Birth rates and death rates in Lesotho
Lesotho: Birth rates and death rates was 10.65 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
10.65
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
37th
of 236 countries
All-time high
24.29
in 1950
All-time low
10.21
in 1989
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Birth rates and death rates in Lesotho, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 10.65 for birth rates and death rates in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rates and death rates in Lesotho peaked at 24.29 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 10.21, in 1989.
That places Lesotho 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Birth rates and death rates in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.29 | — |
| 1951 | 23.06 | -5.1% |
| 1952 | 22.16 | -3.9% |
| 1953 | 21.36 | -3.6% |
| 1954 | 20.61 | -3.5% |
| 1955 | 19.93 | -3.3% |
| 1956 | 19.26 | -3.3% |
| 1957 | 18.64 | -3.2% |
| 1958 | 18.16 | -2.6% |
| 1959 | 17.77 | -2.2% |
| 1960 | 17.44 | -1.9% |
| 1961 | 17.22 | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 17.05 | -0.9% |
| 1963 | 16.95 | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 16.8 | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 16.69 | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 16.52 | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 16.38 | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 16.05 | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 15.7 | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 15.35 | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 15.04 | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 14.73 | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 14.46 | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 14.28 | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 14 | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 13.78 | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 13.46 | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 13.07 | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 12.65 | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 12.22 | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 11.74 | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 11.33 | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 10.99 | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 10.69 | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 10.49 | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 10.38 | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 10.32 | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 10.26 | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 10.21 | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 10.23 | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 10.29 | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 10.44 | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 10.65 | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 10.98 | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 11.41 | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 12.05 | +5.5% |
| 1997 | 12.8 | +6.3% |
| 1998 | 13.78 | +7.6% |
| 1999 | 14.78 | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 15.88 | +7.4% |
| 2001 | 17.13 | +7.9% |
| 2002 | 18.2 | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 19.15 | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 19.97 | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 20.45 | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 20.8 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 20.39 | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 19.8 | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 19.09 | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 18.2 | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 17.48 | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 16.46 | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 15.5 | -5.8% |
| 2014 | 14.63 | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 13.93 | -4.8% |
| 2016 | 13.26 | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 12.66 | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 12.2 | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 11.83 | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 11.89 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 12.6 | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 10.92 | -13.4% |
| 2023 | 10.65 | -2.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 10.65 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.52, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 10.65 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.2, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 20.52 | 17.77 | 24.29 | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.68 | 15.7 | 17.44 | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.08 | 12.65 | 15.35 | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.86 | 10.21 | 12.22 | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.74 | 10.23 | 14.78 | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.09 | 15.88 | 20.8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.62 | 11.83 | 18.2 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.51 | 10.65 | 12.6 | 4 |
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 birth rates and death rates in Lesotho?
- Birth rates and death rates in Lesotho was 10.65 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rates and death rates recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 24.29 in 1950.
- What is the lowest birth rates and death rates recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.21 in 1989.
- How does Lesotho rank for birth rates and death rates?
- Lesotho ranks 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rates and death rates rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rates and death rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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