Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Lesotho
Lesotho: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 30.0% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Lesotho, 2003–2022
Source: Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 30.0% for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in 2022.
The figure is up 68.5% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Lesotho peaked at 62.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 16.4%, in 2017.
That places Lesotho 38th out of 134 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 62.4% | — |
| 2004 | 59.0% | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | -47.6% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | -14.6% |
| 2012 | 26.8% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 17.3% | -35.4% |
| 2014 | 29.1% | +68.2% |
| 2015 | 28.5% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 24.7% | -13.3% |
| 2017 | 16.4% | -33.6% |
| 2018 | 21.1% | +28.7% |
| 2019 | 21.8% | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 27.4% | +25.7% |
| 2021 | 17.8% | -35.0% |
| 2022 | 30.0% | +68.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 60.7% | 59.0% | 62.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 24.3% | 16.4% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.1% | 17.8% | 30.0% | 3 |
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 share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Lesotho?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Lesotho was 30.0% in 2022, according to Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 62.4% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.4% in 2017.
- How does Lesotho rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- Lesotho ranks 38th out of 134 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.