Infant mortality rates (Our World) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Infant mortality rates (Our World) was 5.65 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.65
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
10th
of 236 countries
All-time high
16.23
in 1950
All-time low
5.65
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rates in Lesotho, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 5.65 for infant mortality rates in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rates in Lesotho peaked at 16.23 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 5.65, in 2023.
Lesotho ranks 10th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Infant mortality rates (Our World) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 16.23 | — |
| 1951 | 15.85 | -2.3% |
| 1952 | 15.49 | -2.3% |
| 1953 | 15.13 | -2.3% |
| 1954 | 14.77 | -2.4% |
| 1955 | 14.42 | -2.4% |
| 1956 | 14.08 | -2.3% |
| 1957 | 13.79 | -2.1% |
| 1958 | 13.54 | -1.8% |
| 1959 | 13.35 | -1.4% |
| 1960 | 13.22 | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 13.15 | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 13.12 | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 13.11 | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 13.1 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 13.09 | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 13.04 | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 12.97 | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 12.85 | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 12.7 | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 12.52 | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 12.31 | -1.7% |
| 1972 | 12.07 | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 11.8 | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 11.51 | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 11.18 | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 10.83 | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 10.46 | -3.4% |
| 1978 | 10.07 | -3.7% |
| 1979 | 9.68 | -3.9% |
| 1980 | 9.29 | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 8.9 | -4.1% |
| 1982 | 8.54 | -4.1% |
| 1983 | 8.2 | -4.0% |
| 1984 | 7.89 | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 7.61 | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 7.36 | -3.3% |
| 1987 | 7.16 | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 6.98 | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 6.85 | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 6.79 | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 6.77 | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 6.83 | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 6.96 | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 7.13 | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 7.35 | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 7.58 | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 7.81 | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 8.02 | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 8.22 | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 8.37 | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 8.49 | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 8.6 | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 8.67 | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 8.7 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 8.67 | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 8.55 | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 8.34 | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 8.05 | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 7.7 | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 7.35 | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 7.07 | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 6.81 | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 6.62 | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 6.48 | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 6.37 | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 6.27 | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 6.18 | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 6.11 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 6.03 | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 5.99 | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 5.85 | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 5.75 | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 5.65 | -1.7% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 5.65 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.97, 1.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 5.65 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.74, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 14.67 | 13.35 | 16.23 | 10 |
| 1960s | 13.04 | 12.7 | 13.22 | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.24 | 9.68 | 12.52 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.88 | 6.85 | 9.29 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.35 | 6.77 | 8.22 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.41 | 7.7 | 8.7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.53 | 6.03 | 7.35 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.81 | 5.65 | 5.99 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 7 Chad 6.42 compare
- 8 South Sudan 6.38 compare
- 9 Mali 6.08 compare
- 11 Liberia 5.59 compare
- 12 Equatorial Guinea 5.29 compare
- 13 Burkina Faso 5.23 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)
- 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 infant mortality rates in Lesotho?
- Infant mortality rates in Lesotho was 5.65 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rates recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 16.23 in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rates recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.65 in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for infant mortality rates?
- Lesotho ranks 10th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rates rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. 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 Infant mortality rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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