Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Lesotho

Self-employed in Lesotho in 2025 — 38.5%. Ranked 80 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 8.3 pp.

2025 38.5% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 80of 182
Period maximum 46.8%1991
Period minimum 38.5%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Lesotho, 1991–202537.54042.54547.519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 46.8%1992: 46.3%1993: 45.9%1994: 45.5%1995: 45.1%1996: 44.7%1997: 44.4%1998: 44.1%1999: 43.8%2000: 43.5%2001: 43.2%2002: 42.9%2003: 42.6%2004: 42.3%2005: 41.9%2006: 41.6%2007: 41.2%2008: 40.8%2009: 40.6%2010: 40.4%2011: 40.1%2012: 39.8%2013: 39.6%2014: 39.4%2015: 39.2%2016: 39%2017: 39%2018: 39%2019: 39.1%2020: 39.2%2021: 38.6%2022: 38.7%2023: 38.7%2024: 38.6%2025: 38.5%
Change over the period: −8.3 pp Annual average: -0.24 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Lesotho

Lesotho 38.5%
World 46.4%
Southern Africa computed 19.2%
Self-employed — Lesotho, by year Lesotho All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 38.5 −0.1 pp
2024 38.6 −0.1 pp
2023 38.7 +0.1 pp
2022 38.7 +0 pp
2021 38.6 −0.5 pp
2020 39.2 +0.1 pp
2019 39.1 +0.1 pp
2018 39 −0 pp
2017 39 −0 pp
2016 39 −0.2 pp
2015 39.2 −0.2 pp
2014 39.4 −0.2 pp
2013 39.6 −0.2 pp
2012 39.8 −0.3 pp
2011 40.1 −0.3 pp
2010 40.4 −0.2 pp
2009 40.6 −0.2 pp
2008 40.8 −0.4 pp
2007 41.2 −0.4 pp
2006 41.6 −0.4 pp
2005 41.9 −0.4 pp
2004 42.3 −0.3 pp
2003 42.6 −0.3 pp
2002 42.9 −0.3 pp
2001 43.2 −0.3 pp
2000 43.5 −0.3 pp
1999 43.8 −0.3 pp
1998 44.1 −0.3 pp
1997 44.4 −0.3 pp
1996 44.7 −0.4 pp
1995 45.1 −0.4 pp
1994 45.5 −0.4 pp
1993 45.9 −0.4 pp
1992 46.3 −0.5 pp
1991 46.8

Southern Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.