Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho

Lesotho: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 65.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
65.4%
World rank
70th
of 199 countries
All-time high
72.9%
in 1999
All-time low
41.1%
in 1996
Years of data
11
1966–2024

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho, 1966–2024

0204060801966199520241966: 51.41976: 44.31986: 55.51996: 41.11997: 61.71999: 72.92006: 44.32008: 45.22013: 65.22019: 57.72024: 65.4

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2024, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho stood at 65.4%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho peaked at 72.9% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 41.1%, in 1996.

Lesotho ranks 70th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate) in Lesotho, 1966 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1966 51.4%
1976 44.3% -13.8%
1986 55.5% +25.3%
1996 41.1% -25.9%
1997 61.7% +50.0%
1999 72.9% +18.2%
2006 44.3% -39.3%
2008 45.2% +2.1%
2013 65.2% +44.4%
2019 57.7% -11.6%
2024 65.4% +13.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 51.4% 51.4% 51.4% 1
1970s 44.3% 44.3% 44.3% 1
1980s 55.5% 55.5% 55.5% 1
1990s 58.6% 41.1% 72.9% 3
2000s 44.7% 44.3% 45.2% 2
2010s 61.4% 57.7% 65.2% 2
2020s 65.4% 65.4% 65.4% 1

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 67 Azerbaijan 65.7% compare
  2. 68 Norway 65.5% compare
  3. 69 Uruguay 65.5% compare
  4. 71 Cameroon 65.3% compare
  5. 72 Armenia 65.3% compare
  6. 73 Canada 65.3% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More work & labour data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

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 65.4% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), 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 72.9% in 1999.
What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 41.1% in 1996.
How does Lesotho rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
Lesotho ranks 70th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-participation-rate-total-percent-of-total-population-ages-15-national-estimate/lesotho/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-participation-rate-total-percent-of-total-population-ages-15-national-estimate/lesotho/">Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Lesotho</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,713 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.