Population of Lesotho

As of April 2025, the population of Lesotho is 2.4 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 25 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 1.07%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 21 years in 2015 to 22.5 years in 2025. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 55.3 years and population density is 78.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of Lesotho peaked in 1967, reaching around 3.65% annually, but has since declined to approximately 1.05% in 2025. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 43.47 thousand in 1985 to nearly 25.02 thousand in 2025.

Life Expectancy

In Lesotho, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 43.2 years in 2005 to 55.3 years in 2025, representing an increase de 12 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in Lesotho

The cities of Lesotho are small, with the 5 most populated adding up to around 557.5 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Maseru, Maseru District, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 359.8 thousand inhabitants. It is followed by Maputsoe, Leribe with 61.9 thousand and Mohale's Hoek, Mohale's Hoek District with 46.6 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in Lesotho: