Refugees by country of asylum in Lesotho
Lesotho: Refugees by country of asylum was 419 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Lesotho, 1970–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in Lesotho stood at 419 people.
The figure is up 31.3% on the previous year and up 874.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Lesotho peaked at 11,850 people in 1984 and was at its lowest, 29 people, in 2013.
That places Lesotho 134th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 70 people | — |
| 1971 | 190 people | +171.4% |
| 1972 | 60 people | -68.4% |
| 1973 | 180 people | +200.0% |
| 1974 | 190 people | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 190 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 900 people | +373.7% |
| 1977 | 1,130 people | +25.6% |
| 1978 | 990 people | -12.4% |
| 1979 | 690 people | -30.3% |
| 1980 | 10,000 people | +1349.3% |
| 1981 | 11,500 people | +15.0% |
| 1982 | 11,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 11,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 11,850 people | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 11,500 people | -3.0% |
| 1986 | 11,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 4,000 people | -65.2% |
| 1988 | 4,230 people | +5.8% |
| 1989 | 4,248 people | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 212 people | -95.0% |
| 1991 | 220 people | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 117 people | -46.8% |
| 1993 | 60 people | -48.7% |
| 1994 | 57 people | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 39 people | -31.6% |
| 2011 | 38 people | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 33 people | -13.2% |
| 2013 | 29 people | -12.1% |
| 2014 | 43 people | +48.3% |
| 2015 | 31 people | -27.9% |
| 2016 | 46 people | +48.4% |
| 2017 | 55 people | +19.6% |
| 2018 | 56 people | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 143 people | +155.4% |
| 2020 | 271 people | +89.5% |
| 2021 | 296 people | +9.2% |
| 2022 | 251 people | -15.2% |
| 2023 | 319 people | +27.1% |
| 2024 | 419 people | +31.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 419 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,240 people, 5% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 419 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25,275 people, 2% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +1349.3% | 690 people | 10,000 people |
| 1976 | +373.7% | 190 people | 900 people |
| 1973 | +200.0% | 60 people | 180 people |
| 1971 | +171.4% | 70 people | 190 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 459 people | 60 people | 1,130 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 9,183 people | 4,000 people | 11,850 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 133.2 people | 57 people | 220 people | 5 |
| 2000s | 39 people | 39 people | 39 people | 1 |
| 2010s | 52.67 people | 29 people | 143 people | 9 |
| 2020s | 311.2 people | 251 people | 419 people | 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)
- 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 refugees by country of asylum in Lesotho?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Lesotho was 419 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 11,850 people in 1984.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 29 people in 2013.
- How does Lesotho rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Lesotho ranks 134th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 874.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.