Number of infant deaths (UN Inter-agency) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Number of infant deaths (UN Inter-agency) was 3,104 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
3,104
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
73rd
of 197 countries
All-time high
6,106
in 1976
All-time low
3,104
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Number of infant deaths in Lesotho, 1960–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of infant deaths in Lesotho is 3,104, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of infant deaths in Lesotho peaked at 6,106 in 1976 and was at its lowest, 3,104, in 2024.
Lesotho ranks 73rd of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Number of infant deaths (UN Inter-agency) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4,387 | — |
| 1961 | 4,512 | +2.8% |
| 1962 | 4,664 | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 4,831 | +3.6% |
| 1964 | 5,003 | +3.6% |
| 1965 | 5,176 | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 5,335 | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 5,470 | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 5,570 | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 5,637 | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 5,689 | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 5,746 | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 5,814 | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 5,870 | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 5,951 | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 6,045 | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 6,106 | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 6,104 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 6,047 | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 5,954 | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 5,831 | -2.1% |
| 1981 | 5,688 | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 5,547 | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 5,420 | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 5,300 | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 5,192 | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 5,104 | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 5,107 | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 5,074 | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 4,929 | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 4,794 | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 4,694 | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 4,620 | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 4,537 | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 4,468 | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 4,440 | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 4,438 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 4,433 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 4,343 | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 4,236 | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 4,196 | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 4,255 | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 4,375 | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 4,441 | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 4,406 | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 4,377 | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 4,377 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4,418 | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 4,799 | +8.6% |
| 2009 | 4,453 | -7.2% |
| 2010 | 4,225 | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 4,173 | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 4,277 | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 4,333 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 4,271 | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 4,184 | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 4,149 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 4,117 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 3,889 | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 3,711 | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 3,556 | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 3,431 | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 3,320 | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 3,224 | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 3,104 | -3.7% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3,104 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7,969, 39% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3,104 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22,678, 14% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5,058 | 4,387 | 5,637 | 10 |
| 1970s | 5,933 | 5,689 | 6,106 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5,319 | 4,929 | 5,831 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,500 | 4,236 | 4,794 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,410 | 4,196 | 4,799 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,133 | 3,711 | 4,333 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,327 | 3,104 | 3,556 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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 number of infant deaths in Lesotho?
- Number of infant deaths in Lesotho was 3,104 in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest number of infant deaths recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 6,106 in 1976.
- What is the lowest number of infant deaths recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,104 in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for number of infant deaths?
- Lesotho ranks 73rd out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of infant deaths rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Number of infant deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of infants dying before reaching one year of age.