Lesotho Key Statistics
Each figure carries its own unit, source and the year the source last published it.
| Indicator | Value | Unit | Source | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total population (live) | 2,363,325 | people | UN WPP 2024 base advanced by the annual growth rate | live, today |
| Land area | 30,355 | km² | UN Statistics Division, via restcountries.com | static reference |
| Population density | 78 | people per km² | Calculated: population ÷ land area | live, today |
| Annual growth rate | 1.1 | % per year | World Bank WDI · SP.POP.GROW | 2025 |
| Crude birth rate | 23.8 | births per 1,000 people | World Bank WDI · SP.DYN.CBRT.IN | 2024 |
| Crude death rate | 10.5 | deaths per 1,000 people | World Bank WDI · SP.DYN.CDRT.IN | 2024 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 57.8 | years | World Bank WDI · SP.DYN.LE00.IN | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.66 | births per woman | World Bank WDI · SP.DYN.TFRT.IN | 2024 |
| Infant mortality rate | 56.3 | deaths per 1,000 live births | World Bank WDI · SP.DYN.IMRT.IN | 2024 |
| Urban population | 44.7 | % of total population | World Bank WDI · SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS | 2025 |
| Population under 15 | 34.1 | % of total population | World Bank WDI · SP.POP.0014.TO.ZS | 2025 |
| Population 65 and over | 3.9 | % of total population | World Bank WDI · SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS | 2025 |
Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators (which republish UN, WHO and UNICEF series) and UN World Population Prospects 2024. Full details on the Sources and Methodology pages.
Lesotho Population History
1950–2023 · annual estimates · UN World Population Prospects 2024
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024, estimates series (via Our World in Data, CC BY 4.0). Data retrieved from the UN series on request.
Lesotho Population Projection to 2100
2024–2100 · UN medium-variant projection
In 2100, Lesotho is projected to reach 3,259,301 people under the UN medium variant.
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant, published via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0). Projections are scenario-based, not forecasts — see Methodology.
How Lesotho Compares
Age & Gender Distribution
Lesotho — population share by age and gender (%)
- Male
- Female
Lesotho — Health, Education & Rights Data
Latest available figures from UN agencies. The year of each figure is shown, since surveys are not run every year.
Population
- Population doubling time At the current growth rate
- 63 yrs
- Annual population growth
- 1.1%2025
- Total fertility rateBirths per woman
- 2.662024
- Life expectancy at birth
- 57.8 yrs2024
- Life expectancy, female
- 60.4 yrs2024
- Life expectancy, male
- 55.0 yrs2024
- Birth ratePer 1,000 people
- 23.82024
- Death ratePer 1,000 people
- 10.52024
- Infant mortalityPer 1,000 live births
- 56.32024
- Urban population
- 44.7%2025
Source: UN Population Division, World Population Prospects 2024
Sexual & Reproductive Health
- Maternal mortality ratioDeaths per 100,000 live births
- 4782023
- Births attended by skilled health personnel
- 86.6%2018
- Adolescent birth rateBirths per 1,000 girls aged 15–19
- 69.52024
- Universal health coverage service index
- 55 / 1002023
- New HIV infections, all agesPer 1,000 uninfected people
- 1.902024
Source: UN MMEIG (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank), UNICEF/WHO, WHO, UNAIDS
Family Planning
- Contraceptive prevalence, any method
- 67.4%2024
- Contraceptive prevalence, modern methods
- 65.3%2024
- Unmet need for family planning
- 12.6%2024
Source: UN Population Division (women aged 15–49)
Education
- Net enrolment rate, primary
- 93.3%2017
- Net enrolment rate, secondary
- 41.4%2016
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Gender, Rights & Human Capital
- Women making their own decisions on sexual & reproductive health
- 68.6%2024
Source: UNFPA, WHO / UN Women / UNICEF (violence estimates)
Harmful Practices
- Child marriage by age 18Women aged 20–24
- 13.4%2024
Source: UNICEF
Lesotho Population: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Lesotho?
Lesotho has an estimated population of 2,363,325 people. That makes it the 146th most populous country in the world out of the 250 countries tracked on this site.
Is Lesotho's population growing or shrinking?
Lesotho's population is growing by about 1.10% a year — roughly 71 more people every day. Its crude birth rate is 23.8 births per 1,000 people a year and its crude death rate is 10.5 per 1,000. Life expectancy at birth is 57.8 years.
How densely populated is Lesotho?
About 78 people live on each square kilometre of Lesotho, across a land area of 30,355 km².
Where does Lesotho rank within Africa?
Lesotho is the 45th most populous country in Africa, which has 59 countries listed on this site, and 146th in the world.
What share of the world's population lives in Lesotho?
Around 0.03% of the world's population lives in Lesotho — about 2,363,325 people out of roughly 8,500,000,000 people worldwide.
Understanding Lesotho's Population
Lesotho is the 146th most populous country in the world, with an estimated population of 2,363,325 people as of today. This figure is an estimate — it starts from the most recent official count and advances second by second using Lesotho's annual growth rate of 1.10%.
The population is growing steadily. At the current rate, Lesotho adds or loses roughly 71 people per day. With a land area of 30,355 km², it is moderately populated (78 people per km²).
The "Births Today" and "Deaths Today" figures are estimates based on annualized rates prorated to the time elapsed since midnight. Read how every figure on this page is computed in our Methodology, and where each series comes from in our Sources.
