Total population (thousands) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Total population (thousands) was 2,350 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2,350 thousands
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
146th
of 233 countries
All-time high
2,350 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
1,001 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Lesotho, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 2,350 thousands for total population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Lesotho peaked at 2,350 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1,001 thousands, in 1970.
That places Lesotho 146th out of 233 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1,001 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 1,038 thousands | +3.7% |
| 1972 | 1,075 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 1,113 thousands | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 1,152 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 1,193 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 1,235 thousands | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 1,272 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 1,308 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 1,346 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 1,386 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 1,427 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 1,469 thousands | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 1,512 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 1,556 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 1,601 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 1,647 thousands | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 1,685 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1988 | 1,722 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 1,758 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 1,793 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 1,826 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 1,858 thousands | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 1,888 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 1,915 thousands | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 1,940 thousands | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 1,963 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 1,982 thousands | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 1,994 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 2,002 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 2,005 thousands | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 2,003 thousands | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 1,998 thousands | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 1,991 thousands | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 1,979 thousands | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 1,963 thousands | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 1,943 thousands | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 1,947 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 1,960 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 1,974 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 1,988 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 2,004 thousands | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 2,024 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2,045 thousands | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 2,068 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 2,092 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 2,117 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 2,144 thousands | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 2,170 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 2,197 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 2,222 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 2,249 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 2,274 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 2,298 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 2,324 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 2,350 thousands | +1.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2,350 thousands is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12,314 thousands, 19% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2,350 thousands is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,783 thousands, 16% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,173 thousands | 1,001 thousands | 1,346 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,576 thousands | 1,386 thousands | 1,758 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,916 thousands | 1,793 thousands | 2,002 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,976 thousands | 1,943 thousands | 2,005 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,085 thousands | 1,988 thousands | 2,197 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,286 thousands | 2,222 thousands | 2,350 thousands | 6 |
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 total population in Lesotho?
- Total population in Lesotho was 2,350 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 2,350 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,001 thousands in 1970.
- How does Lesotho rank for total population?
- Lesotho ranks 146th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release