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Lesotho Labor Force Participation

Labor force participation rate  SL.TLF.CACT.ZS

57.12% −0.30pp (-0.5%)
Year 2025 Rank #127 Global Peak 73.67% (1990) Source World Bank

Lesotho Labor Force Participation (1990–2025)

Overview

Lesotho's labor force participation stood at 57.12% in 2025, a decline of +0.30pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 57.43% by 2026. Lesotho ranked 127th globally.

Data & projection

Year Labor Force Participation YoY change Rank
2028* trend 57.54% - -
2027* trend 57.48% - -
2026* trend 57.43% - -
2025 57.12% −0.30pp #127
2024 57.42% −0.04pp #125
2023 57.46% −0.04pp #125
2022 57.50% +0.70pp #127
2021 56.80% −0.31pp #125
2020 57.11% −0.55pp #117
2019 57.66% −1.30pp #125
2018 58.96% −1.29pp #115
2017 60.24% −1.27pp #99
2016 61.52% −1.26pp #90
2015 62.78% −1.24pp #78
2014 64.02% −1.22pp #70
2013 65.24% −0.58pp #60
2012 65.82% −0.58pp #56
2011 66.40% −0.57pp #54
Show all years (1990-2025)
* Linear trend extrapolation

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +18.0% GDP growth 2.9% C/A balance 3.9%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

Lesotho matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw labor force participation improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lesotho's labor force participation?

Lesotho's labor force participation was 57.12% in 2025. Ranked 127th globally. This represents a 0.5% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest labor force participation in Lesotho?

Lesotho's labor force participation peaked at 73.67% in 1990.

What was the lowest labor force participation in Lesotho?

The lowest labor force participation in Lesotho was 56.80% in 2021.

How does Lesotho rank in labor force participation?

Lesotho ranks 127th globally in labor force participation as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for labor force participation?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected labor force participation of Lesotho in 2026?

Lesotho's labor force participation is projected to reach 57.43% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.

What is the labor force participation of Lesotho in 2025?

The labor force participation of Lesotho in 2025 was 57.12%. This ranks 127th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Lesotho Labor Force Participation. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 2, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/lesotho/labor-force-participation
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_lesotho_labor-force-participation, title = {Lesotho Labor Force Participation}, url = {https://historysaid.com/lesotho/labor-force-participation}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }