Share of population living in urbanized areas in Lesotho
Lesotho: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 37.4% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Lesotho, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 37.4% for share of population living in urbanized areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 23.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Lesotho peaked at 37.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Lesotho ranks 172nd of 202 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1850s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1860s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1870s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.0% | 1.3% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.9% | 3.4% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.3% | 8.6% | 11.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.9% | 11.3% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.1% | 13.7% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.7% | 19.2% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.1% | 26.9% | 33.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.7% | 33.9% | 37.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 169 Antigua and Barbuda 38.5% compare
- 169 Saint Kitts and Nevis 38.5% compare
- 171 East Timor 37.6% compare
- 173 Bangladesh 37.4% compare
- 174 Chad 37.0% compare
- 175 Burkina Faso 36.8% compare
More population data for Lesotho
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 190,191 people (2100)
- Population density 107.36 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.66 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 419 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.66 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.66 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 1.3% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 2.69 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Lesotho?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Lesotho was 37.4% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 37.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Lesotho rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Lesotho ranks 172nd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.