Population density in Lesotho
Lesotho: Population density was 76.14 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population density in Lesotho, 1961–2023
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
In 2023, population density in Lesotho stood at 76.14 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Lesotho peaked at 76.14 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 24.99 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
That places Lesotho 128th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population density in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 24.99 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 25.75 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 26.53 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 27.32 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 28.13 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 29.05 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 30.1 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 31.23 people per sq. km of land area | +3.7% |
| 1969 | 32.38 people per sq. km of land area | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 33.57 people per sq. km of land area | +3.7% |
| 1971 | 34.79 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 36.04 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 37.31 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 38.62 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 39.98 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1976 | 41.28 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 42.49 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 43.72 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 45 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 46.33 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 47.7 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 49.1 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 50.54 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 52.01 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 53.5 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 54.88 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 56.11 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 57.31 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 58.48 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 59.61 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 60.68 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 61.7 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 62.64 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 63.49 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 64.28 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 64.97 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 65.49 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 65.81 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 65.98 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 66 people per sq. km of land area | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 65.9 people per sq. km of land area | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 65.7 people per sq. km of land area | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 65.38 people per sq. km of land area | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 64.93 people per sq. km of land area | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 64.33 people per sq. km of land area | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 64.07 people per sq. km of land area | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 64.34 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 64.77 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 65.25 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 65.75 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 66.34 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 67.01 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 67.74 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 68.51 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 69.32 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 70.17 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 71.05 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 71.92 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 72.77 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 73.64 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 74.49 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 75.3 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 76.14 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.39 people per sq. km of land area | 24.99 people per sq. km of land area | 32.38 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 39.28 people per sq. km of land area | 33.57 people per sq. km of land area | 45 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.6 people per sq. km of land area | 46.33 people per sq. km of land area | 58.48 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.47 people per sq. km of land area | 59.61 people per sq. km of land area | 65.98 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.07 people per sq. km of land area | 64.07 people per sq. km of land area | 66 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.06 people per sq. km of land area | 65.75 people per sq. km of land area | 72.77 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.89 people per sq. km of land area | 73.64 people per sq. km of land area | 76.14 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 125 Samoa 77.94 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 126 Ireland 77.1 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 127 Guinea-Bissau 76.58 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 129 Tanzania 75.21 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 130 Tajikistan 74.86 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 131 Yemen 74.61 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Lesotho
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 26.44 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 836,682 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Lesotho?
- Population density in Lesotho was 76.14 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 76.14 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.99 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Lesotho rank for population density?
- Lesotho ranks 128th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.