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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Lesotho was 2,337,423 in 2024 vs 3,386,588 people in Uruguay in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Lesotho's population is 2,396,633 people compared to 3,382,789 in Uruguay.

Population statistics:

  • Uruguay's population is 1.41 times bigger than Lesotho's.
  • Lesotho is ranked the 143rd most populous country in the world, while Uruguay is the 133rd.
  • The countries together account for 0.07% of the world: 0.03% for Lesotho vs 0.04% for Uruguay.
  • For the last 10 years, Lesotho has had an average growth rate of +1.17% per year vs +0.11% in Uruguay.
  • Since 2006, the population of Lesotho has increased from 1.95M people to 2.4M (23.2% growth), while Uruguay has grown from 3.29M to 3.38M (2.84% growth).

Lesotho vs Uruguay: population by year and forecast

Lesotho
Factual

Projection
Uruguay
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Lesotho Uruguay
2100 3,280,784 2,256,741
2099 3,286,697 2,279,899
2098 3,292,498 2,303,351
2097 3,298,102 2,326,987
2096 3,303,027 2,350,799
2095 3,307,947 2,374,835
2094 3,312,002 2,398,960
2093 3,315,757 2,423,269
2092 3,319,661 2,447,646
2091 3,322,573 2,472,126
2090 3,324,769 2,496,514
2089 3,326,847 2,520,852
2088 3,328,480 2,545,052
2087 3,329,964 2,569,100
2086 3,330,456 2,592,974
2085 3,331,259 2,616,629
2084 3,331,485 2,640,001
2083 3,331,492 2,663,150
2082 3,331,234 2,686,021
2081 3,330,412 2,708,594
2080 3,329,267 2,730,883
2079 3,327,166 2,752,831
2078 3,324,646 2,774,432
2077 3,321,422 2,795,709
2076 3,317,850 2,816,677
2075 3,314,237 2,837,308
2074 3,309,174 2,857,709
2073 3,303,860 2,877,721
2072 3,298,181 2,897,543
2071 3,291,492 2,917,097
2070 3,283,654 2,936,478
2069 3,275,244 2,955,616
2068 3,266,152 2,974,445
2067 3,256,626 2,992,987
2066 3,246,903 3,011,309
2065 3,237,153 3,029,441
2064 3,226,489 3,047,343
2063 3,215,103 3,065,064
2062 3,202,287 3,082,642
2061 3,188,933 3,100,006
2060 3,174,998 3,117,149
2059 3,160,204 3,133,952
2058 3,145,053 3,150,250
2057 3,129,261 3,166,055
2056 3,113,129 3,181,373
2055 3,095,904 3,196,072
2054 3,078,567 3,210,110
2053 3,060,152 3,223,395
2052 3,040,649 3,235,973
2051 3,020,109 3,247,888
2050 2,999,457 3,259,108
2049 2,978,037 3,269,675
2048 2,955,727 3,279,610
2047 2,932,688 3,288,969
2046 2,909,307 3,297,696
2045 2,885,537 3,305,917
2044 2,861,372 3,313,556
2043 2,836,777 3,320,565
2042 2,811,663 3,326,955
2041 2,786,147 3,332,884
2040 2,760,391 3,338,277
2039 2,734,400 3,343,295
2038 2,708,216 3,347,790
2037 2,681,863 3,351,911
2036 2,654,755 3,355,671
2035 2,627,701 3,359,126
2034 2,600,880 3,362,276
2033 2,574,065 3,365,250
2032 2,547,344 3,368,057
2031 2,520,831 3,370,727
2030 2,494,646 3,373,273
2029 2,468,268 3,375,805
2028 2,441,871 3,378,198
2027 2,415,830 3,380,504
2026 2,389,516 3,382,789
2025 2,363,516 3,384,805
2024 2,337,423 3,386,588
2023 2,311,472 3,388,081
2022 2,286,110 3,390,913
2021 2,261,542 3,396,695
2020 2,235,727 3,398,968
2019 2,209,405 3,397,206
2018 2,183,603 3,394,534
2017 2,157,110 3,388,438
2016 2,130,422 3,379,283
2015 2,104,611 3,368,017
2014 2,080,089 3,356,334
2013 2,056,504 3,345,337
2012 2,034,354 3,335,401
2011 2,014,009 3,326,825
2010 1,996,251 3,318,580
2009 1,980,883 3,310,091
2008 1,966,541 3,302,177
2007 1,953,268 3,295,153
2006 1,945,063 3,289,506
2005 1,953,076 3,285,771
2004 1,971,129 3,283,148
2003 1,985,059 3,281,186
2002 1,994,679 3,278,867
2001 2,000,853 3,274,251
2000 2,003,913 3,266,206
1999 2,003,234 3,254,015
1998 1,998,049 3,239,280
1997 1,988,130 3,223,345
1996 1,972,418 3,206,324
1995 1,951,437 3,189,440
1994 1,927,707 3,172,834
1993 1,901,793 3,156,345
1992 1,873,274 3,139,702
1991 1,842,379 3,122,354
1990 1,809,696 3,104,403
1989 1,775,436 3,086,255
1988 1,739,841 3,067,961
1987 1,703,390 3,049,896
1986 1,666,138 3,032,845
1985 1,624,379 3,017,037
1984 1,578,986 3,002,488
1983 1,534,413 2,988,778
1982 1,490,732 2,975,492
1981 1,448,069 2,963,246
1980 1,406,521 2,951,953
1979 1,366,169 2,939,903
1978 1,327,240 2,925,715
1977 1,289,967 2,909,461
1976 1,253,214 2,891,392
1975 1,213,643 2,872,320
1974 1,172,420 2,853,944
1973 1,132,697 2,837,133
1972 1,094,063 2,821,644
1971 1,056,246 2,806,462
1970 1,019,273 2,790,807
1969 983,202 2,773,974
1968 948,105 2,754,606
1967 913,982 2,732,277
1966 881,870 2,707,646
1965 854,090 2,681,169
1964 829,437 2,653,180
1963 805,373 2,623,766
1962 781,814 2,593,298
1961 758,824 2,562,044
1960 736,500 2,529,957

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/uruguay | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Lesotho increased by 185,359 people (a 9.53% growth), while Uruguay gained 89,777 people (a 2.73% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Lesotho gained 266,211 people (a 12.5% growth), while Uruguay's population increased by 3,506 people (a 0.1% growth).

Lesotho was ranked 144th most populous country in 2006 and is 143rd in 2026. Uruguay was ranked 129th in 2006 and ranked 133rd 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 Uruguay will decrease by 3.66% to 3,259,108 people and rank change from 133rd to 138th.

Lesotho is projected to reach its peak in 2083 at 3.33M people, while Uruguay's population already peaked in 2020 at 3.4M people and is projected to decrease to 2.26M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Lesotho
Factual

Projection
Uruguay
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Lesotho Uruguay
2100 -0.18% -1.02%
2099 -0.18% -1.02%
2098 -0.17% -1.02%
2097 -0.15% -1.01%
2096 -0.15% -1.01%
2095 -0.12% -1.01%
2094 -0.11% -1%
2093 -0.12% -1%
2092 -0.09% -0.99%
2091 -0.07% -0.98%
2090 -0.06% -0.97%
2089 -0.05% -0.95%
2088 -0.04% -0.94%
2087 -0.01% -0.92%
2086 -0.02% -0.9%
2085 -0.007% -0.89%
2084 -0% -0.87%
2083 0.008% -0.85%
2082 0.02% -0.83%
2081 0.03% -0.82%
2080 0.06% -0.8%
2079 0.08% -0.78%
2078 0.1% -0.76%
2077 0.11% -0.74%
2076 0.11% -0.73%
2075 0.15% -0.71%
2074 0.16% -0.7%
2073 0.17% -0.68%
2072 0.2% -0.67%
2071 0.24% -0.66%
2070 0.26% -0.65%
2069 0.28% -0.63%
2068 0.29% -0.62%
2067 0.3% -0.61%
2066 0.3% -0.6%
2065 0.33% -0.59%
2064 0.35% -0.58%
2063 0.4% -0.57%
2062 0.42% -0.56%
2061 0.44% -0.55%
2060 0.47% -0.54%
2059 0.48% -0.52%
2058 0.5% -0.5%
2057 0.52% -0.48%
2056 0.56% -0.46%
2055 0.56% -0.44%
2054 0.6% -0.41%
2053 0.64% -0.39%
2052 0.68% -0.37%
2051 0.69% -0.34%
2050 0.72% -0.32%
2049 0.75% -0.3%
2048 0.79% -0.28%
2047 0.8% -0.26%
2046 0.82% -0.25%
2045 0.84% -0.23%
2044 0.87% -0.21%
2043 0.89% -0.19%
2042 0.92% -0.18%
2041 0.93% -0.16%
2040 0.95% -0.15%
2039 0.97% -0.13%
2038 0.98% -0.12%
2037 1.02% -0.11%
2036 1.03% -0.1%
2035 1.03% -0.09%
2034 1.04% -0.09%
2033 1.05% -0.08%
2032 1.05% -0.08%
2031 1.05% -0.08%
2030 1.07% -0.08%
2029 1.08% -0.07%
2028 1.08% -0.07%
2027 1.1% -0.07%
2026 1.1% -0.06%
2025 1.12% -0.05%
2024 1.12% -0.04%
2023 1.11% -0.08%
2022 1.09% -0.17%
2021 1.15% -0.07%
2020 1.19% 0.05%
2019 1.18% 0.08%
2018 1.23% 0.18%
2017 1.25% 0.27%
2016 1.23% 0.33%
2015 1.18% 0.35%
2014 1.15% 0.33%
2013 1.09% 0.3%
2012 1.01% 0.26%
2011 0.89% 0.25%
2010 0.78% 0.26%
2009 0.73% 0.24%
2008 0.68% 0.21%
2007 0.42% 0.17%
2006 -0.41% 0.11%
2005 -0.92% 0.08%
2004 -0.7% 0.06%
2003 -0.48% 0.07%
2002 -0.31% 0.14%
2001 -0.15% 0.25%
2000 0.03% 0.37%
1999 0.26% 0.45%
1998 0.5% 0.49%
1997 0.8% 0.53%
1996 1.08% 0.53%
1995 1.23% 0.52%
1994 1.36% 0.52%
1993 1.52% 0.53%
1992 1.68% 0.56%
1991 1.81% 0.58%
1990 1.93% 0.59%
1989 2.05% 0.6%
1988 2.14% 0.59%
1987 2.24% 0.56%
1986 2.57% 0.52%
1985 2.87% 0.48%
1984 2.9% 0.46%
1983 2.93% 0.45%
1982 2.95% 0.41%
1981 2.95% 0.38%
1980 2.95% 0.41%
1979 2.93% 0.48%
1978 2.89% 0.56%
1977 2.93% 0.62%
1976 3.26% 0.66%
1975 3.52% 0.64%
1974 3.51% 0.59%
1973 3.53% 0.55%
1972 3.58% 0.54%
1971 3.63% 0.56%
1970 3.67% 0.61%
1969 3.7% 0.7%
1968 3.73% 0.82%
1967 3.64% 0.91%
1966 3.25% 0.99%
1965 2.97% 1.05%
1964 2.99% 1.12%
1963 3.01% 1.17%
1962 3.03% 1.22%
1961 3.03% 1.27%

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/uruguay | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Lesotho grew by 1.12%, while Uruguay's population declined by 0.04%.

Live population counters

Lesotho Uruguay
Current population
2396633
3382789
Population rank 143/197 133/197
Percent of world population 0.03% 0.04%
One net population change
20.3 minutes
5.87 hours
One birth every
9.43 minutes
15.7 minutes
One death every
21.4 minutes
15.9 minutes
Daily growth/decline +71 -4
Annual growth/decline +25,951 -1,493
Annual growth/decline rate +1.12% -0.04%
Population growth rate rank 93/197 167/197
One migration net change every
1.69 hours
6.57 hours
Annual migration change -5,192 -1,338
Net migration rank 117/196 95/196
Foreign-born residents 15,039 160,064
Foreign-born residents rank 173/195 121/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.6% 4.7%
Foreign-born share rank 170/195 95/195

Natural population change vs migration

Lesotho
Natural

Migration
Uruguay
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Lesotho Uruguay
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -5,192 - -1,338
2024 - -5,107 - -1,348
2023 31,115 -5,168 298 -1,501
2022 30,803 -6,023 -2,964 -1,501
2021 27,806 -3,449 -5,621 -1,482
2020 30,721 -3,449 4,048 -1,482
2019 32,279 -6,896 3,873 -2,899
2018 33,112 -6,892 7,322 -2,963
2017 33,601 -6,850 10,907 -3,091
2016 33,390 -6,766 14,008 -3,506
2015 32,087 -7,087 16,194 -4,157
2014 30,922 -6,877 16,238 -4,919
2013 29,789 -6,659 16,318 -5,647
2012 27,592 -6,425 15,520 -6,317
2011 25,647 -6,118 14,934 -6,982
2010 21,877 -5,886 16,231 -7,696
2009 20,335 -5,599 16,947 -8,510
2008 19,349 -5,392 16,838 -9,458
2007 17,763 -5,179 17,422 -10,750
2006 15,234 -11,416 17,783 -13,161
2005 15,831 -35,679 18,926 -16,086
2004 17,271 -33,530 18,067 -15,668
2003 20,133 -31,723 18,628 -17,105
2002 22,274 -29,924 20,073 -16,957
2001 23,190 -27,874 20,729 -14,620
2000 24,786 -26,220 21,060 -11,076
1999 27,393 -24,610 21,844 -7,441
1998 30,889 -23,299 22,114 -7,048
1997 34,637 -22,396 23,737 -6,938
1996 36,228 -17,042 24,635 -7,397
1995 37,370 -14,588 24,872 -8,339
1994 38,629 -13,953 24,637 -7,955
1993 40,505 -13,347 24,212 -7,922
1992 42,579 -12,707 24,847 -7,850
1991 44,026 -12,114 25,422 -7,714
1990 45,060 -11,598 25,699 -7,499
1989 46,264 -11,207 25,322 -7,229
1988 47,158 -11,028 25,071 -6,582
1987 47,718 -10,946 24,469 -6,833
1986 45,232 -7,501 24,505 -8,046
1985 44,575 1,222 23,988 -8,832
1984 43,785 1,199 23,684 -9,730
1983 42,899 1,253 24,146 -10,671
1982 41,941 1,281 25,224 -12,131
1981 40,808 1,307 24,968 -13,577
1980 39,617 1,361 25,451 -14,252
1979 38,440 1,285 27,456 -14,552
1978 37,084 1,047 30,076 -14,611
1977 35,654 746 31,321 -14,280
1976 34,117 2,986 33,199 -14,096
1975 32,311 9,723 33,393 -14,350
1974 30,444 9,972 32,221 -14,512
1973 28,859 10,183 30,213 -14,312
1972 27,841 10,386 28,896 -13,817
1971 26,838 10,563 28,584 -13,288
1970 25,935 10,605 28,737 -12,727
1969 25,137 10,465 28,805 -11,149
1968 24,490 10,108 29,103 -8,028
1967 23,911 9,734 29,514 -5,938
1966 23,326 7,248 30,293 -4,599
1965 22,755 2,239 30,807 -3,542
1964 22,116 2,198 31,340 -2,623
1963 21,585 2,220 31,824 -1,707
1962 21,132 2,172 31,441 -623
1961 20,581 2,100 30,975 703
1960 19,981 1,989 30,438 2,057

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

GeoRank.org/population/lesotho/uruguay | 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 Uruguay 70% is from natural causes (a gain of 64,303 people) and 30% is from migration (a loss of 27,501 people).

As of 2024, 15,039 residents or 0.6% of the population were not native-born in Lesotho, compared to 160,064 people or 4.7% in Uruguay.

Biggest cities by population

Lesotho
City Population
Maseru 344K
Teyateyaneng 75.1K
Mafeteng 57.1K
Butha-Buthe 10K
Uruguay
City Population
Montevideo 1.3M
Salto 125K
Ciudad de la Costa 112K
Maldonado 86.8K
Rivera 84.8K
Paysandu 76.4K
Tacuarembo 54.8K
Melo 51.8K
Mercedes 42K
Artigas 40.7K

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/uruguay | 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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