Number of child deaths by region in Lesotho
Lesotho: Number of child deaths by region was 3,308 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Number of child deaths by region in Lesotho, 1960–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of child deaths by region in Lesotho is 3,308, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.4% on the previous year and down 29.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths by region in Lesotho peaked at 7,170 in 1976 and was at its lowest, 3,308, in 2024.
That places Lesotho 82nd out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Number of child deaths by region in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5,812 | — |
| 1961 | 5,931 | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 6,084 | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 6,256 | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 6,430 | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 6,602 | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 6,750 | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 6,867 | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 6,942 | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 6,979 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 6,995 | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 7,014 | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 7,044 | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 7,061 | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 7,102 | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 7,153 | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 7,170 | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 7,125 | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 7,025 | -1.4% |
| 1979 | 6,885 | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 6,712 | -2.5% |
| 1981 | 6,514 | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 6,317 | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 6,138 | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 5,972 | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 5,817 | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 5,692 | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 5,665 | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 5,612 | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 5,463 | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 5,343 | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 5,288 | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 5,299 | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 5,355 | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 5,473 | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 5,668 | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 5,892 | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 6,082 | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 6,143 | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 6,144 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 6,181 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 6,291 | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 6,441 | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 6,519 | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 6,486 | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 6,442 | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 6,397 | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 6,286 | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 6,368 | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 5,662 | -11.1% |
| 2010 | 5,204 | -8.1% |
| 2011 | 4,989 | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 4,879 | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 4,795 | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 4,710 | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 4,557 | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 4,343 | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 4,248 | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 4,109 | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 3,991 | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 3,805 | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 3,607 | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 3,447 | -4.4% |
| 2023 | 3,390 | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 3,308 | -2.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3,308 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,859, 34% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3,308 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 31,761, 10% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6,465 | 5,812 | 6,979 | 10 |
| 1970s | 7,057 | 6,885 | 7,170 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5,990 | 5,463 | 6,712 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5,669 | 5,288 | 6,144 | 10 |
| 2000s | 6,307 | 5,662 | 6,519 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,582 | 3,991 | 5,204 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,511 | 3,308 | 3,805 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 80 Gambia 3,451 compare
- 81 Eritrea 3,392 compare
- 83 Saudi Arabia 3,241 compare
- 84 United Kingdom 3,213 compare
- 85 Jordan 3,048 compare
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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,227 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 382 deaths (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of child deaths by region in Lesotho?
- Number of child deaths by region in Lesotho was 3,308 in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of child deaths by region recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 7,170 in 1976.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths by region recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,308 in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for number of child deaths by region?
- Lesotho ranks 82nd out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths by region rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of child deaths by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The estimated number of children under five years old who die each year.