Population growth in Lesotho
Lesotho: Population growth was 1.1% in 2024. β Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.1%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
97th
of 212 countries
All-time high
3.6%
in 1970
All-time low
-0.9%
in 2005
Years of data
55
1970β2024
Population growth in Lesotho, 1970β2024
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 97th of 212 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.
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 growth rate by level of development -0.201 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 190,191 (2100)
- Population density 107.36 (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.201 (2100)
- Fertility and wanted fertility 2.66 (2024)
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum 419 (2024)
- Fertility vs unmet contraception 2.66 (2024)
- Fertility vs contraception 2.66 (2024)
- Natural population growth 1.35 (2023)
- Fertility rate with projections 2.69 (2023)
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 97th out of 212 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 Β· JSON β 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release