Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 59.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Lesotho, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 59.1% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Lesotho peaked at 74.7% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 58.7%, in 2021.
Lesotho ranks 150th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 74.7% | — |
| 1991 | 74.7% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 74.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 74.7% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 74.7% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 74.6% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 74.5% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 74.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 74.3% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 74.1% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 73.7% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 73.2% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 72.7% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 72.2% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 71.7% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 71.2% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 70.7% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 70.1% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 69.5% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 69.0% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 68.4% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 67.9% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 67.3% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 66.7% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 65.6% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 64.5% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 63.3% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 62.0% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 60.8% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 59.6% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 59.0% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 58.7% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 59.4% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 59.4% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 59.4% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 59.1% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 74.5% | 74.1% | 74.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.4% | 69.0% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.6% | 59.6% | 68.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.1% | 58.7% | 59.4% | 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 labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Lesotho?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Lesotho was 59.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 74.7% in 1992.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.7% in 2021.
- How does Lesotho rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Lesotho ranks 150th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.4%. 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 Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.