Employment in services (% of total employment) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 36.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Lesotho, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 36.1% for employment in services (% of total employment) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Lesotho peaked at 48.2% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 34.9%, in 2021.
Lesotho ranks 164th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 47.6% | — |
| 1992 | 47.5% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 47.8% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 47.9% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 48.0% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 48.2% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 47.7% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 46.9% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 46.2% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 45.6% | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 45.0% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 44.7% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 44.0% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 43.4% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 42.9% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 42.4% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 41.8% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 41.2% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 40.9% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 40.2% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 39.6% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 38.9% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 38.4% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 38.0% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 37.4% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 36.8% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 36.5% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 36.2% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 35.8% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 35.2% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 34.9% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 35.2% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 35.5% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 35.8% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 36.1% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 47.5% | 46.2% | 48.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 43.2% | 40.9% | 45.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.8% | 35.8% | 40.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.5% | 34.9% | 36.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 161 Bangladesh 37.7% compare
- 162 Republic of Moldova 36.9% compare
- 163 Myanmar 36.9% compare
- 165 Zambia 35.2% compare
- 166 Equatorial Guinea 34.7% compare
- 167 South Sudan 34.6% compare
More work & labour data for Lesotho
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1902 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1964 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1849 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.293 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.37 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,485 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,719 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,674 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,586 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,259 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Lesotho?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in Lesotho was 36.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 48.2% in 1996.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.9% in 2021.
- How does Lesotho rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- Lesotho ranks 164th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).