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Labour · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income

Lesotho: the labour market

Labour force is 889,530 (2025), 148th of 187 in the world and 39th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Participation rate is 57.1% (2025), 128th of 187 in the world and 34th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women's participation is 48.1% (2025), 124th of 187 in the world and 36th of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Labour force889,5302025 · world 148/187 · region 39/47Participation rate57.1%2025 · world 128/187 · region 34/47Women's participation48.1%2025 · world 124/187 · region 36/47Employment rate47.8%2025 · world 153/187 · region 38/47
Labour force
Lesotho
800,000820,000840,000860,000880,000900,0001995200020052010201520202025Lesotho889,530
Participation rate
LesothoSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Lesotho57.1%Sub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Lesotho in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total889,5302025148/18739/47876,334848,407819,139+6.2%since 2015527m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+57.1%2025128/18734/4772.4%67.0%57.1%−5.7 ppsince 201570.3%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+48.1%2025124/18736/4766.7%59.5%48.5%−6.4 ppsince 201565.2%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)47.8%2025153/18738/4760.7%56.2%46.6%−4.8 ppsince 201566.3%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)16.3%202514/1878/4716.2%16.1%18.4%+0.1 ppsince 20155.7%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)18.4%202517/1877/4718.1%18.1%20.6%+0.1 ppsince 20156.3%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)24.7%202532/18710/4722.4%23.0%28.2%+0.7 ppsince 201510.1%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %38.0%202415/1709/44··35.2%2019——21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment61.5%2025106/1879/4756.5%59.6%60.8%+0.7 ppsince 201522.3%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)32.6%202586/18740/4737.5%34.5%33.3%−0.6 ppsince 201571.0%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment30.9%202557/18736/4736.0%31.9%31.5%+1.0 ppsince 201549.3%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment33.0%20259/1871/4718.4%27.8%33.3%+0.3 ppsince 201512.2%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment36.1%2025164/18728/4745.6%40.2%35.2%−1.3 ppsince 201538.5%37.8%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Lesotho and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Lesotho. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorLesothoSouth Africa
Labour force889,530202526.7m2025
Participation rate57.1%202555.6%2025
Women's participation48.1%202549.9%2025
Employment rate47.8%202537.6%2025
Unemployment16.3%202532.4%2025
Female unemployment18.4%202534.0%2025
Youth unemployment24.7%202559.9%2025
Youth NEET rate38.0%202434.6%2024
Wage workers61.5%202582.7%2025
South Africa: labour
Labour in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesLesotho: all key statisticscountry profile