Labor force participation rate in Lesotho
Lesotho: Labor force participation rate was 57.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
57.1%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
128th
of 186 countries
All-time high
73.7%
in 1990
All-time low
56.8%
in 2021
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Lesotho, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Lesotho stood at 57.1%.
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 in Lesotho peaked at 73.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 56.8%, in 2021.
Lesotho ranks 128th of 186 countries on this measure, 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 in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | 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% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 57.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 99% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 57.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 89% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
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 in Lesotho?
- Labor force participation rate in Lesotho was 57.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 73.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.8% in 2021.
- How does Lesotho rank for labor force participation rate?
- Lesotho ranks 128th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate 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, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. 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).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).