Lesotho: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)
In , Lesotho's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 16.32.
That's down 0.2% from 2024, the highest value since .
The global average for this indicator in 2025 was 6.73 . Lesotho ranks #13 globally out of 182 reporting countries. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #8 of 45.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS) • Data as of 2025
Trend (2006–2025)
- 2008 · Global financial crisis
- 2020 · COVID-19 pandemic
Highlights
- Peak
- 18.39
- Trough
- 15.76
- 1-year change
- -0.2%
- 5-year change
- -11.3%
- -2.4% / yr
- 10-year change
- +0.6%
- +0.1% / yr
Historical Data — Last 10 Years
| Year | Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) |
|---|---|
| 16.3150 | |
| 16.3400 | |
| 16.3480 | |
| 16.6230 | |
| 18.2140 | |
| 18.3850 | |
| 16.8760 | |
| 16.6140 | |
| 16.3790 | |
| 16.1380 |
About Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
Indicator code: SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS • Category: Labor & Business
Frequently asked questions
- What was Lesotho's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in 2025?
- In 2025, Lesotho's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 16.32, according to World Bank Open Data.
- Is Lesotho's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) rising or falling?
- Lesotho's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) fell 0.2% from 2024 to 2025.
- How does Lesotho rank globally on Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate)?
- In 2025, Lesotho ranked #13 out of 182 countries reporting Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate).
- How does Lesotho's Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) compare to the world average?
- The global average for Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in 2025 was 6.73, so Lesotho is above the world average. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, it ranks #8 of 45.
- What is Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) and how is it measured?
- Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
Source: World Bank Open Data (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS), CC BY 4.0.