Infant mortality (Our World) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Infant mortality (Our World) was 5.63 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
5.63
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
10th
of 199 countries
All-time high
15.99
in 1952
All-time low
5.63
in 2024
Years of data
73
1952–2024
Infant mortality in Lesotho, 1952–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality in Lesotho is 5.63, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 73 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality in Lesotho peaked at 15.99 in 1952 and was at its lowest, 5.63, in 2024.
Lesotho ranks 10th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 73 years of available data.
Infant mortality (Our World) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 15.99 | — |
| 1953 | 15.58 | -2.5% |
| 1954 | 15.2 | -2.5% |
| 1955 | 14.82 | -2.5% |
| 1956 | 14.47 | -2.4% |
| 1957 | 14.19 | -1.9% |
| 1958 | 13.98 | -1.4% |
| 1959 | 13.87 | -0.8% |
| 1960 | 13.84 | -0.2% |
| 1961 | 13.89 | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 14.01 | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 14.19 | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 14.37 | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 14.51 | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 14.59 | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 14.59 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 14.52 | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 14.39 | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 14.18 | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 13.95 | -1.6% |
| 1972 | 13.72 | -1.6% |
| 1973 | 13.46 | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 13.16 | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 12.8 | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 12.38 | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 11.93 | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 11.48 | -3.8% |
| 1979 | 11.01 | -4.0% |
| 1980 | 10.55 | -4.2% |
| 1981 | 10.1 | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 9.67 | -4.2% |
| 1983 | 9.29 | -4.0% |
| 1984 | 8.94 | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 8.62 | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 8.34 | -3.2% |
| 1987 | 8.1 | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 7.89 | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 7.72 | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 7.59 | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 7.51 | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 7.48 | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 7.48 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 7.51 | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 7.53 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 7.51 | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 7.48 | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 7.43 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 7.44 | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 7.48 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 7.55 | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 7.64 | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 7.71 | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 7.78 | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 7.89 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 7.96 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 7.9 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 8.39 | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 7.76 | -7.6% |
| 2010 | 7.36 | -5.2% |
| 2011 | 7.09 | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 7.1 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 7.14 | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 7.03 | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 6.9 | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 6.82 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 6.8 | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 6.52 | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 6.35 | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 6.21 | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 6.11 | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 5.99 | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 5.84 | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 5.63 | -3.6% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 5.63 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.87, 2.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 5.63 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.72, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 14.76 | 13.87 | 15.99 | 8 |
| 1960s | 14.29 | 13.84 | 14.59 | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.81 | 11.01 | 14.18 | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.92 | 7.72 | 10.55 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.5 | 7.43 | 7.59 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.81 | 7.48 | 8.39 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.91 | 6.35 | 7.36 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.96 | 5.63 | 6.21 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 7 Guinea 5.98 compare
- 8 Central African Republic 5.88 compare
- 9 Democratic Republic of Congo 5.64 compare
- 11 Chad 5.63 compare
- 12 Sierra Leone 5.46 compare
- 13 Afghanistan 4.83 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 in Lesotho?
- Infant mortality in Lesotho was 5.63 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 15.99 in 1952.
- What is the lowest infant mortality recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.63 in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for infant mortality?
- Lesotho ranks 10th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.8%. 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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