Population by income level in Lesotho
Lesotho: Population by income level was 2.36 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.36 million
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
144th
of 215 countries
All-time high
2.36 million
in 2025
All-time low
736,500
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population by income level in Lesotho, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, population by income level in Lesotho stood at 2.36 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by income level in Lesotho peaked at 2.36 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 736,500, in 1960.
Lesotho ranks 144th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population by income level in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 736,500 | — |
| 1961 | 758,824 | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 781,814 | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 805,373 | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 829,437 | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 854,090 | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 881,870 | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 913,982 | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 948,105 | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 983,202 | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 1.02 million | +3.7% |
| 1971 | 1.06 million | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 1.09 million | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 1.13 million | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 1.17 million | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 1.21 million | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 1.25 million | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 1.29 million | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 1.33 million | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 1.37 million | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 1.41 million | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 1.45 million | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 1.49 million | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 1.53 million | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 1.58 million | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 1.62 million | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 1.67 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 1.70 million | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 1.74 million | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 1.78 million | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 1.81 million | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 1.84 million | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 1.87 million | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 1.90 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 1.93 million | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 1.95 million | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 1.97 million | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 1.99 million | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.00 million | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 2.00 million | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 2.00 million | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.00 million | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.99 million | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 1.99 million | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 1.97 million | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 1.95 million | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 1.95 million | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 1.95 million | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.97 million | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 1.98 million | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 2.00 million | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 2.01 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 2.03 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.06 million | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 2.08 million | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 2.10 million | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 2.13 million | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 2.16 million | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 2.18 million | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 2.21 million | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 2.24 million | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 2.26 million | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 2.29 million | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 2.31 million | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 2.34 million | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 2.36 million | +1.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2.36 million is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.35 million, 19% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2.36 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.96 million, 16% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 849,320 | 736,500 | 983,202 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.19 million | 1.02 million | 1.37 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.60 million | 1.41 million | 1.78 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.93 million | 1.81 million | 2.00 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.98 million | 1.95 million | 2.00 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.10 million | 2.00 million | 2.21 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.30 million | 2.24 million | 2.36 million | 6 |
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 income level in Lesotho?
- Population by income level in Lesotho was 2.36 million in 2025, 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 population by income level recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 2.36 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by income level recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 736,500 in 1960.
- How does Lesotho rank for population by income level?
- Lesotho ranks 144th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by income level rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Population by income level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, differentiated by World Bank income level.