Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Lesotho
Lesotho: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 44.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
44.7%
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
177th
of 238 countries
All-time high
44.7%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Lesotho, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Lesotho stood at 44.7%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 31.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Lesotho peaked at 44.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Lesotho 177th out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.2% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 1.2% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 1.8% | +42.0% |
| 1951 | 1.8% | +0.8% |
| 1952 | 1.8% | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 1.9% | +3.3% |
| 1954 | 1.9% | +4.1% |
| 1955 | 2.0% | +4.6% |
| 1956 | 2.1% | +5.3% |
| 1957 | 2.3% | +9.7% |
| 1958 | 2.7% | +14.7% |
| 1959 | 3.1% | +16.7% |
| 1960 | 3.7% | +16.9% |
| 1961 | 4.2% | +16.0% |
| 1962 | 4.9% | +14.5% |
| 1963 | 5.5% | +12.7% |
| 1964 | 6.1% | +10.9% |
| 1965 | 6.6% | +9.0% |
| 1966 | 7.1% | +7.3% |
| 1967 | 7.6% | +6.9% |
| 1968 | 8.1% | +7.0% |
| 1969 | 8.7% | +6.8% |
| 1970 | 9.2% | +6.3% |
| 1971 | 9.7% | +5.7% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | +4.9% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 10.9% | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 11.2% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 11.2% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 11.2% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 11.3% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 11.3% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 11.3% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 11.5% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 11.8% | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 12.3% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 12.9% | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 13.6% | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 15.0% | +5.2% |
| 1994 | 15.8% | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 16.5% | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 17.1% | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 17.7% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 18.8% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 19.3% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 19.9% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 20.5% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 21.1% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 21.8% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 22.5% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 23.3% | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 25.2% | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 26.3% | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 27.4% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 28.6% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 29.9% | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 31.2% | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 32.6% | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 34.1% | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 35.5% | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 36.5% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 37.6% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 38.6% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 39.6% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 40.7% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 41.7% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 43.7% | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 44.7% | +2.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 44.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 88% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 44.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 100% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1850s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1860s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1870s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.2% | 3.7% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.7% | 9.2% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.4% | 11.2% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.0% | 12.9% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 19.3% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.2% | 27.4% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.2% | 39.6% | 44.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 174 Zambia 45.9% compare
- 175 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 176 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.1% compare
- 178 Central African Republic 44.6% compare
- 179 Togo 44.4% compare
- 180 Moldova 43.7% 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 share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Lesotho?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Lesotho was 44.7% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 44.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Lesotho rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Lesotho ranks 177th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.