Lesotho's population rose from 1.97M in 1996 to 2.36M in 2025.
Lesotho · Population & demographics
Size, growth, ages, births, deaths, urbanisation and migration.
23 indicators · 23 with data
Lesotho's population growth rose from 1.1 % in 1996 to 1.1 % in 2025.
Lesotho's population density rose from 63.5 in 1994 to 76.1 in 2023.
Lesotho's population, female (% of total) fell from 51.3 % in 1996 to 51.2 % in 2025.
Lesotho's urbanisation rose from 17.1 % in 1996 to 44.7 % in 2025.
Lesotho's urban population rose from 337,091 in 1996 to 1.06M in 2025.
Lesotho's rural population fell from 1.64M in 1996 to 1.31M in 2025.
Latest values — expand for the charts.
- Fertilitydown −1.1 %68th of 217
- Birth rate, crudedown −1.4 %56th of 217
- Death rate, crudedown −1.6 %29th of 217
- Adolescent fertility ratedown −1.5 %178th of 217
Latest values — expand for the charts.
- Median ageup +0.2 yrs164th of 216
- Children (0–14)down −0.4 pts54th of 217
- Working age (15–64)up +0.4 pts152nd of 217
- Seniors (65+)up +0.0 pts169th of 217
- Age dependency ratiodown −1.0 pts66th of 217
- Old-age dependency ratiodown −0.0 pts172nd of 217
Latest values — expand for the charts.
- Net migrationdown −1.7 %137th of 217
- Migrant stockup +0.1 pts188th of 216
Latest values — expand for the charts.
- Refugees hostedup +31.3 %133rd of 178
Latest values — expand for the charts.
- Life expectancyup +0.4 yrs213th of 217
- Life expectancy at birth, femaleup +0.4 yrs214th of 217
- Life expectancy at birth, maleup +0.4 yrs214th of 217