Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Lesotho
Lesotho: Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS was 81,000 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Lesotho, 1990–2024
Source: UNAIDS estimates.
Analysis
In 2024, children orphaned by hiv/aids in Lesotho stood at 81,000.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.7% on the previous year and down 32.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children orphaned by hiv/aids in Lesotho peaked at 130,000 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1,100, in 1990.
That places Lesotho 27th out of 138 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,100 | — |
| 1991 | 1,900 | +72.7% |
| 1992 | 3,100 | +63.2% |
| 1993 | 5,200 | +67.7% |
| 1994 | 8,400 | +61.5% |
| 1995 | 13,000 | +54.8% |
| 1996 | 19,000 | +46.2% |
| 1997 | 27,000 | +42.1% |
| 1998 | 37,000 | +37.0% |
| 1999 | 49,000 | +32.4% |
| 2000 | 61,000 | +24.5% |
| 2001 | 73,000 | +19.7% |
| 2002 | 85,000 | +16.4% |
| 2003 | 97,000 | +14.1% |
| 2004 | 110,000 | +13.4% |
| 2005 | 120,000 | +9.1% |
| 2006 | 120,000 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 130,000 | +8.3% |
| 2008 | 130,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 130,000 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 130,000 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 130,000 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 120,000 | -7.7% |
| 2013 | 120,000 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 120,000 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 120,000 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 120,000 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 120,000 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 110,000 | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 110,000 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 110,000 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 98,000 | -10.9% |
| 2022 | 91,000 | -7.1% |
| 2023 | 85,000 | -6.6% |
| 2024 | 81,000 | -4.7% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 81,000 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40,000, 2.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 81,000 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 83,500, 97% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16,470 | 1,100 | 49,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 105,600 | 61,000 | 130,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 120,000 | 110,000 | 130,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 93,000 | 81,000 | 110,000 | 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 children orphaned by hiv/aids in Lesotho?
- Children orphaned by hiv/aids in Lesotho was 81,000 in 2024, according to UNAIDS estimates.
- What is the highest children orphaned by hiv/aids recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 130,000 in 2007.
- What is the lowest children orphaned by hiv/aids recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,100 in 1990.
- How does Lesotho rank for children orphaned by hiv/aids?
- Lesotho ranks 27th out of 138 countries with data for 2024.
- Is children orphaned by hiv/aids rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNAIDS estimates, published as part of Children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS is the estimated number of children who have lost their mother or both parents to AIDS before age 15 since the epidemic began. Some of the orphaned children included in this cumulative total are no longer alive; others are no longer under age 15.