Lesotho — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Lesotho, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Lesotho was 1.10% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.67% in 1968. The lowest was -0.92% in 2005 (about -1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.55% per year.
Lesotho ranks 96 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 44%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Lesotho sits below it. It peaked in 1968 and has fallen 70% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 6%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 45 of 48 economies; Eswatini (1.07%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 551% in 2001. That is 5% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 50th of 216 in 1961 → 17th of 216 in 1970 → 53rd of 216 in 1980 → 112th of 216 in 1990 → 192nd of 217 in 2000 → 133rd of 217 in 2010 → 98th of 217 in 2020 → 96th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 1.12% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 1.1% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 1.08% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 1.15% | -0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 1.18% | +0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 1.17% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 1.22% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 1.24% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 1.22% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 1.17% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 1.14% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 1.08% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 1.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 0.89% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 0.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 0.73% | +0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 0.68% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 0.42% | +0.8 pp |
| 2006 | -0.41% | +0.5 pp |
| 2005 | -0.92% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | -0.7% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | -0.48% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | -0.31% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | -0.15% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 0.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 0.26% | -0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 0.79% | -0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 1.07% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 1.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 1.35% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 1.51% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 1.66% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 1.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 1.91% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 2.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 2.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 1987 | 2.21% | -0.3 pp |
| 1986 | 2.54% | -0.3 pp |
| 1985 | 2.83% | -0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 2.86% | -0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 2.89% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 2.9% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 2.91% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 2.91% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 2.89% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 2.85% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 2.89% | -0.3 pp |
| 1976 | 3.21% | -0.2 pp |
| 1975 | 3.46% | +0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 3.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 3.47% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 3.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 3.56% | -0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 3.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 3.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 3.67% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 3.58% | +0.4 pp |
| 1966 | 3.2% | +0.3 pp |
| 1965 | 2.93% | -0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 2.94% | -0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 2.97% | -0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 2.98% | -0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 2.99% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lesotho’s Population growth in 1962?
2.98% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Lesotho’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -63.1% in total — about 1.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. 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: 2025: 1.1%; 2024: 1.12%; 2023: 1.1%; 2022: 1.08%; 2021: 1.15%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). 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.