Economically active population in agriculture in Lesotho
Lesotho: Economically active population in agriculture was 368,000 number in 2012. ▲ Rising
Latest (2012)
368,000 number
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
41st
of 53 countries
All-time high
368,000 number
in 2012
All-time low
244,000 number
in 1980
Years of data
33
1980–2012
Economically active population in agriculture in Lesotho, 1980–2012
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2012, economically active population in agriculture in Lesotho stood at 368,000 number. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economically active population in agriculture in Lesotho peaked at 368,000 number in 2012 and was at its lowest, 244,000 number, in 1980.
Lesotho ranks 41st of 53 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Economically active population in agriculture in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 244,000 number | — |
| 1981 | 250,000 number | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 256,000 number | +2.4% |
| 1983 | 261,000 number | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 268,000 number | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 275,000 number | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 280,000 number | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 285,000 number | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 290,000 number | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 296,000 number | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 301,000 number | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 305,000 number | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 309,000 number | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 313,000 number | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 317,000 number | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 322,000 number | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 328,000 number | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 333,000 number | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 339,000 number | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 344,000 number | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 348,000 number | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 351,000 number | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 353,000 number | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 354,000 number | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 356,000 number | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 357,000 number | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 358,000 number | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 357,000 number | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 358,000 number | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 360,000 number | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 362,000 number | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 365,000 number | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 368,000 number | +0.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 368,000 number is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.87 million number, 13% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 368,000 number is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.81 million number, 13% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 270,500 number | 244,000 number | 296,000 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 321,100 number | 301,000 number | 344,000 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 355,200 number | 348,000 number | 360,000 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 365,000 number | 362,000 number | 368,000 number | 3 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is economically active population in agriculture in Lesotho?
- Economically active population in agriculture in Lesotho was 368,000 number in 2012, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files.
- What is the highest economically active population in agriculture recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 368,000 number in 2012.
- What is the lowest economically active population in agriculture recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 244,000 number in 1980.
- How does Lesotho rank for economically active population in agriculture?
- Lesotho ranks 41st out of 53 countries with data for 2012.
- Is economically active population in agriculture rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, Production Yearbook and data files, published as part of Economically active population in agriculture (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Agricultural employment shows the number of workers in the agricultural sector.