Labor force, total in Lesotho
Lesotho: Labor force, total was 889,530 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force, total in Lesotho, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, total in Lesotho is 889,530, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, total in Lesotho peaked at 889,530 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 761,128, in 1990.
Lesotho ranks 148th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Labor force, total in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 761,128 | — |
| 1991 | 775,070 | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 789,181 | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 803,287 | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 817,270 | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 831,046 | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 843,925 | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 855,421 | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 865,579 | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 874,102 | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 876,334 | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 876,220 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 874,139 | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 869,919 | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 862,883 | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 853,090 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 847,150 | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 847,339 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 848,116 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 848,288 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 848,407 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 848,921 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 850,066 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 851,501 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 844,443 | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 837,276 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 830,732 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 825,264 | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 820,144 | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 814,339 | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 819,139 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 827,248 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 850,547 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 864,326 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 878,864 | +1.7% |
| 2025 | 889,530 | +1.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 889,530 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.00 million, 18% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 889,530 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.13 million, 15% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 821,601 | 761,128 | 874,102 | 10 |
| 2000s | 860,348 | 847,150 | 876,334 | 10 |
| 2010s | 837,109 | 814,339 | 851,501 | 10 |
| 2020s | 854,942 | 819,139 | 889,530 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, total in Lesotho?
- Labor force, total in Lesotho was 889,530 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, total recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 889,530 in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, total recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 761,128 in 1990.
- How does Lesotho rank for labor force, total?
- Lesotho ranks 148th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, total rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, total. 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 comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.