Female labor force participation rates in Lesotho
Lesotho: Female labor force participation rates was 48.09 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
48.09
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
123rd
of 186 countries
All-time high
67.39
in 1999
All-time low
48.09
in 2025
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in Lesotho, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rates in Lesotho is 48.09, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in Lesotho peaked at 67.39 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 48.09, in 2025.
That places Lesotho 123rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66.65 | — |
| 1991 | 66.66 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 66.69 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 66.74 | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 66.81 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 66.9 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 66.99 | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 67.1 | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 67.24 | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 67.39 | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 66.71 | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 66.02 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 65.33 | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 64.62 | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 63.91 | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 63.2 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 62.47 | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 61.75 | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 61.02 | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 60.28 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 59.54 | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 58.79 | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 58.04 | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 57.28 | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 55.91 | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 54.53 | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 53.15 | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 51.75 | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 50.36 | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 48.96 | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 48.49 | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 48.25 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 48.44 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 48.43 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 48.46 | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 48.09 | -0.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 48.09 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.67, 97% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 48.09 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.3, 84% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 66.92 | 66.65 | 67.39 | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.53 | 60.28 | 66.71 | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.83 | 48.96 | 59.54 | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.36 | 48.09 | 48.49 | 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 female labor force participation rates in Lesotho?
- Female labor force participation rates in Lesotho was 48.09 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 67.39 in 1999.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.09 in 2025.
- How does Lesotho rank for female labor force participation rates?
- Lesotho ranks 123rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).