Official name:
Kingdom of Lesotho
Region:
General Information
| Region | Southern Africa | |
| Population (000, 2025) | 2 363a | |
| Pop. density (per km2, 2025) | 77.8a | |
| Capital city | Maseru | |
| Capital city pop. (000, 2025) | 201.9c | |
| UN membership date | 17 October 1966 | |
| Surface area (km2) | 30 355b | |
| Sex ratio (m per 100 f) | 95.1a | |
| National currency | Loti (LSL) | |
| Exchange rate (per US$) | 18.7d |
Economic indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) | 2 360 | 2 054 | 2 118b |
| GDP growth rate (annual %, const. 2015 prices) | 3.1 | -8.2 | 1.8b |
| GDP per capita (current US$) | 1 121.0 | 919 | 916b |
| Economy: Agriculturee,f (% of Gross Value Added) | 4.2 | 6 | 7.7b |
| Economy: Industrye,g (% of Gross Value Added) | 37.9 | 35.2 | 33.4b |
| Economy: Services and other activitye,h (% of GVA) | 57.9 | 58.8 | 58.8b |
| Employment in agriculturei (% of employed) | 30.8 | 30.2 | 29.2b |
| Employment in industryi (% of employed) | 33.9 | 34.4 | 34.9b |
| Employment in servicesi (% employed) | 35.3 | 35.4 | 36b |
| Unemploymenti (% of labour force) | 16.3 | 18.4 | 15.9 |
| Labour force participation ratei (female/male pop. %) | 54.5 / 71.8 | 48.5 / 66.5 | 48.3 / 67.4 |
| CPI: Consumer Price Index (2010=100) | 127 | 164 | 212d |
| Agricultural production index (2014-2016=100) | 101 | 92 | 104b |
| International trade: exports (million current US$) | 606 | 837 | 832i,d |
| International trade: imports (million current US$) | 1 421 | 1 281 | 1 742i,d |
| International trade: balance (million current US$) | -815 | -443 | -910i,d |
| Balance of payments, current account (million US$) | -135 | -121 | 112d |
Social indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| Population growth rate (average annual %) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1a |
| Urban population (% of total population) | 26.9 | 28.6j | ... |
| Urban population growth rate (average annual %) | 2.9k | ... | ... |
| Fertility rate, total (live births per woman) | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.6a |
| Life expectancy at birth (females/males, years) | 54.4 / 49.3 | 57.7 / 52.5 | 60.9 / 55.4a |
| Population age distributionl (0-14/60+ years old, %) | 36.6 / 5.8 | 35.8 / 5.8 | 34.1 / 5.8a |
| International migrant stockm,n (000/% of total pop.) | 9.2 / 0.4 | 12.1 / 0.5 | 15.0 / 0.6d |
| Refugees and others of concern to UNHCR (000) | ~0.0 | 0.3 | 0.6d |
| Under five mortality rate (per 1000 live births) | 81.2 | 76.3 | 67.2a |
| Health: Current expenditurei,o (% of GDP) | 9.3 | 10.5 | 12.7p |
| Health: Physicians (per 1 000 pop.) | 0.1q | 0.5c | 0.2p |
| Education: Primary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 103.3 / 107.2 | 86.5 / 89.0 | 80.3 / 83.0b |
| Education: Lowr. sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 79.1 / 59.1 | 79.1 / 59.7r | ... / ... |
| Education: Upr. Sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 51.0 / 38.7 | 50.4 / 35.7r | ... / ... |
| Seats held by women in national parliaments (%) | 26.7 | 23.3s | 25s |
Environment and infrastructure indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| Individuals using the Interneti (per 100 inhabitants) | 25 | 43.7t | 48b |
| Research & Development expenditure (% of GDP) | 0.1u,v | ... | ... |
| Threatened species (number) | 17 | 19 | 21d |
| Forested area (% of land area) | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1p |
| CO2 emission estimates (million tons/tons per capita) | 2.1 / 1.0i | 2.1 / 0.9i | 2.6 / 1.2p |
| Energy production, primary (Petajoules) | 21i | 18i | 17p |
| Energy supply per capita (Gigajoules) | 22i | 19i | 22p |
| Tourist/visitor arrivals at national borders (000) | 320w | ... | ... |
| Important sites for terrestrial biodiversity protected (%) | 53.3 | 53.3 | 53.3d |
| Pop. using safely managed drinking water (urban/rural, %) | 66.2 / 7.0 | 72.4 / 9.2 | 72.6 / 9.2p |
| Pop. using safely managed sanitation (urban/rural, %) | 34.0 / 40.0 | 39.4 / 51.0 | 39.4 / 51.0p |
| Net Official Development Assist. received (% of GNI) | 3.28 | 7.02 | 7.2b |