 | 10.48% | −0.12pp | #148 |
| 2018 | 10.59% | −0.07pp | #148 |
| 2017 | 10.66% | −0.05pp | #144 |
| 2016 | 10.71% | +0.07pp | #144 |
| 2015 | 10.64% | +0.02pp | #144 |
| 2014 | 10.62% | −0.05pp | #139 |
| 2013 | 10.67% | +0.03pp | #139 |
| 2012 | 10.63% | +0.00pp | #136 |
| 2011 | 10.63% | +0.06pp | #140 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Nepal matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2016. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Nepal's unemployment rate was 10.47% in 2025. Ranked 149th globally. This represents a 0.3% decrease from the previous year.
Nepal's unemployment rate peaked at 13.04% in 2020.
The lowest unemployment rate in Nepal was 10.44% in 2023.
Nepal ranks 149th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The unemployment rate of Nepal in 2025 was 10.47%. This ranks 149th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_nepal_unemployment-rate,
title = {Nepal Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/nepal/unemployment-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}