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Nicaragua Unemployment Rate

Unemployment as % of total labor force  SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS

5.04% +1.68pp (+49.9%)
Year 2025 Rank #87 Global Peak 15.50% (1990) Source World Bank

Nicaragua Unemployment Rate (1980–2025)

Overview

Nicaragua's unemployment rate stood at 5.04% in 2025, a rise of +1.68pp from 2024. The IMF projects 3.36% by 2025. Nicaragua ranked 87th globally.

Data & projection

Year Unemployment Rate YoY change Rank
2030* IMF 3.36% - -
2029* IMF 3.36% - -
2028* IMF 3.36% - -
2027* IMF 3.36% - -
2026* IMF 3.36% - -
2025* IMF 3.36% - -
2025 5.04% +1.68pp #87
2024 4.98% +1.62pp #91
2023 4.70% +1.17pp #87
2022 4.97% +1.30pp #87
2021 6.08% +1.26pp #97
2020 6.18% +1.25pp #94
2019 5.46% +0.21pp #101
2018 5.20% +1.93pp #93
2017 3.30% −0.55pp #38
2016 3.90% −0.80pp #49
2015 4.70% −1.86pp #69
2014 4.52% −1.23pp #63
2013 5.28% −0.63pp #77
2012 5.21% −0.72pp #78
2011 6.61% −1.22pp #95
Show all years (1980-2025)
* IMF World Economic Outlook projection

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +12.1% GDP growth 3.6% C/A balance 4.2%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

Nicaragua matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nicaragua's unemployment rate?

Nicaragua's unemployment rate was 5.04% in 2025. Ranked 87th globally. This represents a 49.9% increase from the previous year.

What was the highest unemployment rate in Nicaragua?

Nicaragua's unemployment rate peaked at 15.50% in 1990.

What was the lowest unemployment rate in Nicaragua?

The lowest unemployment rate in Nicaragua was 3.30% in 2017.

How does Nicaragua rank in unemployment rate?

Nicaragua ranks 87th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for unemployment rate?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected unemployment rate of Nicaragua in 2025?

Nicaragua's unemployment rate is projected to reach 3.36% by 2025 based on IMF projection.

What is the unemployment rate of Nicaragua in 2025?

The unemployment rate of Nicaragua in 2025 was 5.04%. This ranks 87th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Nicaragua Unemployment Rate. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/nicaragua/unemployment-rate
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_nicaragua_unemployment-rate, title = {Nicaragua Unemployment Rate}, url = {https://historysaid.com/nicaragua/unemployment-rate}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }