Lesotho
- Capital:
- Maseru
- Continent:
- Africa
- Region(s):
- Southern Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
- Abbreviation:
- LSO
Lesotho's population structure shows a somewhat lower male to female ratio of 0.95 to 1, with a median male age of 21.86 years old and a median female age of 23.42 years old. The highest concentration of adults under 75 years old is in the 18 and 20 year-old age groups, while the lowest concentration is in the 74 and 73 year-old age groups.
Data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
* As of 3/14/2025
1 birth
Every 9.5 minutes
1 death
Every 21.5 minutes
1 emigrant
Every 1.7 hours
1 person
Every 20.3 minutes
City | 2025 Pop. |
|---|---|
| Maseru | 118,355 |
| Mafeteng | 57,059 |
| Leribe | 47,675 |
| Maputsoe | 32,117 |
| Mohale's Hoek | 28,310 |
| Qacha's Nek | 25,573 |
| Quthing | 24,130 |
| Butha-Buthe | 16,330 |
| Nako | 13,146 |
Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a small landlocked country surrounded by South Africa. This compares to the 2004 census population of 2.03 million. Lesotho has a population density of 68 people per square kilometer (162/sq mi), or 138th in the world. Population density is lowest in the highlands. The capital and largest city is Maseru,
About 99.7% of Lesotho’s population identifies as Basotho, a Bantu-speaking people. There are several subgroups of the Basotho, including the Batloung (Tlou), Bakuena (Kuena), Baphuthi (Phuti), Bataung (Tau), Batsoeneng (Tsoene), Matebele and Bafokeng. The main language is Sesotho, although English is the other official language.
About 90% of the population is Christian. Protestants make up 45% of the population, with Roman Catholics accounting for 45%. Muslims, Hindus, Baha’i, and indigenous religions account for the remaining 10%.
Lesotho has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa with about 85% of the adult population being literate, partly because Lesotho spends 12% of its GDP on education. Unlike most countries, Lesotho has a higher female literacy rate than male literacy rate.
About 25% of the population lives in urban areas while the majority live in rural areas. The urbanization rate of Lesotho is 3.5% per year, however. Nearly 40% of the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 USD per day.