Lesotho Population (LIVE)

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Lesotho Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Lesotho is 2,349,068 as of Friday, December 13, 2024, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • Lesotho 2024 population is estimated at 2,337,423 people at mid year.
  • Lesotho population is equivalent to 0.03% of the total world population.
  • Lesotho ranks number 147 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Lesotho is 77 per Km2 (199 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 30,360 Km2 (11,722 sq. miles).
  • 32.2 % of the population is urban (753,231 people in 2024).
  • The median age in Lesotho is 21.6 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Lesotho (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationLesotho
Global Rank
2024 2,337,423 1.12 % 25,951 -5,107 21.6 2.66 77 32.2 % 753,231 0.03 % 8,161,972,572 147
2023 2,311,472 1.11 % 25,362 -5,168 21.4 2.69 76 31.7 % 732,775 0.03 % 8,091,734,930 147
2022 2,286,110 1.09 % 24,568 -6,023 21.3 2.72 75 31.2 % 712,787 0.03 % 8,021,407,192 147
2020 2,235,727 1.19 % 26,322 -3,449 21.0 2.85 74 30.2 % 674,092 0.03 % 7,887,001,292 147
2015 2,104,611 1.06 % 21,672 -7,087 20.3 3.22 69 27.8 % 585,146 0.03 % 7,470,491,872 146
2010 1,996,251 0.44 % 8,635 -5,886 19.7 3.25 66 25.3 % 506,015 0.03 % 7,021,732,148 147
2005 1,953,076 -0.51 % -10,167 -35,679 18.9 3.43 64 22.2 % 433,749 0.03 % 6,586,970,132 146
2000 2,003,913 0.53 % 10,495-26,220 18.2 3.61 66 18.2 % 365,288 0.03 % 6,171,702,993 143
1995 1,951,437 1.52 % 28,348 -14,588 17.4 4.13 64 15.3 % 298,639 0.03 % 5,758,878,982 144
1990 1,809,696 2.18 % 37,063 -11,598 17.4 4.81 60 12.4 % 224,016 0.03 % 5,327,803,110 143
1985 1,624,379 2.92 % 43,572 1,222 17.4 5.40 54 10.7 % 173,014 0.03 % 4,868,943,465 143
1980 1,406,521 2.99 % 38,576 1,361 17.7 5.75 46 10.7 % 150,006 0.03 % 4,447,606,236 144
1975 1,213,643 3.55 % 38,874 9,723 17.8 5.83 40 10.3 % 124,517 0.03 % 4,070,735,277 143
1970 1,019,273 3.60 % 33,037 10,605 17.0 5.70 34 8.7 % 88,923 0.03 % 3,694,683,794 143
1965 854,090 3.01 % 23,518 2,239 16.2 5.77 28 7.0 % 59,437 0.03 % 3,334,533,703 143
1960 736,500 2.78 % 18,862 1,989 16.3 5.78 24 4.1 % 29,906 0.02 % 3,015,470,894 144
1955 642,188 2.07 % 12,527 -1,380 16.6 5.79 21 2.5 % 16,146 0.02 % 2,740,213,792 143
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Lesotho Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationLesotho
Global Rank
2025 2,363,325 1.12 % 25,520 -5,192 21.8 2.64 78 32.8 % 774,177 0.03 % 8,231,613,070 147
2030 2,493,818 1.08 % 26,099 -4,982 23.0 2.50 82 35.6 % 886,719 0.03 % 8,569,124,911 147
2035 2,626,567 1.04 % 26,550 -4,199 24.3 2.38 87 38.6 % 1,014,316 0.03 % 8,885,210,181 146
2040 2,757,876 0.98 % 26,262 -4,250 25.8 2.29 91 42.0 % 1,158,199 0.03 % 9,177,190,203 142
2045 2,881,339 0.88 % 24,693 -3,693 27.4 2.21 95 45.7 % 1,316,407 0.03 % 9,439,639,668 142
2050 2,993,077 0.76 % 22,348   28.8 2.15 99 49.6 % 1,484,831 0.03 % 9,664,378,587 142
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Lesotho Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of Lesotho
Life Expectancy
57.80 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
54.6
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
69.2
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Lesotho

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 Maseru 359,753
2 Maputsoe 61,916
3 Mohale's Hoek 46,593
4 Mafeteng 45,287
5 Hlotse 43,967
6 Butha-Buthe 40,599
7 Quthing 33,910
8 Teyateyaneng 27,272
9 Qacha's Nek 25,573
10 Thaba-Tseka 16,765

See also

Notes

The Lesotho Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Lesotho delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Lesotho (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Lesotho in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.