Lesotho has a population density of 199.4 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Lesotho has 139,786 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Lesotho ranked 114th out of 197.
Lesotho has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.02% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Lesotho compared to the World's average
Lesotho
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 199.4 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 114/197 | N/A |
| Population |
2384217
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 11,722 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 139,809 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 69.1% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 30.9% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Lesotho population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Lesotho has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 18.6%. The population density rank was 107th 21 years ago and is 114th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 199.4 | 114 |
| 2023 | 197.2 | 113 |
| 2022 | 195 | 113 |
| 2021 | 192.9 | 113 |
| 2020 | 190.7 | 113 |
| 2019 | 188.5 | 114 |
| 2018 | 186.3 | 114 |
| 2017 | 184 | 115 |
| 2016 | 181.7 | 115 |
| 2015 | 179.5 | 114 |
| 2014 | 177.5 | 115 |
| 2013 | 175.4 | 115 |
| 2012 | 173.5 | 116 |
| 2011 | 171.8 | 116 |
| 2010 | 170.3 | 114 |
| 2009 | 169 | 114 |
| 2008 | 167.8 | 114 |
| 2007 | 166.6 | 113 |
| 2006 | 165.9 | 113 |
| 2005 | 166.6 | 109 |
| 2004 | 168.2 | 107 |
| 2003 | 169.3 | 103 |
| 2002 | 170.2 | 100 |
| 2001 | 170.7 | 99 |
| 2000 | 171 | 98 |
| 1999 | 170.9 | 94 |
| 1998 | 170.5 | 94 |
| 1997 | 169.6 | 93 |
| 1996 | 168.3 | 92 |
| 1995 | 166.5 | 93 |
| 1994 | 164.5 | 93 |
| 1993 | 162.2 | 93 |
| 1992 | 159.8 | 91 |
| 1991 | 157.2 | 81 |
| 1990 | 154.4 | 81 |
| 1989 | 151.5 | 80 |
| 1988 | 148.4 | 80 |
| 1987 | 145.3 | 80 |
| 1986 | 142.1 | 80 |
| 1985 | 138.6 | 80 |
| 1984 | 134.7 | 80 |
| 1983 | 130.9 | 81 |
| 1982 | 127.2 | 81 |
| 1981 | 123.5 | 81 |
| 1980 | 120 | 81 |
| 1979 | 116.5 | 81 |
| 1978 | 113.2 | 81 |
| 1977 | 110 | 82 |
| 1976 | 106.9 | 82 |
| 1975 | 103.5 | 83 |
| 1974 | 100 | 83 |
| 1973 | 96.6 | 84 |
| 1972 | 93.3 | 85 |
| 1971 | 90.1 | 85 |
| 1970 | 87 | 86 |
| 1969 | 83.9 | 86 |
| 1968 | 80.9 | 87 |
| 1967 | 78 | 87 |
| 1966 | 75.2 | 87 |
| 1965 | 72.9 | 87 |
| 1964 | 70.8 | 85 |
| 1963 | 68.7 | 85 |
| 1962 | 66.7 | 85 |
| 1961 | 64.7 | 85 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Lesotho from 1960 to 2024: 3.51% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 19.5% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 30.9%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 30.9% | 170 |
| 2023 | 30.4% | 170 |
| 2022 | 29.9% | 170 |
| 2021 | 29.5% | 171 |
| 2020 | 29% | 171 |
| 2019 | 28.6% | 171 |
| 2018 | 28.2% | 171 |
| 2017 | 27.7% | 171 |
| 2016 | 27.3% | 171 |
| 2015 | 26.9% | 171 |
| 2014 | 26.5% | 172 |
| 2013 | 26.1% | 173 |
| 2012 | 25.7% | 173 |
| 2011 | 25.3% | 173 |
| 2010 | 24.8% | 173 |
| 2009 | 24.3% | 173 |
| 2008 | 23.8% | 174 |
| 2007 | 23.3% | 174 |
| 2006 | 22.8% | 176 |
| 2005 | 22.2% | 177 |
| 2004 | 21.7% | 179 |
| 2003 | 21.1% | 180 |
| 2002 | 20.6% | 180 |
| 2001 | 20.1% | 181 |
| 2000 | 19.5% | 181 |
| 1999 | 19% | 181 |
| 1998 | 18.5% | 181 |
| 1997 | 18% | 183 |
| 1996 | 17.6% | 183 |
| 1995 | 17% | 183 |
| 1994 | 16.3% | 184 |
| 1993 | 15.7% | 184 |
| 1992 | 15.1% | 185 |
| 1991 | 14.5% | 186 |
| 1990 | 14% | 186 |
| 1989 | 13.4% | 187 |
| 1988 | 12.9% | 187 |
| 1987 | 12.4% | 187 |
| 1986 | 11.9% | 187 |
| 1985 | 11.8% | 187 |
| 1984 | 11.7% | 186 |
| 1983 | 11.6% | 186 |
| 1982 | 11.6% | 184 |
| 1981 | 11.5% | 184 |
| 1980 | 11.5% | 183 |
| 1979 | 11.4% | 183 |
| 1978 | 11.3% | 183 |
| 1977 | 11.3% | 183 |
| 1976 | 11.2% | 182 |
| 1975 | 10.8% | 182 |
| 1974 | 10.4% | 183 |
| 1973 | 9.91% | 182 |
| 1972 | 9.47% | 182 |
| 1971 | 9.04% | 181 |
| 1970 | 8.61% | 183 |
| 1969 | 8.2% | 184 |
| 1968 | 7.8% | 183 |
| 1967 | 7.42% | 183 |
| 1966 | 7.06% | 183 |
| 1965 | 6.37% | 183 |
| 1964 | 5.66% | 185 |
| 1963 | 5.03% | 186 |
| 1962 | 4.46% | 188 |
| 1961 | 3.96% | 189 |
| 1960 | 3.51% | 190 |
Densely populated cities
|
Lesotho
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Maseru | 344K |
| Teyateyaneng | 75.1K |
| Mafeteng | 57.1K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Lesotho topic pages:
Population density comparisons
