Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Lesotho
Lesotho: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 88,432 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
88,432 people
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
157th
of 236 countries
All-time high
92,462 people
in 2003
All-time low
32,440 people
in 1958
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people 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 number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Lesotho is 88,432 people, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Lesotho peaked at 92,462 people in 2003 and was at its lowest, 32,440 people, in 1958.
Lesotho ranks 157th 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.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 36,799 people | — |
| 1951 | 36,072 people | -2.0% |
| 1952 | 35,328 people | -2.1% |
| 1953 | 34,588 people | -2.1% |
| 1954 | 33,884 people | -2.0% |
| 1955 | 33,243 people | -1.9% |
| 1956 | 32,736 people | -1.5% |
| 1957 | 32,465 people | -0.8% |
| 1958 | 32,440 people | -0.1% |
| 1959 | 32,614 people | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 32,974 people | +1.1% |
| 1961 | 33,473 people | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 34,072 people | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 34,742 people | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 35,454 people | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 36,185 people | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 37,046 people | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 38,008 people | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 38,909 people | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 39,767 people | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 40,592 people | +2.1% |
| 1971 | 41,400 people | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 42,224 people | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 43,093 people | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 44,041 people | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 45,122 people | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 46,360 people | +2.7% |
| 1977 | 47,739 people | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 49,296 people | +3.3% |
| 1979 | 51,042 people | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 52,983 people | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 55,111 people | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 57,387 people | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 59,770 people | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 62,216 people | +4.1% |
| 1985 | 64,646 people | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 66,941 people | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 69,085 people | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 71,143 people | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 73,117 people | +2.8% |
| 1990 | 75,011 people | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 76,811 people | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 78,555 people | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 80,254 people | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 81,894 people | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 83,464 people | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 84,953 people | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 86,474 people | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 88,016 people | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 89,481 people | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 90,759 people | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 91,724 people | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 92,302 people | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 92,462 people | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 92,263 people | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 91,733 people | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 90,844 people | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 89,540 people | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 87,914 people | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 86,169 people | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 84,521 people | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 83,114 people | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 82,078 people | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 81,631 people | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 81,940 people | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 82,045 people | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 81,787 people | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 81,968 people | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 82,550 people | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 83,491 people | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 84,682 people | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 85,580 people | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 86,690 people | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 88,432 people | +2.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 88,432 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 495,679 people, 18% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 88,432 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 418,208 people, 21% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 34,017 people | 32,440 people | 36,799 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 36,063 people | 32,974 people | 39,767 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 45,091 people | 40,592 people | 51,042 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 63,240 people | 52,983 people | 73,117 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 82,491 people | 75,011 people | 89,481 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 90,571 people | 86,169 people | 92,462 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 82,512 people | 81,631 people | 84,521 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 86,346 people | 84,682 people | 88,432 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 154 Luxembourg 100,367 people compare
- 155 Botswana 98,420 people compare
- 156 Macao 96,191 people compare
- 158 Guadeloupe 86,714 people compare
- 159 Martinique 84,139 people compare
- 160 Gambia 80,339 people compare
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 number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Lesotho?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Lesotho was 88,432 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 92,462 people in 2003.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 32,440 people in 1958.
- How does Lesotho rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Lesotho ranks 157th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.3%. 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 Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. 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. This only includes people aged 65+.