Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Lesotho
Lesotho: Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate was 2.66 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.66 births per woman
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
68th
of 215 countries
All-time high
5.87 births per woman
in 1976
All-time low
2.66 births per woman
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Lesotho, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Lesotho is 2.66 births per woman, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Lesotho peaked at 5.87 births per woman in 1976 and was at its lowest, 2.66 births per woman, in 2024.
That places Lesotho 68th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.78 births per woman | — |
| 1961 | 5.79 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 5.79 births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 5.78 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 5.76 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 5.77 births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1966 | 5.76 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 5.75 births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 5.72 births per woman | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 5.7 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 5.7 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 5.7 births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 5.69 births per woman | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 5.69 births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 5.75 births per woman | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 5.83 births per woman | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 5.87 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 5.85 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 5.82 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 5.79 births per woman | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 5.75 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 5.69 births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 5.63 births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 5.56 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 5.48 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 5.4 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 5.32 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 5.22 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 5.1 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 4.96 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 4.81 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 4.68 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 4.54 births per woman | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 4.37 births per woman | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 4.21 births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 4.12 births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 4.06 births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 3.98 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 3.81 births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 3.67 births per woman | -3.8% |
| 2000 | 3.6 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 3.63 births per woman | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 3.68 births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 3.62 births per woman | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 3.51 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 3.43 births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 3.41 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 3.44 births per woman | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 3.39 births per woman | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 3.31 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 3.25 births per woman | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 3.34 births per woman | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 3.3 births per woman | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 3.28 births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 3.24 births per woman | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 3.22 births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 3.18 births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 3.1 births per woman | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 3.02 births per woman | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 2.92 births per woman | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 2.85 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 2.77 births per woman | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 2.72 births per woman | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 2.69 births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 2.66 births per woman | -1.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2.66 births per woman is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.12 births per woman, 85% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2.66 births per woman is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.91 births per woman, 68% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.76 births per woman | 5.7 births per woman | 5.79 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.77 births per woman | 5.69 births per woman | 5.87 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.41 births per woman | 4.96 births per woman | 5.75 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.23 births per woman | 3.67 births per woman | 4.81 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.5 births per woman | 3.31 births per woman | 3.68 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.19 births per woman | 2.92 births per woman | 3.34 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.74 births per woman | 2.66 births per woman | 2.85 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 65 Botswana 2.7 births per woman compare
- 66 Syria 2.7 births per woman compare
- 67 Saint Martin (French part) 2.67 births per woman compare
- 69 Turkmenistan 2.66 births per woman compare
- 70 East Timor 2.63 births per woman compare
- 71 Haiti 2.62 births per woman compare
More population data for Lesotho
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.14 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3315 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6353 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 107.36 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 190,191 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 3.4 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Lesotho?
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate in Lesotho was 2.66 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 5.87 births per woman in 1976.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.66 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate?
- Lesotho ranks 68th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The total fertility rate summarizes the total number of births a woman would have, if she experienced the birth rates seen in women of each age group in one particular year across her childbearing years. The wanted fertility is an estimate of what the total fertility rate would be if all unwanted births were avoided, based on survey data.