What is the population of Lesotho in 2026?
Lesotho has a population of 2,363,325 people (2025 estimate), which is 145th in the world and about 0.03% of the global total.
Officially Kingdom of Lesotho
Population 2025
2,363,325
0.03% of world population
World Bank, 2025Annual Growth
+1.10%
+26,044 people a year
World Bank, 2025Density
76/km²
30,360 km² land area
World Bank, 2023Median Age
21.8 years
Life expectancy 57.8 years
Our World in Data, 2025About Lesotho
With a population of 2,363,325, Lesotho ranks 143rd globally and sits entirely within South Africa on the African continent. The country spans 30,360 km² at a density of 76 people per km², with 45% of residents living in urban areas. A young median age of 21.8 years reflects a growing workforce, though economic output remains modest at $1,089 GDP per capita.
Life expectancy of 57.8 years and a fertility rate of 2.7 births per woman shape the nation's demographic profile, supported by annual population growth of 1.1%. Established as an independent constitutional monarchy in 1966, Lesotho uses the Lesotho loti and South African rand as currency and recognizes English and Sotho as official languages.
This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.
Country Facts
- Capital
- Maseru
- Continent
- Africa
- ISO codes
- LS · LSO
- Demonym
- Mosotho
- Currency
- Lesotho loti (LSL L), South African rand (ZAR R)
- Government
- Constitutional monarchy
- State inception
- 1966
- Time zone
- UTC+02:00
- Driving side
- Left
- Calling code
- +266
- Internet TLD
- .ls
- Land neighbours
- 1
Languages
- English
- Sotho
Demographics
Economy
Health
Education
Environment
Infrastructure
Quality of Life
Geography
Military
Age & Gender Distribution
Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Male Female
- Age 0–14
- 34.5%
- Age 15–64
- 61.6%
- Age 65+
- 3.9%
| Age band | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 100+ | 4 | 23 |
| 95-99 | 59 | 206 |
| 90-94 | 385 | 1,048 |
| 85-89 | 1,355 | 3,269 |
| 80-84 | 2,764 | 6,191 |
| 75-79 | 4,878 | 10,097 |
| 70-74 | 8,175 | 15,470 |
| 65-69 | 14,136 | 22,081 |
| 60-64 | 18,946 | 26,968 |
| 55-59 | 23,621 | 29,456 |
| 50-54 | 29,672 | 32,472 |
| 45-49 | 43,421 | 46,986 |
| 40-44 | 65,749 | 71,541 |
| 35-39 | 90,338 | 95,589 |
| 30-34 | 98,448 | 102,145 |
| 25-29 | 100,330 | 102,663 |
| 20-24 | 110,130 | 110,855 |
| 15-19 | 120,710 | 120,380 |
| 10-14 | 134,200 | 133,304 |
| 5-9 | 138,828 | 137,177 |
| 0-4 | 132,744 | 130,608 |
Population History & Projection (1950–2100)
Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 579,551 |
| 1960 | 736,500 |
| 1970 | 1,019,273 |
| 1980 | 1,406,521 |
| 1990 | 1,809,696 |
| 2000 | 2,003,913 |
| 2010 | 1,996,251 |
| 2020 | 2,235,727 |
| 2030 | 2,493,818 |
| 2040 | 2,757,876 |
| 2050 | 2,993,077 |
| 2060 | 3,164,303 |
| 2070 | 3,269,324 |
| 2080 | 3,311,356 |
| 2090 | 3,305,222 |
| 2100 | 3,259,299 |
How Lesotho Compares
Population against the ten most populous countries.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| India | 1.46B |
| China | 1.41B |
| United States | 341.8M |
| Indonesia | 285.7M |
| Pakistan | 255.2M |
| Nigeria | 237.5M |
| Brazil | 212.8M |
| Bangladesh | 175.7M |
| Russia | 143.5M |
| Ethiopia | 135.5M |
| Lesotho | 2.36M |
Countries Bordering Lesotho
1 land border.
- South Africa64.7M · +1.15%
Lesotho Population FAQ
Is the population of Lesotho growing or shrinking?
Lesotho's population is growing at +1.10% per year, a change of roughly 26,044 people annually.
What is the capital of Lesotho?
The capital of Lesotho is Maseru.
How densely populated is Lesotho?
Lesotho has 76/km² across 30,360 km² of land area.
What is life expectancy in Lesotho?
Life expectancy at birth in Lesotho is 57.8 years (2024).
What is the median age in Lesotho?
The median age in Lesotho is 21.8 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.
Which continent is Lesotho in?
Lesotho is in Africa.