Lesotho has a population density of 203.8 people per square mile compared to 661 people in Sao Tome and Principe. Lesotho has 139,786 sq ft of land per person vs 45,745 sq ft in Sao Tome and Principe. Lesotho and Sao Tome and Principe rank 115th and 46th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Lesotho has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.02% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.003% of the population and 0.0006% of the land area for Sao Tome and Principe, making the population density in Lesotho 69.2% lower than in Sao Tome and Principe.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Lesotho
|
Sao Tome
|
|
| 2026 | 203.8 | 661 |
| 2025 | 201.6 | 648 |
| 2024 | 199.4 | 635 |
| 2023 | 197.2 | 623 |
| 2022 | 195 | 611 |
| 2021 | 192.9 | 599 |
| 2020 | 190.7 | 587 |
| 2019 | 188.5 | 576 |
| 2018 | 186.3 | 567 |
| 2017 | 184 | 558 |
| 2016 | 181.7 | 550 |
| 2015 | 179.5 | 540 |
| 2014 | 177.5 | 531 |
| 2013 | 175.4 | 521 |
| 2012 | 173.5 | 511 |
| 2011 | 171.8 | 501 |
| 2010 | 170.3 | 490 |
| 2009 | 169 | 480 |
| 2008 | 167.8 | 469 |
| 2007 | 166.6 | 458 |
| 2006 | 165.9 | 447 |
| 2005 | 166.6 | 436 |
| 2004 | 168.2 | 425 |
| 2003 | 169.3 | 415 |
| 2002 | 170.2 | 404 |
| 2001 | 170.7 | 395 |
| 2000 | 171 | 389 |
| 1999 | 170.9 | 384 |
| 1998 | 170.5 | 380 |
| 1997 | 169.6 | 375 |
| 1996 | 168.3 | 370 |
| 1995 | 166.5 | 364 |
| 1994 | 164.5 | 358 |
| 1993 | 162.2 | 352 |
| 1992 | 159.8 | 346 |
| 1991 | 157.2 | 339 |
| 1990 | 154.4 | 332 |
| 1989 | 151.5 | 324 |
| 1988 | 148.4 | 315 |
| 1987 | 145.3 | 307 |
| 1986 | 142.1 | 299.9 |
| 1985 | 138.6 | 293.1 |
| 1984 | 134.7 | 287 |
| 1983 | 130.9 | 281.6 |
| 1982 | 127.2 | 276.6 |
| 1981 | 123.5 | 271.4 |
| 1980 | 120 | 265.9 |
| 1979 | 116.5 | 259.7 |
| 1978 | 113.2 | 253 |
| 1977 | 110 | 246.3 |
| 1976 | 106.9 | 239.9 |
| 1975 | 103.5 | 233.9 |
| 1974 | 100 | 228.4 |
| 1973 | 96.6 | 223.4 |
| 1972 | 93.3 | 218.6 |
| 1971 | 90.1 | 214 |
| 1970 | 87 | 209.4 |
| 1969 | 83.9 | 205.3 |
| 1968 | 80.9 | 201.7 |
| 1967 | 78 | 198.6 |
| 1966 | 75.2 | 195.8 |
| 1965 | 72.9 | 193.4 |
| 1964 | 70.8 | 191.2 |
| 1963 | 68.7 | 189.2 |
| 1962 | 66.7 | 187.2 |
| 1961 | 64.7 | 185.4 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/lesotho/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Lesotho increased by 22.9%, compared to a 48% growth in Sao Tome and Principe.
In 2006, Lesotho ranked 113th by population density and is 115th now. Sao Tome and Principe was 50th in 2006 and ranks 46th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Lesotho
|
Sao Tome
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 203.8 ppl/mi² | 661 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 115/197 | 46/197 |
| Population |
2396633
|
246362
|
| Land area | 11,722 sq mi | 371 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 139,809 sq ft | 43,872 sq ft |
| Rural population | 56.3% | 31.1% |
| Urban population | 43.7% | 68.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lesotho
|
Sao Tome
|
|
| 2024 | 43.7% | 68.9% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | 68.6% |
| 2022 | 41.7% | 68.4% |
| 2021 | 40.7% | 68.2% |
| 2020 | 39.6% | 68% |
| 2019 | 38.6% | 67.9% |
| 2018 | 37.6% | 67.8% |
| 2017 | 36.5% | 67.7% |
| 2016 | 35.5% | 67.5% |
| 2015 | 34.1% | 67.4% |
| 2014 | 32.6% | 67.3% |
| 2013 | 31.2% | 67.1% |
| 2012 | 29.9% | 67% |
| 2011 | 28.6% | 66.7% |
| 2010 | 27.4% | 66.1% |
| 2009 | 26.3% | 65.1% |
| 2008 | 25.2% | 63.9% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | 62.5% |
| 2006 | 23.3% | 61% |
| 2005 | 22.5% | 59.4% |
| 2004 | 21.8% | 57.9% |
| 2003 | 21.1% | 56.4% |
| 2002 | 20.5% | 55.1% |
| 2001 | 19.9% | 54% |
| 2000 | 19.3% | 53% |
| 1999 | 18.8% | 52% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | 51.1% |
| 1997 | 17.7% | 50.2% |
| 1996 | 17.1% | 49.4% |
| 1995 | 16.5% | 48.5% |
| 1994 | 15.8% | 47.6% |
| 1993 | 15% | 46.7% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | 45.8% |
| 1991 | 13.6% | 44.8% |
| 1990 | 12.9% | 43.7% |
| 1989 | 12.3% | 42.5% |
| 1988 | 11.8% | 41.3% |
| 1987 | 11.5% | 40% |
| 1986 | 11.3% | 38.7% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | 37.5% |
| 1984 | 11.3% | 36.3% |
| 1983 | 11.3% | 35.3% |
| 1982 | 11.2% | 34.5% |
| 1981 | 11.2% | 33.8% |
| 1980 | 11.2% | 33.3% |
| 1979 | 11.2% | 32.9% |
| 1978 | 11.2% | 32.6% |
| 1977 | 11.2% | 32.3% |
| 1976 | 11.2% | 32.1% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | 31.8% |
| 1974 | 10.9% | 31.5% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | 31.2% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | 30.8% |
| 1971 | 9.75% | 30.4% |
| 1970 | 9.22% | 29.8% |
| 1969 | 8.68% | 28.8% |
| 1968 | 8.12% | 27.4% |
| 1967 | 7.59% | 25.7% |
| 1966 | 7.1% | 23.8% |
| 1965 | 6.62% | 21.9% |
| 1964 | 6.07% | 20% |
| 1963 | 5.47% | 18.3% |
| 1962 | 4.86% | 16.9% |
| 1961 | 4.24% | 15.9% |
| 1960 | 3.66% | 15.4% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/lesotho/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 21.8% to 43.7% in Lesotho and from 57.9% to 68.9% in Sao Tome and Principe.
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
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/lesotho/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2005–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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