Low-birthweight babies in Lesotho

Lesotho: Low-birthweight babies was 14.4% in 2020. ▬ Flat

Latest (2020)
14.4%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
37th
of 157 countries
All-time high
15.0%
in 2000
All-time low
14.4%
in 2020
Years of data
21
2000–2020

Low-birthweight babies in Lesotho, 2000–2020

0510152000201020202000: 15 % of births2001: 15 % of births2002: 14.9 % of births2003: 14.9 % of births2004: 14.9 % of births2005: 14.8 % of births2006: 14.8 % of births2007: 14.8 % of births2008: 14.8 % of births2009: 14.8 % of births2010: 14.8 % of births2011: 14.8 % of births2012: 14.8 % of births2013: 14.8 % of births2014: 14.7 % of births2015: 14.7 % of births2016: 14.7 % of births2017: 14.6 % of births2018: 14.6 % of births2019: 14.5 % of births2020: 14.4 % of births

Source: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of births.

Analysis

The most recent figure for low-birthweight babies in Lesotho is 14.4%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in Lesotho peaked at 15.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 14.4%, in 2020.

Lesotho ranks 37th of 157 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Low-birthweight babies in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Low-birthweight babies (% of births) in Lesotho, 2000 to 2020.
Year % of births Change
2000 15.0%
2001 15.0% -0.4%
2002 14.9% -0.3%
2003 14.9% -0.3%
2004 14.9% -0.3%
2005 14.8% -0.2%
2006 14.8% -0.2%
2007 14.8% -0.1%
2008 14.8% -0.1%
2009 14.8% -0.1%
2010 14.8% -0.0%
2011 14.8% +0.0%
2012 14.8% +0.0%
2013 14.8% -0.1%
2014 14.7% -0.1%
2015 14.7% -0.2%
2016 14.7% -0.3%
2017 14.6% -0.3%
2018 14.6% -0.4%
2019 14.5% -0.4%
2020 14.4% -0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 14.9% 14.8% 15.0% 10
2010s 14.7% 14.5% 14.8% 10
2020s 14.4% 14.4% 14.4% 1

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 34 Morocco 14.8% compare
  2. 35 Gabon 14.6% compare
  3. 36 Guatemala 14.5% compare
  4. 38 Ghana 14.4% compare
  5. 39 Kuwait 14.4% compare
  6. 40 Togo 14.3% compare

See the full ranking of 188 places →

More health data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is low-birthweight babies in Lesotho?
Low-birthweight babies in Lesotho was 14.4% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 15.0% in 2000.
What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 14.4% in 2020.
How does Lesotho rank for low-birthweight babies?
Lesotho ranks 37th out of 157 countries with data for 2020.
Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Low-birthweight babies (% of births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Low-birthweight babies in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/low-birthweight-babies-percent-of-births/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator
Low-birthweight babies (% of births)
Unit
% of births
Source
UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
188 places, 3,948 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed

Low-birthweight babies are newborns weighing less than 2,500 grams, with the measurement taken within the first hour of life, before significant postnatal weight loss has occurred.