Death rate in Lesotho
Lesotho: Death rate was 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
10.65 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
37th
of 236 countries
All-time high
24.29 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
10.21 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1989
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Lesotho, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people for death rate in 2023.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Lesotho peaked at 24.29 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 10.21 deaths per 1,000 people, in 1989.
Lesotho ranks 37th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.29 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 23.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 1952 | 22.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1953 | 21.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1954 | 20.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1955 | 19.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1956 | 19.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1957 | 18.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1958 | 18.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1959 | 17.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1960 | 17.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1961 | 17.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 17.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1963 | 16.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 16.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 16.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 16.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 16.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 16.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 15.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 15.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 15.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 14.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 14.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 14.28 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 13.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 13.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1978 | 13.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 12.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 12.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 11.74 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 11.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 10.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 10.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 10.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 10.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 10.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 10.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 10.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 10.23 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 10.29 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 10.44 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 10.98 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 11.41 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 12.05 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.5% |
| 1997 | 12.8 deaths per 1,000 people | +6.3% |
| 1998 | 13.78 deaths per 1,000 people | +7.6% |
| 1999 | 14.78 deaths per 1,000 people | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 15.88 deaths per 1,000 people | +7.4% |
| 2001 | 17.13 deaths per 1,000 people | +7.9% |
| 2002 | 18.2 deaths per 1,000 people | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 19.15 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 19.97 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 20.45 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 20.8 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 20.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 19.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 19.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 18.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 17.48 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 16.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 15.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2014 | 14.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 13.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2016 | 13.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 12.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 12.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 11.83 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 11.89 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 12.6 deaths per 1,000 people | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 10.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -13.4% |
| 2023 | 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.2 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 20.52 deaths per 1,000 people | 17.77 deaths per 1,000 people | 24.29 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 15.7 deaths per 1,000 people | 17.44 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.08 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 15.35 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.21 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.22 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.74 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 14.78 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.09 deaths per 1,000 people | 15.88 deaths per 1,000 people | 20.8 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.62 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.83 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.2 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.51 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.6 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 34 North Macedonia 10.84 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 35 Finland 10.71 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 36 Puerto Rico 10.69 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 38 Poland 10.64 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 39 Barbados 10.61 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 40 Czechia 10.5 deaths per 1,000 people 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 death rate in Lesotho?
- Death rate in Lesotho was 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 24.29 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.21 deaths per 1,000 people in 1989.
- How does Lesotho rank for death rate?
- Lesotho ranks 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate 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 UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.