Population by age group in Lesotho
Lesotho: Population by age group was 2.31 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.31 million people
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
147th
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.31 million people
in 2023
All-time low
579,554 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population by age group in Lesotho, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 2.31 million people for population by age group in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by age group in Lesotho peaked at 2.31 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 579,554 people, in 1950.
Lesotho ranks 147th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population by age group in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 579,554 people | — |
| 1951 | 590,270 people | +1.8% |
| 1952 | 601,947 people | +2.0% |
| 1953 | 614,478 people | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 627,902 people | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 642,186 people | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 657,317 people | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 674,674 people | +2.6% |
| 1958 | 694,324 people | +2.9% |
| 1959 | 714,949 people | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 736,507 people | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 758,833 people | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 781,819 people | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 805,374 people | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 829,442 people | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 854,094 people | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 881,879 people | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 913,986 people | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 948,108 people | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 983,200 people | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 1.02 million people | +3.7% |
| 1971 | 1.06 million people | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 1.09 million people | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 1.13 million people | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 1.17 million people | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 1.21 million people | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 1.25 million people | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 1.29 million people | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 1.33 million people | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 1.37 million people | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 1.41 million people | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 1.45 million people | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 1.49 million people | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 1.53 million people | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 1.58 million people | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 1.62 million people | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 1.67 million people | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 1.70 million people | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 1.74 million people | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 1.78 million people | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 1.81 million people | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 1.84 million people | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 1.87 million people | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 1.90 million people | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 1.93 million people | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 1.95 million people | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 1.97 million people | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 1.99 million people | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.00 million people | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 2.00 million people | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 2.00 million people | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.00 million people | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.99 million people | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 1.99 million people | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.97 million people | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 1.95 million people | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 1.95 million people | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 1.95 million people | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.97 million people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 1.98 million people | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 2.00 million people | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 2.01 million people | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 2.03 million people | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.06 million people | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 2.08 million people | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 2.10 million people | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 2.13 million people | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 2.16 million people | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 2.18 million people | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 2.21 million people | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 2.24 million people | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 2.26 million people | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 2.29 million people | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 2.31 million people | +1.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2.31 million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.20 million people, 19% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2.31 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.26 million people, 16% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 639,760 people | 579,554 people | 714,949 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 849,324 people | 736,507 people | 983,200 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.19 million people | 1.02 million people | 1.37 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.60 million people | 1.41 million people | 1.78 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.93 million people | 1.81 million people | 2.00 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.98 million people | 1.95 million people | 2.00 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.10 million people | 2.00 million people | 2.21 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.27 million people | 2.24 million people | 2.31 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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 population by age group in Lesotho?
- Population by age group in Lesotho was 2.31 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by age group recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 2.31 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population by age group recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 579,554 people in 1950.
- How does Lesotho rank for population by age group?
- Lesotho ranks 147th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population by age group rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.