Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV in Lesotho

Lesotho: Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV was 260,000 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
260,000
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
23rd
of 151 countries
All-time high
280,000
in 2012
All-time low
18,000
in 1990
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV in Lesotho, 1990–2024

0100.0k200.0k300.0k1990200720241990: 18.0k1991: 29.0k1992: 45.0k1993: 67.0k1994: 93.0k1995: 120.0k1996: 140.0k1997: 170.0k1998: 180.0k1999: 200.0k2000: 210.0k2001: 220.0k2002: 220.0k2003: 230.0k2004: 230.0k2005: 230.0k2006: 240.0k2007: 240.0k2008: 250.0k2009: 260.0k2010: 260.0k2011: 270.0k2012: 280.0k2013: 280.0k2014: 280.0k2015: 280.0k2016: 280.0k2017: 280.0k2018: 280.0k2019: 270.0k2020: 270.0k2021: 270.0k2022: 260.0k2023: 260.0k2024: 260.0k

Source: UNAIDS estimates.

Analysis

The most recent figure for adults (ages 15+) living with hiv in Lesotho is 260,000, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 7.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adults (ages 15+) living with hiv in Lesotho peaked at 280,000 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 18,000, in 1990.

Lesotho ranks 23rd of 151 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.

Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV in Lesotho, 1990 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1990 18,000
1991 29,000 +61.1%
1992 45,000 +55.2%
1993 67,000 +48.9%
1994 93,000 +38.8%
1995 120,000 +29.0%
1996 140,000 +16.7%
1997 170,000 +21.4%
1998 180,000 +5.9%
1999 200,000 +11.1%
2000 210,000 +5.0%
2001 220,000 +4.8%
2002 220,000 +0.0%
2003 230,000 +4.5%
2004 230,000 +0.0%
2005 230,000 +0.0%
2006 240,000 +4.3%
2007 240,000 +0.0%
2008 250,000 +4.2%
2009 260,000 +4.0%
2010 260,000 +0.0%
2011 270,000 +3.8%
2012 280,000 +3.7%
2013 280,000 +0.0%
2014 280,000 +0.0%
2015 280,000 +0.0%
2016 280,000 +0.0%
2017 280,000 +0.0%
2018 280,000 +0.0%
2019 270,000 -3.6%
2020 270,000 +0.0%
2021 270,000 +0.0%
2022 260,000 -3.7%
2023 260,000 +0.0%
2024 260,000 +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 106,200 18,000 200,000 10
2000s 233,000 210,000 260,000 10
2010s 276,000 260,000 280,000 10
2020s 264,000 260,000 270,000 5

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 20 Ghana 320,000 compare
  2. 21 Myanmar 280,000 compare
  3. 22 Viet Nam 270,000 compare
  4. 24 Colombia 230,000 compare
  5. 24 Rwanda 230,000 compare
  6. 26 Eswatini 220,000 compare
  7. 26 Philippines 220,000 compare

See the full ranking of 152 places →

More health data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is adults (ages 15+) living with hiv in Lesotho?
Adults (ages 15+) living with hiv in Lesotho was 260,000 in 2024, according to UNAIDS estimates.
What is the highest adults (ages 15+) living with hiv recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 280,000 in 2012.
What is the lowest adults (ages 15+) living with hiv recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 18,000 in 1990.
How does Lesotho rank for adults (ages 15+) living with hiv?
Lesotho ranks 23rd out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
Is adults (ages 15+) living with hiv rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?
The figures come from UNAIDS estimates, published as part of Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on UNAIDS estimates. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/adults-ages-15-living-with-hiv/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator
Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV
Source
UNAIDS estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
152 places, 5,267 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

Adults living with HIV refers to the number of people ages 15-49 who are infected with HIV.