New infections of HIV per 1,000 people in Lesotho
Lesotho: New infections of HIV per 1,000 people was 3.09 infections per 1,000 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
3.09 infections per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 15.5%
World rank
4th
of 144 countries
All-time high
42.93 infections per 1,000 people
in 1995
All-time low
3.09 infections per 1,000 people
in 2024
Years of data
35
1990–2024
New infections of HIV per 1,000 people in Lesotho, 1990–2024
Source: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in infections per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2024, new infections of hiv per 1,000 people in Lesotho stood at 3.09 infections per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 15.5% on the previous year and down 83.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new infections of hiv per 1,000 people in Lesotho peaked at 42.93 infections per 1,000 people in 1995 and was at its lowest, 3.09 infections per 1,000 people, in 2024.
That places Lesotho 4th out of 144 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
New infections of HIV per 1,000 people in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | infections per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.61 infections per 1,000 people | — |
| 1991 | 16.63 infections per 1,000 people | +56.7% |
| 1992 | 24.22 infections per 1,000 people | +45.6% |
| 1993 | 31.9 infections per 1,000 people | +31.7% |
| 1994 | 39.09 infections per 1,000 people | +22.6% |
| 1995 | 42.93 infections per 1,000 people | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 42.44 infections per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 39.77 infections per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1998 | 36.23 infections per 1,000 people | -8.9% |
| 1999 | 33.56 infections per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2000 | 31.32 infections per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 2001 | 29.68 infections per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 28.39 infections per 1,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 28.38 infections per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 27.92 infections per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 27.88 infections per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 28.11 infections per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 27.62 infections per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 26.33 infections per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 24.96 infections per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 22.89 infections per 1,000 people | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 21.76 infections per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 20.86 infections per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 20.22 infections per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 18.57 infections per 1,000 people | -8.2% |
| 2015 | 16.43 infections per 1,000 people | -11.5% |
| 2016 | 13.04 infections per 1,000 people | -20.6% |
| 2017 | 10.13 infections per 1,000 people | -22.3% |
| 2018 | 8.29 infections per 1,000 people | -18.1% |
| 2019 | 7.34 infections per 1,000 people | -11.4% |
| 2020 | 6.45 infections per 1,000 people | -12.2% |
| 2021 | 5.17 infections per 1,000 people | -19.9% |
| 2022 | 3.93 infections per 1,000 people | -23.9% |
| 2023 | 3.65 infections per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 2024 | 3.09 infections per 1,000 people | -15.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3.09 infections per 1,000 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3739 infections per 1,000 people, 8.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3.09 infections per 1,000 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.5758 infections per 1,000 people, 5.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where New infections of HIV per 1,000 people 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 | +56.7% | 10.61 infections per 1,000 people | 16.63 infections per 1,000 people |
| 1992 | +45.6% | 16.63 infections per 1,000 people | 24.22 infections per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.74 infections per 1,000 people | 10.61 infections per 1,000 people | 42.93 infections per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.06 infections per 1,000 people | 24.96 infections per 1,000 people | 31.32 infections per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.95 infections per 1,000 people | 7.34 infections per 1,000 people | 22.89 infections per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.46 infections per 1,000 people | 3.09 infections per 1,000 people | 6.45 infections per 1,000 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 1 Eswatini 7.49 infections per 1,000 people compare
- 2 South Africa 5.25 infections per 1,000 people compare
- 3 Mozambique 4.91 infections per 1,000 people compare
- 5 Botswana 3.06 infections per 1,000 people compare
- 6 Zambia 2.76 infections per 1,000 people compare
- 7 Congo 2.71 infections 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 new infections of hiv per 1,000 people in Lesotho?
- New infections of hiv per 1,000 people in Lesotho was 3.09 infections per 1,000 people in 2024, according to Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest new infections of hiv per 1,000 people recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 42.93 infections per 1,000 people in 1995.
- What is the lowest new infections of hiv per 1,000 people recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.09 infections per 1,000 people in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for new infections of hiv per 1,000 people?
- Lesotho ranks 4th out of 144 countries with data for 2024.
- Is new infections of hiv per 1,000 people rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 83.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of New infections of HIV per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people aged 15-49 newly infected with HIV in the last year per 1,000 uninfected people. This is the central estimate.