Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) was 16.52 in 2027. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in Lesotho, 1991–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in Lesotho stood at 16.52.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in Lesotho peaked at 18.39 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 15.45, in 1992.
Lesotho ranks 13th of 188 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 15.49 | — |
| 1992 | 15.45 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 15.57 | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 15.62 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 15.8 | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 15.71 | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 15.82 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 15.91 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 16.17 | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 16.17 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 16.08 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 16.08 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 16.06 | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 16.15 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 16.03 | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 16.05 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 15.94 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 15.85 | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 16.11 | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 16.07 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 16.11 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 15.76 | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 15.93 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 16.07 | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 16.22 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 16.14 | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 16.38 | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 16.61 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 16.88 | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 18.39 | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 18.21 | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 16.62 | -8.7% |
| 2023 | 16.35 | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 16.34 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 16.32 | -0.2% |
| 2026 | 16.39 | +0.5% |
| 2027 | 16.52 | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.73 | 15.45 | 16.17 | 9 |
| 2000s | 16.05 | 15.85 | 16.17 | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.22 | 15.76 | 16.88 | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.89 | 16.32 | 18.39 | 8 |
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 unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in Lesotho?
- Unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in Lesotho was 16.52 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 18.39 in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.45 in 1992.
- How does Lesotho rank for unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates)?
- Lesotho ranks 13th out of 188 countries with data for 2027.
- Is unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.