Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV in Lesotho
Lesotho: Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV was 260,000 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV in Lesotho, 1990–2024
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
| 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% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 260,000 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 75,000, 3.5× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 260,000 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 120,000, 2.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adults (ages 15+) living with HIV in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +61.1% | 18,000 | 29,000 |
| 1992 | +55.2% | 29,000 | 45,000 |
| 1993 | +48.9% | 45,000 | 67,000 |
| 1994 | +38.8% | 67,000 | 93,000 |
| 1995 | +29.0% | 93,000 | 120,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More health data for Lesotho
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4669 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 382 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2020)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.8108 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0548 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7473 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0557 units per person (2025)
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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About this data
Adults living with HIV refers to the number of people ages 15-49 who are infected with HIV.