Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nepal

Nepal: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 10.7% in 2017. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2017)
10.7%
Change on year
up 243.9%
World rank
27th
of 185 countries
All-time high
10.7%
in 2017
All-time low
1.4%
in 2008
Years of data
6
1996–2017

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nepal, 1996–2017

2468101996200620171996: 4.5 %1999: 1.8 %2003: 1.5 %2008: 1.4 %2015: 3.1 %2017: 10.7 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nepal is 10.7%, measured in 2017. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 243.9% on the previous year and up 673.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nepal peaked at 10.7% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2008.

That places Nepal 27th out of 185 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.

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. 24 Northern Mariana Islands 11.2% compare
  2. 25 Dominica 11.0% compare
  3. 26 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.7% compare
  4. 28 Spain 10.5% compare
  5. 29 Mauritania 10.4% compare
  6. 30 Angola 10.4% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Nepal

All data for Nepal →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nepal?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nepal was 10.7% in 2017, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Nepal?
The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 2017.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Nepal?
The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2008.
How does Nepal rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Nepal ranks 27th out of 185 countries with data for 2017.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates 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, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.