Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 1.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Lesotho, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 1.1% for population growth in 2024.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Lesotho peaked at 3.6% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -0.9%, in 2005.
Lesotho ranks 99th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.6% | — |
| 1971 | 3.6% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 3.5% | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 3.4% | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 3.5% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 3.2% | -7.2% |
| 1977 | 2.9% | -9.9% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 2.9% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2.9% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 2.9% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 2.9% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | -10.4% |
| 1987 | 2.2% | -12.9% |
| 1988 | 2.1% | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 2.0% | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | -6.4% |
| 1992 | 1.7% | -7.1% |
| 1993 | 1.5% | -9.1% |
| 1994 | 1.4% | -10.4% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | -9.6% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | -12.6% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -25.8% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -37.3% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -47.9% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -86.9% |
| 2001 | -0.2% | -550.9% |
| 2002 | -0.3% | +102.2% |
| 2003 | -0.5% | +56.4% |
| 2004 | -0.7% | +45.7% |
| 2005 | -0.9% | +30.7% |
| 2006 | -0.4% | -55.3% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -202.4% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | +60.9% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | +14.6% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | +13.5% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | +1.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.8%, 63% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 49% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | -550.9% | 0.0% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | +202.4% | -0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2002 | -102.2% | -0.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | -86.9% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| 2008 | +60.9% | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| 2006 | +55.3% | -0.9% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.3% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.6% | 2.0% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.1% | -0.9% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 5 |
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)
- Population growth rate -0.201 (2100)
- Population density 107.36 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 190,191 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.201 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 2.27 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Lesotho?
- Population growth in Lesotho was 1.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 1970.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.9% in 2005.
- How does Lesotho rank for population growth?
- Lesotho ranks 99th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release