Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) was 39.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) in Lesotho, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) in Lesotho stood at 39.2%.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) in Lesotho peaked at 55.2% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 38.4%, in 2021.
That places Lesotho 142nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 55.0% | — |
| 1992 | 55.1% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 55.0% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 55.1% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 55.0% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 55.2% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 55.2% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 55.2% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 55.2% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 54.6% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 54.1% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 53.5% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 53.0% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 52.3% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 51.8% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 51.2% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 50.7% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 50.1% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 49.3% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 48.8% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 48.1% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 47.7% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 47.0% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 45.8% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 44.5% | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 43.4% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 42.2% | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 40.9% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 39.6% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 38.5% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 38.4% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 39.3% | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 39.4% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 39.5% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 39.2% | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 55.1% | 55.0% | 55.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 52.1% | 49.3% | 54.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.8% | 39.6% | 48.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.1% | 38.4% | 39.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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 to population ratio, 15+, female (%) in Lesotho?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) in Lesotho was 39.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 55.2% in 1998.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.4% in 2021.
- How does Lesotho rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%)?
- Lesotho ranks 142nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. 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 to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.