Demographics of Lesotho
Population pyramid of Lesotho in 2020
Population2,193,970 (2022 est.)
Growth rate0.76% (2022 est.)
Birth rate23.15 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate11.05 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Life expectancy59.57 years
 • male57.57 years
 • female61.64 years
Fertility rate2.92 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate48.44 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate-4.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Age structure
0–14 years31.3%
65 and over5.6%
Sex ratio
Total0.98 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
At birth1.03 male(s)/female
Under 151.01 male(s)/female
65 and over0.48 male(s)/female
Nationality
NationalityBasotho
Major ethnicSotho (99.7%)
Language
OfficialSesotho, English

Demographic features of the population of Lesotho include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.

The Demographics of Lesotho describe the condition and overview of Lesotho's people, residents of which are called Basotho in the plural and Mosotho in the singular. Demographic topics include basic education, health, and population statistics as well as identified racial and religious affiliations.

Population

Historical population of Lesotho (Our World in Data).

According to the 2016 census, Lesotho has a total population of 2,007,201.[1] Of the population, 34.17 percent lived in urban and 65.83 percent in rural areas.[1] The country's capital, Maseru, accounts for around half of the total urban population. The sex distribution is 982,133 male and 1,025,068 female, or around 96 males for each 100 females.[1]

The average population density in the country is around 66,1 people per square kilometer. The density is lower in the Lesotho Highlands than in the western lowlands. Although the majority of the population—56.1 percent—is between 15 and 64 years of age, Lesotho has a substantial youth population numbering around 37.8 percent.[2] The annual population growth rate is estimated at 0.13%[2]

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[3][4] the total population was 2,281,454 in 2021, compared to only 734 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 37.4%, 58.3% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 4.3% was 65 years or older .[5]

Total population Population aged 0–14 (%) Population aged 15–64 (%) Population aged 65+ (%)
1950 734 000 40.7 54.9 4.5
1955 788 000 41.9 53.7 4.4
1960 852 000 43.1 52.7 4.3
1965 934 000 43.6 52.2 4.2
1970 1 033 000 44.1 51.8 4.2
1975 1 150 000 44.5 51.3 4.2
1980 1 310 000 44.3 51.6 4.1
1985 1 487 000 44.3 51.6 4.1
1990 1 639 000 44.1 51.7 4.2
1995 1 795 000 43.1 52.5 4.4
2000 1 964 000 41.2 54.3 4.5
2005 2 066 000 39.6 56.0 4.4
2010 2 171 000 37.4 58.3 4.3
Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 10.IV.2016):[6]
Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 982 133 1 025 068 2 007 201 100
0–4 100 793 99 362 200 155 9.97
5–9 109 953 111 523 221 476 11.03
10–14 107 879 107 934 215 813 10.75
15–19 106 214 103 652 209 866 10.46
20–24 98 827 100 440 199 267 9.93
25–29 95 802 93 141 188 943 9.41
30–34 86 956 81 189 168 145 8.38
35–39 68 246 62 135 130 381 6.50
40–44 48 665 47 630 96 295 4.80
45–49 36 425 38 462 74 887 3.73
50–54 31 785 38 574 70 359 3.51
55–59 25 759 34 058 59 817 2.98
60–64 20 770 28 451 49 221 2.45
65-69 15 311 22 047 37 358 1.86
70-74 12 017 18 791 30 808 1.53
75-79 8 467 15 707 24 174 1.20
80-84 5 424 13 197 18 621 0.93
85-89 1 873 5 201 7 074 0.35
90-94 662 2 127 2 789 0.14
95+ 305 1 447 1 752 0.09
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0–14 318 625 318 819 637 444 31.76
15–64 619 449 627 732 1 247 181 62.14
65+ 44 059 78 517 122 576 6.11
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2021) (Data are projections based on the 2016 Population Census.): [7]
Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 1 019 453 1 057 858 2 077 311 100
0–4 100 104 98 343 198 446 9.55
5–9 111 585 114 805 226 390 10.90
10–14 106 278 106 664 212 942 10.25
15–19 100 311 96 522 196 832 9.48
20–24 95 959 96 699 192 658 9.27
25–29 102 411 98 595 201 006 9.68
30–34 101 352 92 981 194 333 9.36
35–39 80 459 69 851 150 310 7.24
40–44 53 415 49 648 103 063 4.96
45–49 37 537 38 314 75 852 3.65
50–54 33 352 40 804 74 155 3.57
55–59 27 071 37 915 64 986 3.13
60–64 22 945 32 509 55 454 2.67
65-69 16 336 23 852 40 187 1.93
70+ 30 340 60 356 90 696 4.37
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0–14 317 967 319 812 637 779 30.70
15–64 654 810 653 838 1 308 648 63.00
65+ 46 676 84 208 130 884 6.30

Vital statistics

Registration of vital events is in Lesotho not complete. The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. [5]

Period Live births per year Deaths per year Natural change per year CBR* CDR* NC* TFR* IMR*
1950–1955 32 000 17 000 15 000 42.1 22.7 19.4 5.84 169
1955–1960 35 000 17 000 18 000 42.2 20.3 21.9 5.86 150
1960–1965 38 000 16 000 21 000 42.3 18.3 24.0 5.81 134
1965–1970 42 000 17 000 24 000 42.5 17.8 24.8 5.80 130
1970–1975 47 000 18 000 28 000 42.8 16.9 26.0 5.80 123
1975–1980 52 000 19 000 33 000 42.0 15.1 27.0 5.69 110
1980–1985 56 000 18 000 38 000 40.4 13.0 27.4 5.46 94
1985–1990 59 000 18 000 41 000 37.6 11.6 26.0 5.14 84
1990–1995 60 000 17 000 42 000 34.7 10.0 24.7 4.70 70
1995–2000 63 000 25 000 38 000 33.7 13.5 20.2 4.37 81
2000–2005 62 000 36 000 26 000 30.7 17.9 12.8 3.79 86
2005–2010 60 000 35 000 25 000 28.5 16.7 11.9 3.37 77
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Fertility and Births

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[8]

Year CBR (Total) TFR (Total) CBR (Urban) TFR (Urban) CBR (Rural) TFR (Rural)
2004 25,3 3,5 (2,5) 19,3 1,9 (1,4) 26,7 4,1 (2,9)
2009 26,4 3,3 (2,4) 24,5 2,1 (1,7) 27,1 4,0 (2,8)
2014 24,3 3,3 (2,3) 23,3 2,3 (1,7) 24,7 3,9 (2,7)

Fertility data as of 2014 (DHS Program):[9]

District Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49
Butha-Buthe 3.7 4.7 3.9
Leribe 3.5 3.6 3.7
Berea 3.1 3.5 3.7
Maseru 2.6 4.4 3.5
Mafeteng 2.8 6.1 3.5
Mohale's Hoek 3.8 3.8 3.7
Quthing 3.9 3.3 4.1
Qacha's Nek 2.9 5.0 3.8
Mokhotlong 4.4 5.2 4.9
Thaba-Tseka 4.0 4.3 4.6

Life expectancy at birth

Life expectancy from 1950 to 2015 (UN World Population Prospects):[10]

Period Life expectancy in
Years
1950–1955 42.15
1955–1960 Increase 45.08
1960–1965 Increase 47.80
1965–1970 Increase 48.52
1970–1975 Increase 49.80
1975–1980 Increase 52.24
1980–1985 Increase 55.28
1985–1990 Increase 57.33
1990–1995 Increase 59.70
1995–2000 Decrease 52.74
2000–2005 Decrease 45.62
2005–2010 Increase 49.04
2010–2015 Increase 52.51

Other demographic statistics

Population, fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022.[11]

The following demographic are from the CIA World Factbook[12] unless otherwise indicated.

6,600 people living in Lesotho are from Asia or Europe. They represent 0.3% of the total population of Lesotho. The 5,000 Chinese people form the largest non-African ethnic group in Lesotho.[13]

Population

2,193,970 (2022 est.)
1,962,461 (July 2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.)

Age structure

Population pyramid of Lesotho in 2020
0-14 years: 31.3% (male 309,991/female 306,321)
15-24 years: 19.26% (male 181,874/female 197,452)
25-54 years: 38.86% (male 373,323/female 391,901)
55-64 years: 4.98% (male 52,441/female 45,726)
65 years and over: 5.6% (2020 est.) (male 57,030/female 53,275)
0-14 years: 31.84% (male 314,155 /female 310,772)
15-24 years: 19.34% (male 181,332 /female 1955,236)
25-54 years: 38.27% (male 366,652 /female 384,333)
55-64 years: 5.02% (male 52,490 /female 46,016)
65 years and over: 5.53% (male 55,804 /female 52,671) (2018 est.)

Population growth rate

0.76% (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 121st
0.24% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 178th

Birth rate

23.15 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 50th
24.2 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 52nd

Death rate

11.05 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 22nd
15.1 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.88 children born/woman (2023 est.) Country comparison to the world: 55th
2.92 children born/woman (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 51st
2.59 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 72nd

Median age

total: 24.7 years. Country comparison to the world: 164th
male: 24.7 years
female: 24.7 years (2020 est.)
total: 24.4 years. Country comparison to the world: 164th
male: 24.4 years
female: 24.3 years (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.9 years (2014 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Contraceptive prevalence rate

64.9% (2018)
60.2% (2014)

Net migration rate

-4.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 199th
-6.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) Country comparison to the world: 203rd

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 66.9 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 59.5 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.4 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 13.5 (2015 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 29.9% of total population (2022)
rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 30.2% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 2.83% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 59.57 years. Country comparison to the world: 220th
male: 57.57 years
female: 61.64 years (2022 est.)
total population: 53 years (2018 est.)
male: 53 years (2018 est.)
female: 53.1 years (2018 est.)

Education expenditures

7.4% of GDP (2020) Country comparison to the world: 16th

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

total population: 79.4% (2015 est.)
male: 70.1% (2015 est.)
female: 88.3% (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2017)
total: 11 years (2015)
male: 10 years (2015)
female: 11 years (2015)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 34.4% (2013 est.)
male: NA (2013 est.)
female: NA (2013 est.)

Ethnic groups and languages

Ethnic groups in Lesotho[14]
Ethnic groups
Sotho
 
 99.7%
Europeans, Asians and Other
 
 0.3%

Due to Lesotho's long history as a unified nation, that continued even through British colonial rule, the ethnic makeup of the country is very homogenous. Lesotho's ethno-linguistic structure consists almost entirely of the Basotho (singular Mosotho), a Bantu-speaking people: an estimate of 99.7 percent of the people identify as Basotho.[2] The Kwena (Bakoena) are the largest subgroup of the Sotho; other Basotho subgroups include the Natal (North) Nguni, Batloung (the Tlou), Baphuthi (the Phuti), Bafokeng, Bataung (the Tau), Bats'oeneng (the tso'ene) and the Cape (South) Nguni (Thembu). Other ethnic groups include Europeans, numbering in the thousands, and several hundred Asians.[15]

Sesotho (Southern Sotho) and English languages are both official.[2] Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa and French are also spoken.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Lesotho

The population of Lesotho is estimated to be around 90 percent Christian.[16] Roman Catholics, the largest religious group, make up around 45 percent of the population.[16] Evangelicals comprise 26 percent of the population, and Anglican and other Christian groups an additional 19 percent.[16] Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Baháʼí, and members of traditional indigenous religions comprise the remaining 10 percent of the population.[16]

Education and literacy

According to recent estimates, 85 percent of the population 15 and over was literate. Among women the literacy rate was around 95 percent, and among men around 75 percent.[2] As such, Lesotho boasts one of the higher literacy rates in Africa. Although education is not compulsory, the Government of Lesotho is incrementally implementing a programme for free primary education. It was expected that the program would be fully in place by 2006. The National University of Lesotho located in Roma and the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology located in the heart of Maseru, Moshoeshoe 2 are the only universities in the country.[17] In addition, the country has almost 20 other public and 15 private institutes giving tertiary education.[17]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Demographics of Lesotho.
  1. ^ a b c "2016 census" (PDF). Lesotho Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2018-08-28.
  2. ^ a b c d e CIA. "CIA - The World Factbook - Lesotho". Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  3. ^ "World Population Prospects 2022". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  4. ^ "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XSLX) ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision Archived May 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics".
  7. ^ "UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics". unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  8. ^ Demographic and Health Surveys
  9. ^ http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR309/FR309.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  10. ^ "World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations". Retrieved 2017-07-15.
  11. ^ "Lesotho Population 2022", World Population Review
  12. ^ Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from "Lesotho". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2022 edition)
  13. ^ "Lesotho - Country Profile - Kingdom of Lesotho - South Africa".
  14. ^ "Africa :: LESOTHO". CIA The World Factbook. 19 April 2022.
  15. ^ Commonwealth Secretariat (2004). The Commonwealth Yearbook. p. 181. ISBN 0-11-703227-1.
  16. ^ a b c d "International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Lesotho". United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. 2007-09-14. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  17. ^ a b Matora Ntimo-Makara. "INHEA: Lesotho higher education profile". The Boston College Center for International Higher Education. Archived from the original on 2008-05-14. Retrieved 2008-04-15.

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