Lesotho Population Pyramid 2016

Lesotho
2016
Population: 2,130,422

Year

-5 -1   2016  +1 +5

Country

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
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Lesotho in 2016

In 2016, Lesotho had a total population of 2,130,422 people. A decade earlier, in 2006, the population was 1,945,062; it has grown by 9.5% since.

With a median age of 21.4 years, Lesotho had a youth dependency ratio of 61.5 and an old-age dependency ratio of 6.4 per 100 people of working age. This is an expansive pyramid — each cohort of children is larger than the one above it, the signature of high birth rates and rapid growth.

Share of the population by age group, 1950–2100

Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.

Population
2,130,422
Median age
21.4
0-14 %
36.6%
65+ %
3.8%
Child dependency
61.5
Old-age dependency
6.4
Region
Pyramid shape
Population 2050
2,993,077
Population 2100
3,259,299
Births per woman
Total fertility rate, 1960–2023
123456
1960Replacement level (2.1)2023 · 2.69

In 2023 women in Lesotho had on average 2.69 children, above the replacement level of 2.1.

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.

Life expectancy at birth
Years, 1960–2023
Total Women Men
3040506070
19602023 · 57.4

A child born there in 2023 could expect to live 57.4 years on average (60.0 years for girls, 54.6 for boys).

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.

People supported per 100 workers
Dependency ratios, 1950–2100
Children Older adults
22456890
19502100
Where immigrants come from (2024)

8,986 immigrants live in Lesotho, 0.4% of the population.

South Africa5,964
India522
Pakistan522
Uganda313
China276
Where emigrants live (2024)

246,938 people born in Lesotho live in other countries.

South Africa237,718
Mozambique8,173
Botswana292
Swaziland226
Australia157
Explore
Immigration statistics Origin of migrant stocks map

Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024.

Country Population Median age Relative size
Lesotho 2,130,422 21.4
Botswana 2,234,776 22.7
Namibia 2,439,213 21.5
Swaziland 1,149,508 21.2
South Africa 57,259,551 26.7
How many people lived in Lesotho in 2016?
Lesotho had a population of 2,130,422 in 2016.
Is the population of Lesotho increasing or decreasing?
Yes, growing: up 9.5% from 2006, with a projected population of 2,993,077 in 2050.
What is the median age in Lesotho?
Lesotho's median age is 21.4 years.
What share of Lesotho's population is over 65 or under 15?
3.8% of Lesotho's population is 65 or older, and 36.6% is under 15.
What type of population pyramid does Lesotho have?
Lesotho's pyramid is expansive — broad at the bottom, the signature of high birth rates and a growing population.

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