Lesotho's flag    Lesotho


Official language: Sesotho, English
Currency: Lesotho Loti
Capital City: Maseru
Area: 30355km2
Subregional membership(s): Southern Africa, Southern African Development Community (SADC), Least developed countires, Land-locked Countries, Sub-Saharan Africa, Non-Oil Producing, Non-Oil LDCs, Land-locked LDCs


2330.3K
2023

Mid-year population
2.4B
2021

GDP at current prices, USD
72.9
2021

Under five mortality rate
108.4
2019

Primary enrolment ratio
Population and migration
United Nations Population Division, United Nations Population Fund
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Average annual population growth rate - Total (%)0.751.151.231.251.251.251.291.131.001.11
Population - Urban (%)26.5026.9027.3027.70
Life expectancy at birth - Male (years)47.448.549.650.451.051.452.050.450.352.1
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 65+ (%)6.977.56
Population - Female (thousands)1,0641,0751,0881,1011,1141,1281,1421,1561,1681,181
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 35-39 (%)11.1210.51
Population - Urban (thousands)568.7585.1602.0619.3637.1655.4674.1693.2712.8732.8
Total fertility rate (per woman)3.33.33.23.23.13.13.13.03.02.9
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 45-49 (%)9.079.02
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 55-59 (%)5.755.85
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 20-24 (%)6.566.86
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 40-44 (%)10.4210.13
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 10-14 (%)4.294.31
Population - Urban (%)26.5026.9127.3227.7328.1528.5929.0329.4829.9430.41
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 50-54 (%)7.447.45
Population - Total (thousands)2,0952,1192,1442,1712,1982,2262,2542,2812,3062,330
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 60-64 (%)4.124.33
Life expectancy at birth - Total (years)50.051.152.353.153.754.254.753.153.054.9
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 15-19 (%)5.054.99
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 25-29 (%)8.838.89
Life expectancy at birth - Female (years)52.853.955.155.956.657.157.555.955.957.8
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 0-4 (%)5.425.32
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 5-9 (%)4.764.74
Population - Male (thousands)1,0311,0431,0561,0701,0841,0981,1121,1261,1371,149
Population - Female (%)50.7950.7650.7350.7150.6950.6750.6650.6650.6750.68
Annual rate of change of the migrant stock (%)7.115.52
Migrants as a percentage of the international migrant stock - 30-34 (%)10.1910.03
Average annual population growth rate - Urban (%)2.852.842.832.832.832.822.802.782.772.75
Population - Male (%)49.0649.1549.2149.2549.2849.3149.34
Health
World Bank, United Nations Statistics Division
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
76.675.270.568.369.470.268.666.1
91.089.484.782.383.183.782.279.3
Proportion of the population using improved sanitation facilities - Total (%)30.0030.00
91.089.484.782.383.183.782.279.3
Prevalence of underweight children under-five years of age - Total (%)
Proportion of 1 year-old children immunised against measles (%)
76.675.270.568.369.470.268.666.1
84.082.577.875.576.477.275.572.9
Proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy consumption (%)11.2011.20
84.082.577.875.576.477.275.572.9
Education
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Statistics Division, International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Bank
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Gross enrolment ratio in primary - Male (%)119.15119.63120.72113.09114.97111.14
Gross enrolment ratio in secondary - Male (%)51.1651.7849.8651.2156.8255.47
Literacy rates of 15-24 years old - Female (%)93.9795.4195.59
Net enrolment rate in secondary education - Female (%)49.5350.8550.03
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary education - Total (rate)32.833.133.833.0
Literacy rate - Female (%)84.93
Primary school enrollment - Male (number)186,606184,732184,317188,097
Ratio of school attendance rate of orphans to school attendance rate of non orphans (%)
School life Expectancy in Tertiary - Female (years)0.70.70.70.7
Mean years of schooling - Total (years)6.5
Net enrolment rate in primary education - Female (%)88.1489.0791.0893.39
Net enrolment rate in primary education - Male (%)86.5788.1490.0793.23
Ratio of girls to boys in secondary education (ratio)1.41.41.4
School life Expectancy in Secondary - Male (years)2.32.32.22.6
School life Expectancy in Tertiary - Male (years)0.50.40.40.4
Ratio of girls to boys in tertiary education (ratio)1.31.31.41.3
School life Expectancy in Secondary - Female (years)3.03.13.03.4
Survival Rate to the last grade in Primary - Male (%)57.0259.41
Adult literacy rate - Total (%)76.6479.3682.01
Gross enrolment ratio in teritiary - Male (%)8.267.28
Primary completion rate - Female (%)64.9065.9068.6071.3079.8976.4078.30
School life Expectancy in Primary - Female (years)7.37.27.27.5
Literacy rate - Total (%)76.64
Mean years of schooling - Total (years)5.9
Ratio of girls to boys in primary education (ratio)1.01.01.0
School life Expectancy in Primary - Total (years)7.47.37.37.8
School life Expectancy in Secondary - Total (years)2.62.72.63.0
Adult literacy rate - Female (%)84.9388.2989.76
Gross enrolment ratio in secondary - Total (%)60.2260.6858.5259.8265.3964.08
Gross graduation Ratio from Primary education - Male (%)
Pupil-teacher ratio, tertiary education - Total (rate)29.320.019.7
Survival Rate to the last grade in Primary - Total (%)64.8669.28
Literacy rate - Male (%)67.75
Primary completion rate - Total (%)52.6052.0053.5054.7068.6057.0057.90
Gross enrolment ratio in primary - Total (%)116.59116.63117.70109.97112.10108.43
Gross enrolment ratio in teritiary - Total (%)10.019.10
School life Expectancy in Tertiary - Total (years)0.60.60.60.5
Primary completion rate - Male (%)78.1878.7081.1083.6091.8387.7089.40
Literacy rates of 15-24 years old - Male (%)79.6183.3183.81
Gross enrolment ratio in primary - Female (%)114.04113.66114.70106.89109.26105.73
Gross enrolment ratio in secondary - Female (%)69.3669.6667.2368.3673.9672.66
Gross enrolment ratio in teritiary - Female (%)11.7910.94
Women to men parity index, as ratio of literacy rates, 15-24 years old (%)0.650.620.69
Literacy rates of 15-24 years old - Total (%)86.6385.0989.3489.73
Ratio of girls to boys in secondary education (ratio)1.41.41.41.41.21.2
Survival Rate to the last grade in Primary - Female (%)73.5080.62
Net enrolment rate in secondary education - Male (%)31.8332.9632.73
Ratio of girls to boys in primary education (ratio)1.01.01.01.01.01.0
School life Expectancy in Primary - Male (years)7.57.57.48.0
Adult literacy rate - Male (%)67.7570.0773.94
Net enrolment rate in primary education - Total (%)87.3688.6190.5893.31
Net enrolment rate in secondary education - Total (%)40.6441.8641.35
Primary school enrollment - Total (number)366,048361,637360,756367,931
Gross graduation Ratio from Primary education - Female (%)
Gross graduation Ratio from Primary education - Total (%)70.6171.5469.30
Primary school enrollment - Female (number)179,442176,905176,439179,834
Pupil-teacher ratio, secondary education - Total (rate)23.524.023.225.3
National accounts
United Nations Statistics Division
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Expenditure on GDP at current purchaser's values - National Currency (billions)28.432.033.735.1
Expenditure on GDP at current purchaser's values - US dollars (billions)2.62.52.32.6
Prices
Economic Commission for Africa, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Inflation, average, percentage change over previous period5.373.226.604.454.755.194.98-22.778.29
inflation rate: end of period price indices percentage change over previous year3.615.135.334.495.414.765.65-22.218.02
Inflation rate (percentage change of CPI over same period of previous year)5.373.226.604.454.755.194.98-22.778.29
Inflation, end of period consumer prices (index)90.5397.30101.63108.23
Consumer price index, All item, 2010=100123.09127.05135.43141.45148.17155.86163.62126.37136.84
Inflation, end of period consumer prices (%)2.017.484.446.504.755.194.944.65
Energy
African Union Commission, United Nations Statistics Division, U.S. Energy Information Administration
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Total electricity production (Giga watt hours)385.04402420438
Electricity - Consumption (Giga watt hours)
Electricity - total biofuels and waste production (Giga watt hours)0000
Total electricity production (Giga watt hours)
Electricity - Consumption (Giga watt hours)408432440448
Electricity - total thermal production (Giga watt hours)0.40.60.610.66
Electricity - total Solar wind tide wave production (Giga watt hours)0.040.040.04
Total electricity installed capacity - kilowatt hours (thousands)0.10.10.10.10.10.1
Oil - Consumption (metric tons)116.00118.00123.00129.00
Total electricity installed capacity - kilowatt hours (thousands)80.480.480.4
Coal - Production, Tonnes (thousands)0.0
Electricity - total hydro production (Giga watt hours)385402420438
Electricity - total fossil fules production (Giga watt hours)000
Electricity - total hydro production (Giga watt hours)
Tourism
World Bank, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), World Tourism Organization
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
International tourism, number of arrivals - Total (thousands)1,079
Total contribution to employment, tourism (%)12.5111.8113.50
Total contribution to GDP, tourism (%)14.4213.2913.80
International tourism receipts (% of total exports)1.773.495.1
International tourism receipts - current USD (millions)16.034.048.023.024.0
International tourism expenditures - current USD (millions)177.0180.0170.0
Rooms in hotels and similar establishments (thousands)2.72.92.93.53.4
Transport

Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Paved Road (% of total) (%)
Information society
United Nations Statistics Division, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Bank
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
78.6581.69
4.04
Fixed telephone lines (per 100 inhabitants) (%)2.431.971.980.510.40
91.9695.6096.0097.8497.8498.0098.0095.76
4.88
1,2751,193
22.0025.0032.4539.0040.8042.3043.00
7.82
5.54
Mobile telephone subscribers (per 100 inhabitants) (%)102.08101.02106.49109.6871.9875.5669.3279.83
82.79
303
Mobile telephone subscribers (per 100 inhabitants) (%)104.67103.94110.02113.83
62.7070.0075.0065.0065.0067.0067.0085.09
11.89
22.0025.0032.4539.0040.8042.3043.00
47.98
3.30
80.03
Mobile telephone subscribers (number)2,138,7892,140,1412,282,9172,380,8041,582,1411,583,192
6.01
12.58
0.39
0.070.10.10.220.260.210.220.35
0.060.06
Fixed telephone lines (per 100 inhabitants) (%)2.371.921.920.490.380.580.510.42
1,5022,0622,2304,8215,7634,6185,0607,998
92.6697.0097.6098.6398.0098.0098.0095.70
0.01
, 2018=10075,10018,9701,124,48031,5403,837,830976,5103,626,860
International trade
International Road Federation
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Total trade - Export, current USD (millions)931.31,012968.01,0951,2811,125911.4
Total trade - Import, current USD (millions)2,1522,0491,9142,2812,3742,2421,978
Banking, insurance, financial statistics
International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations Statistics Division
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Interest rate - Lending (%)10.3410.59
Exchange rate, period average (national currency per USD)10.8512.7614.7113.3213.2314.45
Exchange rate, period average (national currency per USD)10.8512.76
Deposit rate (%) (%)2.732.34
Government finance fiscal and public sector statistics
World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Debt service ratio - Per export (ratio)3.23.73.93.34.24.55.120.9
Fiscal deficit (% of GDP)-0.4-2.7-0.6-1.4-2.5-2.6-3.3-2.9
Net ODA - current USD (millions)107.283.1112.3146.8
Total external debt - as % of GDP (%)41.5045.7440.5940.0449.0450.4654.1854.6948.62
General government net lending/borrowing - as % of GDP (%)2.96-1.41-8.90-1.09-4.76-7.450.25-6.87
International reserves - current USD (millions)1,081997.4925.2728.5774.1
Net ODA - Per capita (current USD)49.9438.2350.9765.73
Total external debt (% of GNI) (%)33.5436.1056.5757.4151.1057.0369.2263.92
Net ODA (% of GNI) (%)3.70
Balance of payments
International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Economic Commission for Africa
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Capital Account, Capital transfers,General government - Net (National Currency)358.16488.68713.68525.89492.151,2521,5171,9161,839
Current Account, Goods and Services, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)-13707.2-13247.19-15494.76-16108.77-15351.68-16531.04-17786.96-16813.73-19128.27
Current Account, Primary income, Other primary income, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)286.44385.48451.84266.62221.92230.25194.36156.77227.19
Financial account, Reserve assets, National Currency - Net (National Currency)1,3721,673-2410.11-2691.82854.36792.191,8711,026-1593.56
Outward flows of Foreign Direct investment - Stock, current USD (millions)291.0251.0266.5
Current Account, Primary income, Investment income, Portfolio investment, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)000000306.81296.58353.7
Errors and omissions - current USD (millions)13.318.9
Current Account, Primary income, Compensation of employees, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)4,3624,3706,5877,1577,3847,4867,2006,8598,522
Current Account, Primary income, Investment income, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)-1060.98-1028.2-1033.12-1150.89-1157.92-1129.92-820.65-967.73-918.3
Current Account, Secondary income, General government, Current international cooperation, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)018.713.7820.6800000
Workers remittances (Net) - current USD (millions)4.03.6
Capital Account, Total, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)358.16488.68713.68525.89492.151,2521,5171,9161,839
Current account balance - as % of GDP (%)-5.21-3.96-6.67-2.62-1.40-2.14-2.02-9.26
Compensation of employees - current USD (millions)389.0367.2340.3397.0426.2
Current Account, Secondary income, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)7,8807,7996,2267,0806,9917,3849,3047,9256,985
Trade balance - as % of GDP (%)-63.30
Trade balance - current USD (millions)-946.9-801.7-731.1-798.4-755.4
Financial Account net - current USD (millions)-156.0-113.2
Current Account, Goods and Services, Services, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)-3425.36-3075.35-4733.1-5460.52-6012.67-6152.52-6054.1-5704.18-6960.04
Services Balance - current USD (millions)-299.2-272.9-245.3-308.6-320.8
Inward flows of Foreign Direct investment - Flow, current USD (millions)94.5206.5159.2123.1128.735.729.626.6
Current account balance - current USD (millions)-122.5-77.6-198.2-182.0-114.4
Capital Account net - current USD (billions)0.00.00.00.00.0
Capital Account, Capital transfers - Net (National Currency)358.16488.68713.68525.89492.151,2521,5171,9161,839
Current Account, Primary income, Other primary income, Subsidies, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)286.44385.48451.84266.62221.92230.25194.36156.77227.19
Net errors and omissions, Domestic Currency - Net (National Currency)424.84241.49-1476.281,2053,123564.95,0703,20460.25
Primary income (Net) - current USD (millions)317.5315.8300.8330.3355.8
Total, Domestic Currency - Net (National Currency)3,4412,986-12375.9-12646.78-11902.94-14554.22-9834.87-9510.06-12418.03
Current Account, Primary income, Investment income, Direct investment, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)-1544.43-1595.24-1595.24-1595.24-1606.13-1595.24-1595.24-1595.24-1595.24
Current Account, Primary income, Investment income, Other investment, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)483.45567.04562.12444.35448.22465.32467.78330.93323.24
Current Account, Goods and Services,Goods , Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)-10281.84-10171.84-10761.66-10648.25-9339.01-10378.52-11732.86-11109.55-12168.22
Current Account, Secondary income, General government, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)7,2477,1125,4836,2896,2266,6708,6587,1626,198
Current Account, Total, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)-2238.97-1720.7-3263.53-2756.04-1912.55-2560.53-1908.79-2840.73-4312.9
Portfolio Investment (Net) - current USD (millions)2.52.2
Trade balance - as % of GDP (%)
Current Account, Goods and Services, Goods , General merchandise on a balance of payments basis, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)-10281.84-10171.84-10761.66-10648.25-9339.01-10378.52-11732.86-11109.55-12168.22
Financial account, Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (balance from financial account), National Currency - Net (National Currency)-1455.97-990.53-4026.12-1025.11,703-744.024,6792,279-2413.48
Inward flows of Foreign Direct investment - Stock, current USD (millions)291.0251.0266.5
Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (balance from current and capital account), Domestic Currency - Net (National Currency)-1880.81-1232.02-2549.85-2230.15-1420.4-1308.92-391.45-924.48-2473.74
Secondary income (Net) - current USD (millions)806.2681.1477.4594.7606.0
Current Account, Primary income, Net, National Currency - Net (National Currency)3,5883,7286,0066,2736,4486,5876,5746,0487,831
Environment
United Nations Statistics Division, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Indicator2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Carbon Dioxide Emission - metric tons (thousands)
Energy use (Kg oil equivalent) per $1,000 (PPP) GDP (per 1,000 population)
Forest Area as % of Land Area (%)1.60
Consumption of ozone-depleting CFCs in ODP (metric tons)
Land area covered by forest (%)