Lesotho Population (LIVE)

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Lesotho Population (1950 - 2020)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Lesotho is 2,191,394 as of Sunday, May 28, 2023, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.
  • Lesotho 2020 population is estimated at 2,142,249 people at mid year according to UN data.
  • 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 71 per Km2 (183 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 30,360 Km2 (11,722 sq. miles)
  • 31.5 % of the population is urban (674,092 people in 2020)
  • The median age in Lesotho is 24.0 years.

Population of Lesotho (2020 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
2020 2,142,249 0.80 % 16,981 -10,047 24.0 3.16 71 31.5 % 674,092 0.03 % 7,794,798,739 147
2019 2,125,268 0.80 % 16,940 -10,047 23.2 3.24 70 30.8 % 655,374 0.03 % 7,713,468,100 147
2018 2,108,328 0.80 % 16,794 -10,047 23.2 3.24 69 30.2 % 637,101 0.03 % 7,631,091,040 147
2017 2,091,534 0.80 % 16,504 -10,047 23.2 3.24 69 29.6 % 619,305 0.03 % 7,547,858,925 146
2016 2,075,030 0.78 % 16,009 -10,047 23.2 3.24 68 29.0 % 602,028 0.03 % 7,464,022,049 147
2015 2,059,021 0.63 % 12,688 -9,541 23.0 3.26 68 28.4 % 585,146 0.03 % 7,379,797,139 148
2010 1,995,581 -0.01 % -107 -18,495 21.7 3.37 66 25.4 % 506,015 0.03 % 6,956,823,603 146
2005 1,996,114 -0.36 % -7,338 -32,244 20.3 3.66 66 21.7 % 433,749 0.03 % 6,541,907,027 144
2000 2,032,804 1.38 % 26,841-7,442 19.0 3.96 67 18.0 % 365,288 0.03 % 6,143,493,823 144
1995 1,898,598 2.19 % 38,970 -1,568 18.2 4.46 63 15.7 % 298,639 0.03 % 5,744,212,979 144
1990 1,703,747 2.23 % 35,523 -8,039 17.1 4.98 56 13.1 % 224,016 0.03 % 5,327,231,061 145
1985 1,526,131 2.63 % 37,175 -5,152 16.9 5.42 50 11.3 % 173,014 0.03 % 4,870,921,740 143
1980 1,340,255 2.92 % 35,893 -1,308 16.9 5.69 44 11.2 % 150,006 0.03 % 4,458,003,514 144
1975 1,160,792 2.44 % 26,373 -4,810 16.9 5.80 38 10.7 % 124,517 0.03 % 4,079,480,606 143
1970 1,028,926 2.21 % 21,324 -4,480 17.1 5.80 34 8.6 % 88,923 0.03 % 3,700,437,046 143
1965 922,306 1.95 % 17,007 -5,000 17.3 5.81 30 6.4 % 59,437 0.03 % 3,339,583,597 141
1960 837,270 1.77 % 14,101 -5,200 17.6 5.86 28 3.6 % 29,906 0.03 % 3,034,949,748 144
1955 766,763 1.70 % 12,415 -4,000 18.3 5.84 25 2.1 % 16,146 0.03 % 2,773,019,936 141
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Lesotho Population Forecast

-4,000
YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationLesotho
Global Rank
2020 2,142,249 0.80 % 16,646 -10,047 24.0 3.16 71 31.5 % 674,092 0.03 % 7,794,798,739 147
2025 2,227,560 0.78 % 17,062 -8,000 25.0 3.16 73 34.8 % 774,177 0.03 % 8,184,437,460 147
2030 2,325,164 0.86 % 19,521 -4,000 25.9 3.16 77 38.1 % 886,719 0.03 % 8,548,487,400 148
2035 2,418,173 0.79 % 18,602 -4,000 26.8 3.16 80 41.9 % 1,014,316 0.03 % 8,887,524,213 148
2040 2,507,454 0.73 % 17,856 -4,000 27.7 3.16 83 46.2 % 1,158,199 0.03 % 9,198,847,240 147
2045 2,591,075 0.66 % 16,724 -4,000 28.7 3.16 85 50.8 % 1,316,407 0.03 % 9,481,803,274 146
2050 2,665,270 0.57 % 14,839   29.8 3.16 88 55.7 % 1,484,831 0.03 % 9,735,033,990 146
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Lesotho Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of Lesotho
Life Expectancy
55.65 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
50.5
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
71.2
(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 118,355
2 Mafeteng 57,059
3 Leribe 47,675
4 Maputsoe 32,117
5 Mohale's Hoek 28,310
6 Qacha's Nek 25,573
7 Quthing 24,130
8 Butha-Buthe 16,330

See also

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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 - 2019) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2019.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2019. 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 2019 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2019: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). 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 2019: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). 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.