Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 14.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Lesotho, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Lesotho stood at 14.7%.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Lesotho peaked at 16.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 13.7%, in 1992.
That places Lesotho 13th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13.7% | — |
| 1992 | 13.7% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 13.8% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 13.8% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 14.0% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 13.9% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 14.0% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 14.1% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 14.3% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 14.3% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 14.2% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 14.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 14.2% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 14.3% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 14.2% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 14.3% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 14.2% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 14.1% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 14.3% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 14.3% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 14.3% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 14.0% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 14.2% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 14.3% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 14.5% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 14.4% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 14.6% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 14.9% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 15.1% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | +10.1% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 14.8% | -9.8% |
| 2023 | 14.6% | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 14.6% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 14.7% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.9% | 13.7% | 14.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 14.2% | 14.1% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.5% | 14.0% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.3% | 14.6% | 16.6% | 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 unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Lesotho?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Lesotho was 14.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 16.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.7% in 1992.
- How does Lesotho rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Lesotho ranks 13th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.