Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 57.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho is 57.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho peaked at 73.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 56.8%, in 2021.
That places Lesotho 128th 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.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 73.7% | — |
| 1991 | 73.7% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 73.6% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 73.6% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 73.5% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 73.4% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 73.3% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 73.2% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 73.1% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 72.9% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 72.4% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 71.9% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 71.4% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 70.8% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 70.3% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 69.8% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 69.2% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 68.7% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 68.1% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 67.5% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 67.0% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 66.4% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 65.8% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 65.2% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 64.0% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 62.8% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 59.0% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 57.7% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 57.1% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 56.8% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 57.5% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 57.5% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 57.4% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 57.1% | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 73.4% | 72.9% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.0% | 67.5% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.0% | 57.7% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.2% | 56.8% | 57.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 125 Spain 57.4% compare
- 126 Kyrgyzstan 57.4% compare
- 127 Fiji 57.2% compare
- 129 Cape Verde 57.0% compare
- 130 Honduras 56.6% compare
- 131 New Caledonia 56.4% 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 labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho was 57.1% 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 15+) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 73.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.8% in 2021.
- How does Lesotho rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Lesotho ranks 128th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. 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+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.