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Population in Lesotho compared to New Zealand: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Lesotho was 2,337,423 in 2024 vs 5,287,500 people in New Zealand in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Lesotho's population is 2,396,633 people compared to 5,374,272 in New Zealand.

Population statistics:

  • New Zealand's population is 2.24 times bigger than Lesotho's.
  • Lesotho is ranked the 143rd most populous country in the world, while New Zealand is the 124th.
  • The countries together account for 0.09% of the world: 0.03% for Lesotho vs 0.06% for New Zealand.
  • For the last 10 years, Lesotho has had an average growth rate of +1.17% per year vs +1.6% in New Zealand.
  • Since 2006, the population of Lesotho has increased from 1.95M people to 2.4M (23.2% growth), while New Zealand has grown from 4.18M to 5.37M (28.4% growth).

Lesotho vs New Zealand: population by year and forecast

Lesotho
Factual

Projection
New Zealand
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Lesotho New Zealand
2100 3,280,784 5,918,837
2099 3,286,697 5,923,132
2098 3,292,498 5,927,206
2097 3,298,102 5,930,263
2096 3,303,027 5,932,907
2095 3,307,947 5,934,847
2094 3,312,002 5,936,183
2093 3,315,757 5,938,804
2092 3,319,661 5,939,085
2091 3,322,573 5,940,665
2090 3,324,769 5,941,752
2089 3,326,847 5,944,871
2088 3,328,480 5,945,635
2087 3,329,964 5,948,586
2086 3,330,456 5,951,745
2085 3,331,259 5,955,275
2084 3,331,485 5,959,115
2083 3,331,492 5,963,613
2082 3,331,234 5,966,943
2081 3,330,412 5,968,511
2080 3,329,267 5,971,082
2079 3,327,166 5,972,331
2078 3,324,646 5,972,928
2077 3,321,422 5,971,804
2076 3,317,850 5,971,386
2075 3,314,237 5,970,985
2074 3,309,174 5,969,834
2073 3,303,860 5,968,506
2072 3,298,181 5,964,548
2071 3,291,492 5,964,493
2070 3,283,654 5,963,811
2069 3,275,244 5,962,551
2068 3,266,152 5,960,918
2067 3,256,626 5,958,438
2066 3,246,903 5,954,539
2065 3,237,153 5,950,378
2064 3,226,489 5,946,851
2063 3,215,103 5,944,910
2062 3,202,287 5,940,838
2061 3,188,933 5,939,601
2060 3,174,998 5,936,094
2059 3,160,204 5,931,426
2058 3,145,053 5,925,816
2057 3,129,261 5,919,823
2056 3,113,129 5,913,287
2055 3,095,904 5,904,352
2054 3,078,567 5,894,795
2053 3,060,152 5,884,875
2052 3,040,649 5,876,162
2051 3,020,109 5,864,176
2050 2,999,457 5,852,896
2049 2,978,037 5,844,165
2048 2,955,727 5,833,178
2047 2,932,688 5,822,035
2046 2,909,307 5,809,860
2045 2,885,537 5,795,785
2044 2,861,372 5,780,884
2043 2,836,777 5,764,579
2042 2,811,663 5,746,528
2041 2,786,147 5,727,253
2040 2,760,391 5,708,874
2039 2,734,400 5,690,018
2038 2,708,216 5,669,959
2037 2,681,863 5,650,253
2036 2,654,755 5,630,126
2035 2,627,701 5,609,155
2034 2,600,880 5,588,315
2033 2,574,065 5,565,507
2032 2,547,344 5,542,488
2031 2,520,831 5,517,391
2030 2,494,646 5,491,320
2029 2,468,268 5,462,926
2028 2,441,871 5,432,752
2027 2,415,830 5,399,898
2026 2,389,516 5,364,771
2025 2,363,516 5,327,462
2024 2,337,423 5,287,500
2023 2,311,472 5,200,000
2022 2,286,110 5,081,700
2021 2,261,542 5,084,600
2020 2,235,727 5,072,400
2019 2,209,405 4,970,300
2018 2,183,603 4,900,600
2017 2,157,110 4,813,600
2016 2,130,422 4,714,100
2015 2,104,611 4,609,400
2014 2,080,089 4,516,500
2013 2,056,504 4,442,100
2012 2,034,354 4,408,100
2011 2,014,009 4,384,000
2010 1,996,251 4,350,700
2009 1,980,883 4,302,600
2008 1,966,541 4,259,800
2007 1,953,268 4,223,800
2006 1,945,063 4,184,600
2005 1,953,076 4,133,900
2004 1,971,129 4,087,500
2003 1,985,059 4,027,200
2002 1,994,679 3,948,500
2001 2,000,853 3,880,500
2000 2,003,913 3,857,700
1999 2,003,234 3,835,100
1998 1,998,049 3,815,000
1997 1,988,130 3,781,300
1996 1,972,418 3,732,000
1995 1,951,437 3,673,400
1994 1,927,707 3,620,000
1993 1,901,793 3,572,200
1992 1,873,274 3,531,700
1991 1,842,379 3,495,100
1990 1,809,696 3,329,800
1989 1,775,436 3,299,200
1988 1,739,841 3,283,400
1987 1,703,390 3,274,400
1986 1,666,138 3,246,300
1985 1,624,379 3,247,100
1984 1,578,986 3,227,100
1983 1,534,413 3,199,300
1982 1,490,732 3,156,100
1981 1,448,069 3,124,900
1980 1,406,521 3,112,900
1979 1,366,169 3,109,000
1978 1,327,240 3,121,200
1977 1,289,967 3,120,200
1976 1,253,214 3,110,500
1975 1,213,643 3,083,100
1974 1,172,420 3,023,700
1973 1,132,697 2,961,300
1972 1,094,063 2,903,900
1971 1,056,246 2,853,000
1970 1,019,273 2,810,700
1969 983,202 2,772,800
1968 948,105 2,748,100
1967 913,982 2,724,100
1966 881,870 2,675,900
1965 854,090 2,628,400
1964 829,437 2,585,400
1963 805,373 2,531,800
1962 781,814 2,482,000
1961 758,824 2,419,700
1960 736,500 2,371,800

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/lesotho/new-zealand | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Lesotho increased by 185,359 people (a 9.53% growth), while New Zealand gained 529,500 people (a 12.7% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Lesotho gained 266,211 people (a 12.5% growth), while New Zealand's population increased by 660,172 people (a 14% growth).

Lesotho was ranked 144th most populous country in 2006 and is 143rd in 2026. New Zealand was ranked 122nd in 2006 and ranked 124th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Lesotho's population will grow by 25.2% to 2,999,457 people with a rank change from 143rd to 141st. The population of New Zealand will increase by 8.91% to 5,852,896 people and rank change from 124th to 122nd.

Lesotho is projected to reach its peak in 2083 at 3.33M people compared to the peak of 5.97M people in 2078 for New Zealand.

Population growth rate by year

Lesotho
Factual

Projection
New Zealand
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Lesotho New Zealand
2100 -0.18% -0.07%
2099 -0.18% -0.07%
2098 -0.17% -0.05%
2097 -0.15% -0.04%
2096 -0.15% -0.03%
2095 -0.12% -0.02%
2094 -0.11% -0.04%
2093 -0.12% -0.005%
2092 -0.09% -0.03%
2091 -0.07% -0.02%
2090 -0.06% -0.05%
2089 -0.05% -0.01%
2088 -0.04% -0.05%
2087 -0.01% -0.05%
2086 -0.02% -0.06%
2085 -0.007% -0.06%
2084 -0% -0.08%
2083 0.008% -0.06%
2082 0.02% -0.03%
2081 0.03% -0.04%
2080 0.06% -0.02%
2079 0.08% -0.01%
2078 0.1% 0.02%
2077 0.11% 0.007%
2076 0.11% 0.007%
2075 0.15% 0.02%
2074 0.16% 0.02%
2073 0.17% 0.07%
2072 0.2% 0.001%
2071 0.24% 0.01%
2070 0.26% 0.02%
2069 0.28% 0.03%
2068 0.29% 0.04%
2067 0.3% 0.07%
2066 0.3% 0.07%
2065 0.33% 0.06%
2064 0.35% 0.03%
2063 0.4% 0.07%
2062 0.42% 0.02%
2061 0.44% 0.06%
2060 0.47% 0.08%
2059 0.48% 0.09%
2058 0.5% 0.1%
2057 0.52% 0.11%
2056 0.56% 0.15%
2055 0.56% 0.16%
2054 0.6% 0.17%
2053 0.64% 0.15%
2052 0.68% 0.2%
2051 0.69% 0.19%
2050 0.72% 0.15%
2049 0.75% 0.19%
2048 0.79% 0.19%
2047 0.8% 0.21%
2046 0.82% 0.24%
2045 0.84% 0.26%
2044 0.87% 0.28%
2043 0.89% 0.31%
2042 0.92% 0.34%
2041 0.93% 0.32%
2040 0.95% 0.33%
2039 0.97% 0.35%
2038 0.98% 0.35%
2037 1.02% 0.36%
2036 1.03% 0.37%
2035 1.03% 0.37%
2034 1.04% 0.41%
2033 1.05% 0.42%
2032 1.05% 0.45%
2031 1.05% 0.47%
2030 1.07% 0.52%
2029 1.08% 0.56%
2028 1.08% 0.61%
2027 1.1% 0.65%
2026 1.1% 0.7%
2025 1.12% 0.76%
2024 1.12% 1.68%
2023 1.11% 2.33%
2022 1.09% -0.06%
2021 1.15% 0.24%
2020 1.19% 2.05%
2019 1.18% 1.42%
2018 1.23% 1.81%
2017 1.25% 2.11%
2016 1.23% 2.27%
2015 1.18% 2.06%
2014 1.15% 1.67%
2013 1.09% 0.77%
2012 1.01% 0.55%
2011 0.89% 0.77%
2010 0.78% 1.12%
2009 0.73% 1%
2008 0.68% 0.85%
2007 0.42% 0.94%
2006 -0.41% 1.23%
2005 -0.92% 1.14%
2004 -0.7% 1.5%
2003 -0.48% 1.99%
2002 -0.31% 1.75%
2001 -0.15% 0.59%
2000 0.03% 0.59%
1999 0.26% 0.53%
1998 0.5% 0.89%
1997 0.8% 1.32%
1996 1.08% 1.6%
1995 1.23% 1.48%
1994 1.36% 1.34%
1993 1.52% 1.15%
1992 1.68% 1.05%
1991 1.81% 4.96%
1990 1.93% 0.93%
1989 2.05% 0.48%
1988 2.14% 0.27%
1987 2.24% 0.87%
1986 2.57% -0.02%
1985 2.87% 0.62%
1984 2.9% 0.87%
1983 2.93% 1.37%
1982 2.95% 1%
1981 2.95% 0.39%
1980 2.95% 0.13%
1979 2.93% -0.39%
1978 2.89% 0.03%
1977 2.93% 0.31%
1976 3.26% 0.89%
1975 3.52% 1.96%
1974 3.51% 2.11%
1973 3.53% 1.98%
1972 3.58% 1.78%
1971 3.63% 1.5%
1970 3.67% 1.37%
1969 3.7% 0.9%
1968 3.73% 0.88%
1967 3.64% 1.8%
1966 3.25% 1.81%
1965 2.97% 1.66%
1964 2.99% 2.12%
1963 3.01% 2.01%
1962 3.03% 2.57%
1961 3.03% 2.02%

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/lesotho/new-zealand | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Lesotho grew by 1.12%, while New Zealand's population grew by 1.68%.

Live population counters

Lesotho New Zealand
Current population
2396633
5374272
Population rank 143/197 124/197
Percent of world population 0.03% 0.06%
One net population change
20.3 minutes
6.01 minutes
One birth every
9.43 minutes
9.31 minutes
One death every
21.4 minutes
14 minutes
Daily growth/decline +71 +240
Annual growth/decline +25,951 +87,500
Annual growth/decline rate +1.12% +1.68%
Population growth rate rank 93/197 65/197
One migration net change every
1.69 hours
30.3 minutes
Annual migration change -5,192 +17,403
Net migration rank 117/196 35/196
Foreign-born residents 15,039 1,467,989
Foreign-born residents rank 173/195 45/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.6% 28.2%
Foreign-born share rank 170/195 20/195

Natural population change vs migration

Lesotho
Natural

Migration
New Zealand
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Lesotho New Zealand
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -5,192 - 17,403
2024 - -5,107 - 18,766
2023 31,115 -5,168 18,876 21,404
2022 30,803 -6,023 20,123 21,404
2021 27,806 -3,449 23,644 -14,944
2020 30,721 -3,449 24,905 42,124
2019 32,279 -6,896 25,299 69,770
2018 33,112 -6,892 24,797 59,139
2017 33,601 -6,850 26,282 68,349
2016 33,390 -6,766 28,237 75,512
2015 32,087 -7,087 29,408 70,870
2014 30,922 -6,877 26,196 57,974
2013 29,789 -6,659 29,096 26,385
2012 27,592 -6,425 31,077 -1,015
2011 25,647 -6,118 31,302 -2,196
2010 21,877 -5,886 35,458 6,722
2009 20,335 -5,599 33,560 12,700
2008 19,349 -5,392 35,143 4,804
2007 17,763 -5,179 35,480 3,053
2006 15,234 -11,416 30,924 14,542
2005 15,831 -35,679 30,674 19,212
2004 17,271 -33,530 29,634 24,521
2003 20,133 -31,723 28,150 42,456
2002 22,274 -29,924 25,941 48,195
2001 23,190 -27,874 27,939 17,793
2000 24,786 -26,220 29,897 -6,604
1999 27,393 -24,610 28,916 -7,634
1998 30,889 -23,299 29,146 -1,387
1997 34,637 -22,396 30,137 12,040
1996 36,228 -17,042 28,997 25,169
1995 37,370 -14,588 29,828 26,743
1994 38,629 -13,953 30,372 20,420
1993 40,505 -13,347 31,685 12,638
1992 42,579 -12,707 32,067 6,460
1991 44,026 -12,114 33,518 31,156
1990 45,060 -11,598 33,298 70,432
1989 46,264 -11,207 30,749 -8,818
1988 47,158 -11,028 29,846 -17,005
1987 47,718 -10,946 27,603 -7,631
1986 45,232 -7,501 25,549 -10,234
1985 44,575 1,222 24,126 -13,462
1984 43,785 1,199 26,043 -901
1983 42,899 1,253 24,315 11,464
1982 41,941 1,281 24,207 7,982
1981 40,808 1,307 25,374 -7,606
1980 39,617 1,361 23,658 -15,423
1979 38,440 1,285 26,675 -26,694
1978 37,084 1,047 26,156 -28,783
1977 35,654 746 28,020 -22,697
1976 34,117 2,986 29,456 -9,138
1975 32,311 9,723 31,355 13,196
1974 30,444 9,972 33,896 27,580
1973 28,859 10,183 35,239 28,261
1972 27,841 10,386 38,244 17,779
1971 26,838 10,563 40,000 7,547
1970 25,935 10,605 37,101 4,511
1969 25,137 10,465 38,098 -5,212
1968 24,490 10,108 37,594 -11,853
1967 23,911 9,734 37,974 -2,289
1966 23,326 7,248 36,151 9,161
1965 22,755 2,239 36,982 9,245
1964 22,116 2,198 39,375 9,806
1963 21,585 2,220 42,027 10,226
1962 21,132 2,172 42,865 12,697
1961 20,581 2,100 43,482 10,689
1960 19,981 1,989 41,791 3,846

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

GeoRank.org/population/lesotho/new-zealand | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 84.2% of the population change in Lesotho is from natural causes (a gain of 315,836 people) and 15.8% is from migration (a loss of 59,457 people). In New Zealand 34.4% is from natural causes (a gain of 247,767 people) and 65.6% is from migration (a gain of 471,602 people).

As of 2024, 15,039 residents or 0.6% of the population were not native-born in Lesotho, compared to 1,467,989 people or 28.2% in New Zealand.

Biggest cities by population

Lesotho
City Population
Maseru 344K
Teyateyaneng 75.1K
Mafeteng 57.1K
Butha-Buthe 10K
New Zealand
City Population
Auckland 1.47M
Christchurch 383K
Wellington 216K
Hamilton 176K
Tauranga 151K
Dunedin 106K
Lower Hutt 103K
Palmerston North 81.5K
Napier 66.3K
Hibiscus Coast 59.8K

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/lesotho/new-zealand | 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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