Employment rate in Lesotho
Lesotho: Employment rate was 47.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment rate in Lesotho, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, employment rate in Lesotho stood at 47.8%.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Lesotho peaked at 62.3% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 46.5%, in 2021.
That places Lesotho 152nd 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 61.8% | 61.1% | 62.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 58.8% | 56.7% | 60.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.8% | 47.9% | 56.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.5% | 46.5% | 48.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More work & labour data for Lesotho
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 71.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 23.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 66.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 50.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 48.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Lesotho?
- Employment rate in Lesotho was 47.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 62.3% in 1992.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.5% in 2021.
- How does Lesotho rank for employment rate?
- Lesotho ranks 152nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.