Population in Lesotho
Lesotho: Population 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 in Lesotho, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in Lesotho is 2.31 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Lesotho peaked at 2.31 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 579,554 people, in 1950.
That places Lesotho 147th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population 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
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3315 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6353 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Lesotho?
- Population 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 recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 2.31 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 579,554 people in 1950.
- How does Lesotho rank for population?
- Lesotho ranks 147th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.