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Population in Finland compared to Lesotho: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Finland was 5,619,911 in 2024 vs 2,337,423 people in Lesotho in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Finland's population is 5,631,965 people compared to 2,396,633 in Lesotho.

Population statistics:

  • Finland's population is 2.35 times bigger than Lesotho's.
  • Finland is ranked the 120th most populous country in the world, while Lesotho is the 143rd.
  • The countries together account for 0.1% of the world: 0.07% for Finland vs 0.03% for Lesotho.
  • For the last 10 years, Finland has had an average growth rate of +0.3% per year vs +1.17% in Lesotho.
  • Since 2006, the population of Finland has increased from 5.27M people to 5.63M (6.94% growth), while Lesotho has grown from 1.95M to 2.4M (23.2% growth).

Finland vs Lesotho: population by year and forecast

Finland
Factual

Projection
Lesotho
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Finland Lesotho
2100 4,615,954 3,280,784
2099 4,632,084 3,286,697
2098 4,648,068 3,292,498
2097 4,663,730 3,298,102
2096 4,678,982 3,303,027
2095 4,694,312 3,307,947
2094 4,709,388 3,312,002
2093 4,724,681 3,315,757
2092 4,739,809 3,319,661
2091 4,755,260 3,322,573
2090 4,770,907 3,324,769
2089 4,786,400 3,326,847
2088 4,801,901 3,328,480
2087 4,817,852 3,329,964
2086 4,833,786 3,330,456
2085 4,849,629 3,331,259
2084 4,864,891 3,331,485
2083 4,880,250 3,331,492
2082 4,896,009 3,331,234
2081 4,911,803 3,330,412
2080 4,927,618 3,329,267
2079 4,943,129 3,327,166
2078 4,958,168 3,324,646
2077 4,973,373 3,321,422
2076 4,988,599 3,317,850
2075 5,003,374 3,314,237
2074 5,018,067 3,309,174
2073 5,032,313 3,303,860
2072 5,046,145 3,298,181
2071 5,059,821 3,291,492
2070 5,073,405 3,283,654
2069 5,086,624 3,275,244
2068 5,100,021 3,266,152
2067 5,113,379 3,256,626
2066 5,126,654 3,246,903
2065 5,140,841 3,237,153
2064 5,154,898 3,226,489
2063 5,169,175 3,215,103
2062 5,183,334 3,202,287
2061 5,197,920 3,188,933
2060 5,212,905 3,174,998
2059 5,228,152 3,160,204
2058 5,242,966 3,145,053
2057 5,258,706 3,129,261
2056 5,274,797 3,113,129
2055 5,290,920 3,095,904
2054 5,306,678 3,078,567
2053 5,321,951 3,060,152
2052 5,337,100 3,040,649
2051 5,352,042 3,020,109
2050 5,366,251 2,999,457
2049 5,380,081 2,978,037
2048 5,393,571 2,955,727
2047 5,406,757 2,932,688
2046 5,419,535 2,909,307
2045 5,432,355 2,885,537
2044 5,444,871 2,861,372
2043 5,457,529 2,836,777
2042 5,469,797 2,811,663
2041 5,482,134 2,786,147
2040 5,494,276 2,760,391
2039 5,506,630 2,734,400
2038 5,518,788 2,708,216
2037 5,530,908 2,681,863
2036 5,542,684 2,654,755
2035 5,554,158 2,627,701
2034 5,565,174 2,600,880
2033 5,575,691 2,574,065
2032 5,585,700 2,547,344
2031 5,595,391 2,520,831
2030 5,604,388 2,494,646
2029 5,612,864 2,468,268
2028 5,620,473 2,441,871
2027 5,627,272 2,415,830
2026 5,631,965 2,389,516
2025 5,630,458 2,363,516
2024 5,619,911 2,337,423
2023 5,583,911 2,311,472
2022 5,556,106 2,286,110
2021 5,541,017 2,261,542
2020 5,529,543 2,235,727
2019 5,521,606 2,209,405
2018 5,515,525 2,183,603
2017 5,508,214 2,157,110
2016 5,495,303 2,130,422
2015 5,479,531 2,104,611
2014 5,461,512 2,080,089
2013 5,438,972 2,056,504
2012 5,413,971 2,034,354
2011 5,388,272 2,014,009
2010 5,363,352 1,996,251
2009 5,338,871 1,980,883
2008 5,313,399 1,966,541
2007 5,288,720 1,953,268
2006 5,266,268 1,945,063
2005 5,246,096 1,953,076
2004 5,228,172 1,971,129
2003 5,213,014 1,985,059
2002 5,200,598 1,994,679
2001 5,188,008 2,000,853
2000 5,176,209 2,003,913
1999 5,165,474 2,003,234
1998 5,153,498 1,998,049
1997 5,139,835 1,988,130
1996 5,124,573 1,972,418
1995 5,107,790 1,951,437
1994 5,088,333 1,927,707
1993 5,066,447 1,901,793
1992 5,041,992 1,873,274
1991 5,013,740 1,842,379
1990 4,986,431 1,809,696
1989 4,964,371 1,775,436
1988 4,946,481 1,739,841
1987 4,932,123 1,703,390
1986 4,918,154 1,666,138
1985 4,902,206 1,624,379
1984 4,881,803 1,578,986
1983 4,855,787 1,534,413
1982 4,826,933 1,490,732
1981 4,799,964 1,448,069
1980 4,779,535 1,406,521
1979 4,764,690 1,366,169
1978 4,752,528 1,327,240
1977 4,738,902 1,289,967
1976 4,725,664 1,253,214
1975 4,711,440 1,213,643
1974 4,690,574 1,172,420
1973 4,666,081 1,132,697
1972 4,639,657 1,094,063
1971 4,612,124 1,056,246
1970 4,606,307 1,019,273
1969 4,623,785 983,202
1968 4,626,469 948,105
1967 4,605,744 913,982
1966 4,580,869 881,870
1965 4,563,732 854,090
1964 4,548,543 829,437
1963 4,523,309 805,373
1962 4,491,443 781,814
1961 4,461,005 758,824
1960 4,429,634 736,500

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/finland/lesotho | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Finland increased by 229,035 people (a 4.35% growth), while Lesotho gained 185,359 people (a 9.53% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Finland gained 136,662 people (a 2.49% growth), while Lesotho's population increased by 266,211 people (a 12.5% growth).

Finland was ranked 111th most populous country in 2006 and is 120th in 2026. Lesotho was ranked 144th in 2006 and ranked 143rd now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Finland's population will shrink by 4.72% to 5,366,251 people with a rank change from 120th to 127th. The population of Lesotho will increase by 25.2% to 2,999,457 people and rank change from 143rd to 141st.

Finland is projected to reach its peak in 2026 at 5.63M people compared to the peak of 3.33M people in 2083 for Lesotho.

Population growth rate by year

Finland
Factual

Projection
Lesotho
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Finland Lesotho
2100 -0.35% -0.18%
2099 -0.34% -0.18%
2098 -0.34% -0.17%
2097 -0.33% -0.15%
2096 -0.33% -0.15%
2095 -0.32% -0.12%
2094 -0.32% -0.11%
2093 -0.32% -0.12%
2092 -0.32% -0.09%
2091 -0.33% -0.07%
2090 -0.32% -0.06%
2089 -0.32% -0.05%
2088 -0.33% -0.04%
2087 -0.33% -0.01%
2086 -0.33% -0.02%
2085 -0.31% -0.007%
2084 -0.31% -0%
2083 -0.32% 0.008%
2082 -0.32% 0.02%
2081 -0.32% 0.03%
2080 -0.31% 0.06%
2079 -0.3% 0.08%
2078 -0.31% 0.1%
2077 -0.31% 0.11%
2076 -0.3% 0.11%
2075 -0.29% 0.15%
2074 -0.28% 0.16%
2073 -0.27% 0.17%
2072 -0.27% 0.2%
2071 -0.27% 0.24%
2070 -0.26% 0.26%
2069 -0.26% 0.28%
2068 -0.26% 0.29%
2067 -0.26% 0.3%
2066 -0.28% 0.3%
2065 -0.27% 0.33%
2064 -0.28% 0.35%
2063 -0.27% 0.4%
2062 -0.28% 0.42%
2061 -0.29% 0.44%
2060 -0.29% 0.47%
2059 -0.28% 0.48%
2058 -0.3% 0.5%
2057 -0.31% 0.52%
2056 -0.3% 0.56%
2055 -0.3% 0.56%
2054 -0.29% 0.6%
2053 -0.28% 0.64%
2052 -0.28% 0.68%
2051 -0.26% 0.69%
2050 -0.26% 0.72%
2049 -0.25% 0.75%
2048 -0.24% 0.79%
2047 -0.24% 0.8%
2046 -0.24% 0.82%
2045 -0.23% 0.84%
2044 -0.23% 0.87%
2043 -0.22% 0.89%
2042 -0.23% 0.92%
2041 -0.22% 0.93%
2040 -0.22% 0.95%
2039 -0.22% 0.97%
2038 -0.22% 0.98%
2037 -0.21% 1.02%
2036 -0.21% 1.03%
2035 -0.2% 1.03%
2034 -0.19% 1.04%
2033 -0.18% 1.05%
2032 -0.17% 1.05%
2031 -0.16% 1.05%
2030 -0.15% 1.07%
2029 -0.14% 1.08%
2028 -0.12% 1.08%
2027 -0.08% 1.1%
2026 0.03% 1.1%
2025 0.19% 1.12%
2024 0.64% 1.12%
2023 0.5% 1.11%
2022 0.27% 1.09%
2021 0.21% 1.15%
2020 0.14% 1.19%
2019 0.11% 1.18%
2018 0.13% 1.23%
2017 0.23% 1.25%
2016 0.29% 1.23%
2015 0.33% 1.18%
2014 0.41% 1.15%
2013 0.46% 1.09%
2012 0.48% 1.01%
2011 0.46% 0.89%
2010 0.46% 0.78%
2009 0.48% 0.73%
2008 0.47% 0.68%
2007 0.43% 0.42%
2006 0.38% -0.41%
2005 0.34% -0.92%
2004 0.29% -0.7%
2003 0.24% -0.48%
2002 0.24% -0.31%
2001 0.23% -0.15%
2000 0.21% 0.03%
1999 0.23% 0.26%
1998 0.27% 0.5%
1997 0.3% 0.8%
1996 0.33% 1.08%
1995 0.38% 1.23%
1994 0.43% 1.36%
1993 0.49% 1.52%
1992 0.56% 1.68%
1991 0.55% 1.81%
1990 0.44% 1.93%
1989 0.36% 2.05%
1988 0.29% 2.14%
1987 0.28% 2.24%
1986 0.33% 2.57%
1985 0.42% 2.87%
1984 0.54% 2.9%
1983 0.6% 2.93%
1982 0.56% 2.95%
1981 0.43% 2.95%
1980 0.31% 2.95%
1979 0.26% 2.93%
1978 0.29% 2.89%
1977 0.28% 2.93%
1976 0.3% 3.26%
1975 0.44% 3.52%
1974 0.52% 3.51%
1973 0.57% 3.53%
1972 0.6% 3.58%
1971 0.13% 3.63%
1970 -0.38% 3.67%
1969 -0.06% 3.7%
1968 0.45% 3.73%
1967 0.54% 3.64%
1966 0.38% 3.25%
1965 0.33% 2.97%
1964 0.56% 2.99%
1963 0.71% 3.01%
1962 0.68% 3.03%
1961 0.71% 3.03%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/finland/lesotho | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Finland grew by 0.64%, while Lesotho's population grew by 1.12%.

Live population counters

Finland Lesotho
Current population
5631965
2396633
Population rank 120/197 143/197
Percent of world population 0.07% 0.03%
One net population change
14.6 minutes
20.3 minutes
One birth every
12.1 minutes
9.43 minutes
One death every
8.56 minutes
21.4 minutes
Daily growth/decline +99 +71
Annual growth/decline +36,000 +25,951
Annual growth/decline rate +0.64% +1.12%
Population growth rate rank 122/197 93/197
One migration net change every
28.9 minutes
1.69 hours
Annual migration change +18,246 -5,192
Net migration rank 33/196 117/196
Foreign-born residents 514,432 15,039
Foreign-born residents rank 79/195 173/195
Foreign-born share of population 9.2% 0.6%
Foreign-born share rank 69/195 170/195

Natural population change vs migration

Finland
Natural

Migration
Lesotho
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Finland Lesotho
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 18,246 - -5,192
2024 - 26,894 - -5,107
2023 -17,869 38,156 31,115 -5,168
2022 -18,335 60,353 30,803 -6,023
2021 -7,757 22,484 27,806 -3,449
2020 -8,847 17,504 30,721 -3,449
2019 -8,282 15,671 32,279 -6,896
2018 -7,170 11,822 33,112 -6,892
2017 -3,856 13,356 33,601 -6,850
2016 -1,099 17,321 33,390 -6,766
2015 2,740 12,655 32,087 -7,087
2014 4,915 15,915 30,922 -6,877
2013 6,527 18,164 29,789 -6,659
2012 7,579 17,894 27,592 -6,425
2011 9,160 16,798 25,647 -6,118
2010 10,191 14,080 21,877 -5,886
2009 10,678 14,877 20,335 -5,599
2008 10,627 15,626 19,349 -5,392
2007 9,519 14,027 17,763 -5,179
2006 11,059 10,820 15,234 -11,416
2005 9,968 9,251 15,831 -35,679
2004 9,933 6,956 17,271 -33,530
2003 7,819 5,929 20,133 -31,723
2002 6,241 5,255 22,274 -29,924
2001 7,263 6,241 23,190 -27,874
2000 7,765 2,497 24,786 -26,220
1999 7,748 3,604 27,393 -24,610
1998 7,730 4,417 30,889 -23,299
1997 9,766 4,925 34,637 -22,396
1996 11,274 3,757 36,228 -17,042
1995 13,791 4,325 37,370 -14,588
1994 17,300 3,834 38,629 -13,953
1993 13,679 9,036 40,505 -13,347
1992 16,639 9,356 42,579 -12,707
1991 16,044 14,515 44,026 -12,114
1990 15,458 8,920 45,060 -11,598
1989 14,396 5,775 46,264 -11,207
1988 14,344 1,765 47,158 -11,028
1987 11,837 831 47,718 -10,946
1986 13,279 1,491 45,232 -7,501
1985 14,707 2,416 44,575 1,222
1984 20,015 3,972 43,785 1,199
1983 21,851 6,925 42,899 1,253
1982 22,686 7,109 41,941 1,281
1981 18,720 5,287 40,808 1,307
1980 18,640 -2,212 39,617 1,361
1979 19,535 -6,612 38,440 1,285
1978 20,436 -9,348 37,084 1,047
1977 21,799 -5,697 35,654 746
1976 21,738 -11,843 34,117 2,986
1975 21,673 -3,807 32,311 9,723
1974 17,824 5,891 30,444 9,972
1973 13,532 11,558 28,859 10,183
1972 14,847 12,613 27,841 10,386
1971 15,220 12,286 26,838 10,563
1970 20,268 -36,579 25,935 10,605
1969 21,732 -42,207 25,137 10,465
1968 28,684 -15,561 24,490 10,108
1967 33,622 -5,353 23,911 9,734
1966 34,356 -12,059 23,326 7,248
1965 33,771 -21,731 22,755 2,239
1964 38,208 -20,414 22,116 2,198
1963 40,258 -7,624 21,585 2,220
1962 38,627 -6,852 21,132 2,172
1961 41,487 -11,828 20,581 2,100
1960 42,082 -9,489 19,981 1,989

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/finland/lesotho | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 22.5% of the population change in Finland is from natural causes (a loss of 65,560 people) and 77.5% is from migration (a gain of 225,237 people). In Lesotho 84.2% is from natural causes (a gain of 315,836 people) and 15.8% is from migration (a loss of 59,457 people).

As of 2024, 514,432 residents or 9.2% of the population were not native-born in Finland, compared to 15,039 people or 0.6% in Lesotho.

Biggest cities by population

Finland
City Population
Helsinki 687K
Espoo 315K
Tampere 255K
Vantaa 248K
Oulu 215K
Turku 206K
Jyvaskyla 148K
Kuopio 124K
Lahti 121K
Pori 83.2K
Lesotho
City Population
Maseru 344K
Teyateyaneng 75.1K
Mafeteng 57.1K
Butha-Buthe 10K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/finland/lesotho | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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