Lesotho — Life expectancy
Life Expectancy at Birth for Lesotho, 1960–2024.
Life expectancy for Lesotho was 57.8 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1960 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 59.6 in 1988. The lowest was 43.2 in 2006 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.22% per year.
Lesotho ranks 213 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 98%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.3, so Lesotho sits below it. It peaked in 1988 and has fallen 3% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved up 14%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 44 of 48 economies; South Sudan (57.7) is just below it. That is 6% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 138th of 215 in 1960 → 160th of 216 in 1970 → 161st of 216 in 1980 → 163rd of 217 in 1990 → 205th of 217 in 2000 → 216th of 217 in 2010 → 214th of 217 in 2020 → 213th of 217 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2024
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 57.8 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 57.38 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 56.81 | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 54.21 | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 55.13 | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 55.25 | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 54.64 | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 53.87 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 52.91 | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 51.83 | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 50.79 | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 49.55 | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 48.24 | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 46.93 | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 46.05 | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 45.06 | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 44.3 | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 43.66 | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 43.18 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 43.61 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 44.04 | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 44.92 | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 45.95 | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 47.15 | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 48.78 | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 50.39 | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 52.03 | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 53.73 | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 55.14 | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 56.37 | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 57.29 | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 58.06 | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 58.64 | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 59.06 | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 59.32 | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 59.51 | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 59.57 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 59.56 | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 59.35 | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 59.21 | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 58.96 | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 58.5 | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 57.98 | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 57.31 | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 56.53 | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 55.84 | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 55.17 | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 54.53 | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 53.93 | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 53.45 | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 52.94 | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 52.62 | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 52.26 | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 51.85 | +0.7% |
| 1970 | 51.5 | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 51.12 | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 50.79 | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 50.51 | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 50.38 | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 50.33 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 50.31 | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 50.26 | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 50.31 | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 50.28 | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 50.17 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lesotho’s Life expectancy in 1961?
50.28 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Lesotho’s Life expectancy figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — years — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Lesotho’s Life expectancy growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +15.2% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 57.8; 2023: 57.38; 2022: 56.81; 2021: 54.21; 2020: 55.13. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.DYN.LE00.IN — Life Expectancy at Birth. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.