Lesotho
Factsheet with the latest official statistics, prepared on 14 November 2026 from publication 29 of PiSpace Open Data.
Population
2,363,325 people
GDP per capita in US dollars
US$1,089 per person
Life expectancy at birth
57.8 years
ILO estimate of the unemployment rate
16.3%
Consumer price inflation
4.3%
| Measure | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population and ageing | |||
| Population estimates and projections | 2,311,472 people people | 2023 | UN Population Division |
| Median age estimates and projections | 21.4 years years | 2023 | UN Population Division |
| Fertility rate estimates and projections | 2.69 births per woman births per woman | 2023 | UN Population Division |
| Migration and citizenship | |||
| Net migration estimates and projections | -2.2 per 1,000 people per 1,000 people | 2023 | UN Population Division |
| Net migration | -5,192 people people | 2025 | World Bank |
| International migrant stock | 0.6% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Employment and occupations | |||
| ILO estimate of youth unemployment | 24.7% | 2025 | ILOSTAT |
| Labour force participation | 57.1% | 2025 | ILOSTAT |
| Women's labour force participation | 48.1% | 2025 | ILOSTAT |
| Economy and productivity | |||
| GDP in US dollars | US$2.6 billion | 2025 | World Bank |
| GDP per capita, PPP | Int$2,721 per person per person | 2025 | World Bank |
| GNI per capita, Atlas method | US$1,280 per person per person | 2025 | World Bank |
| Prices and purchasing power | |||
| Consumer price index | 221.0 (2010 = 100) (2010 = 100) | 2025 | World Bank |
| Inflation measured by the GDP deflator | 3.0% | 2025 | World Bank |
| Exchange rate to the US dollar | 17.889 per US$ per US$ | 2025 | World Bank |
| Housing and households | |||
| Slum population | 25.6% | 2022 | World Bank |
| Education and skills | |||
| ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate | 38.1% | 2025 | ILOSTAT |
| Primary completion (UIS) | 87.9% | 2024 | UNESCO UIS |
| Lower secondary completion | 56.0% | 2024 | UNESCO UIS |
| Health and healthcare | |||
| Life expectancy estimates and projections | 57.4 years years | 2023 | UN Population Division |
| Life expectancy at 65, estimates and projections | 12.9 years years | 2023 | UN Population Division |
| Healthy life expectancy | 47.9 years years | 2023 | WHO |
| Internet and digital society | |||
| Internet users | 51.8% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Mobile subscriptions | 70 per 100 people per 100 people | 2024 | World Bank |
| Fixed broadband subscriptions | 0.4 per 100 people per 100 people | 2024 | World Bank |
| Business and industry | |||
| Industry share of GDP | 25.2% | 2025 | World Bank |
| New businesses registered | 1,981 companies companies | 2020 | World Bank |
| Manufacturing share of GDP | 12.1% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Trade and investment | |||
| Exports share of GDP | 49.5% | 2025 | World Bank |
| Imports share of GDP | 104.5% | 2025 | World Bank |
| Trade as a share of GDP | 154.0% | 2025 | World Bank |
| Transport and mobility | |||
| Road traffic deaths | 31.9 per 100,000 people per 100,000 people | 2019 | World Bank |
| Air passengers carried | 1,300 passengers passengers | 1999 | World Bank |
| Energy and electricity | |||
| Access to electricity | 60.6% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Clean cooking access | 58.0% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Renewable energy share | 34.9% | 2022 | World Bank |
| Climate and emissions | |||
| Temperature change | 0.78 °Ce (Estimate) °C | 2025 | FAOSTAT |
| Agrifood emissions per person | 0.90 t CO2e per persone (Estimate) t CO2e per person | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Total greenhouse gas emissions | 3.1 Mt CO2e Mt CO2e | 2024 | World Bank |
| Air quality and ecosystems | |||
| PM2.5 air pollution | 17.5 µg/m³ µg/m³ | 2023 | WHO |
| Forest area | 1.1% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Protected areas | 23.4% | 2025 | World Bank |
| Water, sanitation and waste | |||
| Basic drinking water access | 78.1% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Safely managed drinking water | 31.3% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Basic sanitation access | 47.9% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Agriculture, food and fisheries | |||
| Cost of a healthy diet | Int$5.47 per person per daye (Estimate) per person per day | 2025 | FAOSTAT |
| Healthy diet unaffordable | 77.4%e (Estimate) | 2025 | FAOSTAT |
| Pesticide use | 3.44 kg/hae (Estimate) kg/ha | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Poverty and social protection | |||
| Gini index | 44.9 (0 to 100) (0 to 100) | 2017 | World Bank |
| Income share held by the richest 10% | 32.9% | 2017 | World Bank |
| Extreme poverty rate | 41.9% | 2017 | World Bank |
| Government finance and taxation | |||
| Tax revenue | 35.4% | 2024 | World Bank |
| Central government expense | 40.2% | 2022 | World Bank |
| Science and innovation | |||
| R&D spending share of GDP | 0.09% | 2023 | World Bank |
| Researchers per million people | 32 per million people per million people | 2023 | World Bank |
| Scientific and technical journal articles | 60 articles articles | 2023 | World Bank |
| Crime, justice and public safety | |||
| Intentional homicides | 38.2 per 100,000 people per 100,000 people | 2008 | World Bank |
| Culture, society and wellbeing | |||
| Women in national parliament | 25.0% | 2025 | World Bank |
Sources and licences
- Source: FAO, FAOSTAT. Licence: CC BY 4.0 Licence: CC BY 4.0 (FAO statistical database terms).
- Source: ILO, ILOSTAT (ILO Modelled Estimates) Licence: CC BY 4.0.
- Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), databrowser.uis.unesco.org Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Source: United Nations, DESA, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024 Licence: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
- Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators Licence: CC BY 4.0 (per series metadata).
- Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Licence: CC BY 4.0 (WHO datasets, with additional terms).
https://data.pispace.eu/countries/lesotho