Stillbirth rate in Lesotho
Lesotho: Stillbirth rate was 2.27 deaths per 100 births in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.27 deaths per 100 births
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
15th
of 199 countries
All-time high
3.61 deaths per 100 births
in 2001
All-time low
2.27 deaths per 100 births
in 2023
Years of data
24
2000–2023
Stillbirth rate in Lesotho, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 births.
Analysis
In 2023, stillbirth rate in Lesotho stood at 2.27 deaths per 100 births. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, stillbirth rate in Lesotho peaked at 3.61 deaths per 100 births in 2001 and was at its lowest, 2.27 deaths per 100 births, in 2023.
That places Lesotho 15th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Stillbirth rate in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.6 deaths per 100 births | — |
| 2001 | 3.61 deaths per 100 births | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3.54 deaths per 100 births | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 3.47 deaths per 100 births | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 3.38 deaths per 100 births | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 3.3 deaths per 100 births | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 3.21 deaths per 100 births | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 3.12 deaths per 100 births | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 3.04 deaths per 100 births | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 2.95 deaths per 100 births | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 2.88 deaths per 100 births | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 2.81 deaths per 100 births | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 2.74 deaths per 100 births | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 2.68 deaths per 100 births | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 2.63 deaths per 100 births | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 2.57 deaths per 100 births | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 2.51 deaths per 100 births | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 2.46 deaths per 100 births | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 2.41 deaths per 100 births | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 2.36 deaths per 100 births | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 2.33 deaths per 100 births | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 2.31 deaths per 100 births | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 2.28 deaths per 100 births | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 2.27 deaths per 100 births | -0.7% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2.27 deaths per 100 births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.43 deaths per 100 births, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2.27 deaths per 100 births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.87 deaths per 100 births, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.32 deaths per 100 births | 2.95 deaths per 100 births | 3.61 deaths per 100 births | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.6 deaths per 100 births | 2.36 deaths per 100 births | 2.88 deaths per 100 births | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3 deaths per 100 births | 2.27 deaths per 100 births | 2.33 deaths per 100 births | 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 stillbirth rate in Lesotho?
- Stillbirth rate in Lesotho was 2.27 deaths per 100 births in 2023, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest stillbirth rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 3.61 deaths per 100 births in 2001.
- What is the lowest stillbirth rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.27 deaths per 100 births in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for stillbirth rate?
- Lesotho ranks 15th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is stillbirth rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Stillbirth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of stillbirths, per 100 total births.