Lesotho Population Pyramid 2018

Lesotho
2018
Population: 2,183,603

Year

-5 -1   2018  +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
Embed this population pyramid ×

Copy the code below and paste it into your website or LMS.

Lesotho in 2018

In 2018, Lesotho had a total population of 2,183,603 people. Over the previous ten years the population grew by 11.0%, up from 1,966,540 in 2008.

With a median age of 21.7 years, Lesotho had a youth dependency ratio of 60.6 and an old-age dependency ratio of 6.3 per 100 people of working age. The broad-based, expansive shape of the pyramid points to high fertility and strong population 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
2,183,603
Median age
21.7
0-14 %
36.3%
65+ %
3.8%
Child dependency
60.6
Old-age dependency
6.3
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 2,183,603 21.7
Botswana 2,299,141 22.9
Namibia 2,577,327 21.7
Swaziland 1,168,930 21.8
South Africa 58,613,001 27.5
How many people lived in Lesotho in 2018?
In 2018, Lesotho's population was 2,183,603.
Is Lesotho's population growing or shrinking?
Lesotho's population grew 11.0% over the previous ten years, and is projected to reach 2,993,077 by 2050.
How old is the population of Lesotho?
Lesotho's median age is 21.7 years.
What share of Lesotho's population is over 65 or under 15?
3.8% of Lesotho's population is 65 or older, and 36.3% is under 15.
What shape is Lesotho's population pyramid, and what does it mean?
Lesotho's pyramid is expansive — broad at the bottom, the signature of high birth rates and a growing population.

Check our other visualizations