Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nicaragua

Nicaragua: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 5.2% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
5.2%
Change on year
up 57.6%
World rank
96th
of 185 countries
All-time high
10.4%
in 1996
All-time low
3.2%
in 1985
Years of data
25
1985–2018

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nicaragua, 1985–2018

468101985200120181985: 3.2 %1986: 4.7 %1987: 5.8 %1988: 6 %1989: 8.7 %1990: 10 %1996: 10.4 %1998: 7.5 %1999: 4.8 %2001: 4.1 %2003: 7.6 %2004: 6.4 %2005: 5.4 %2006: 5.3 %2007: 4.9 %2008: 6.2 %2009: 8.2 %2010: 7.8 %2012: 5.2 %2013: 5.3 %2014: 4.5 %2015: 4.7 %2016: 3.9 %2017: 3.3 %2018: 5.2 %

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

Analysis

In 2018, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nicaragua stood at 5.2%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 57.6% on the previous year and down 16.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nicaragua peaked at 10.4% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 1985.

That places Nicaragua 96th out of 185 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 5.7% 3.2% 8.7% 5
1990s 8.2% 4.8% 10.4% 4
2000s 6.0% 4.1% 8.2% 8
2010s 5.0% 3.3% 7.8% 8

Countries ranked near Nicaragua

  1. 93 Uzbekistan 5.3% compare
  2. 94 New Zealand 5.3% compare
  3. 95 Mauritius 5.2% compare
  4. 97 Dominican Republic 5.2% compare
  5. 98 Nauru 5.1% compare
  6. 99 Samoa 5.0% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Nicaragua

All data for Nicaragua →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nicaragua?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Nicaragua was 5.2% in 2018, 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 Nicaragua?
The highest recorded value was 10.4% in 1996.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Nicaragua?
The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 1985.
How does Nicaragua rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Nicaragua ranks 96th out of 185 countries with data for 2018.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Nicaragua?
Over the last ten years it is down 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Nicaragua 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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CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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.