Under-five mortality rate (UN IGME estimate, 2024) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Under-five mortality rate was 59.96 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
59.96
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
21st
of 201 countries
All-time high
232.56
in 1952
All-time low
59.96
in 2024
Years of data
73
1952–2024
Under-five mortality rate in Lesotho, 1952–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
The most recent figure for under-five mortality rate in Lesotho is 59.96, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 73 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, under-five mortality rate in Lesotho peaked at 232.56 in 1952 and was at its lowest, 59.96, in 2024.
Lesotho ranks 21st of 201 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 73 years of available data.
Under-five mortality rate in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 232.56 | — |
| 1953 | 224.16 | -3.6% |
| 1954 | 216.24 | -3.5% |
| 1955 | 208.56 | -3.6% |
| 1956 | 201.34 | -3.5% |
| 1957 | 195.45 | -2.9% |
| 1958 | 190.76 | -2.4% |
| 1959 | 187.49 | -1.7% |
| 1960 | 185.33 | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 184.31 | -0.5% |
| 1962 | 184.35 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 185.06 | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 185.86 | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 186.22 | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 185.81 | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 184.5 | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 182.23 | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 179.24 | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 175.54 | -2.1% |
| 1971 | 171.56 | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 167.62 | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 163.33 | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 158.66 | -2.9% |
| 1975 | 153.32 | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 147.35 | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 141.09 | -4.2% |
| 1978 | 134.85 | -4.4% |
| 1979 | 128.56 | -4.7% |
| 1980 | 122.41 | -4.8% |
| 1981 | 116.4 | -4.9% |
| 1982 | 110.71 | -4.9% |
| 1983 | 105.66 | -4.6% |
| 1984 | 101.12 | -4.3% |
| 1985 | 96.92 | -4.2% |
| 1986 | 93.33 | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 90.23 | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 87.69 | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 85.72 | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 84.53 | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 84.37 | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 85.38 | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 87.64 | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 91.06 | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 95.08 | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 98.9 | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 102.06 | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 104.24 | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 106.29 | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 108.3 | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 110.32 | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 112.09 | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 113.23 | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 113.87 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 114.64 | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 114.67 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 111.86 | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 111.62 | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 99.07 | -11.2% |
| 2010 | 90.87 | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 85.2 | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 81.36 | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 79.26 | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 77.6 | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 75.11 | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 71.39 | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 70.1 | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 68.82 | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 68.11 | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 66.27 | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 64.01 | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 62.04 | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 61.31 | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 59.96 | -2.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 59.96 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 36.93, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 59.96 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 48.89, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 207.07 | 187.49 | 232.56 | 8 |
| 1960s | 184.29 | 179.24 | 186.22 | 10 |
| 1970s | 154.19 | 128.56 | 175.54 | 10 |
| 1980s | 101.02 | 85.72 | 122.41 | 10 |
| 1990s | 93.96 | 84.37 | 106.29 | 10 |
| 2000s | 110.97 | 99.07 | 114.67 | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.78 | 68.11 | 90.87 | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.72 | 59.96 | 66.27 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 18 Cote d'Ivoire 64.47 compare
- 19 Madagascar 62.4 compare
- 20 Sudan 61.6 compare
- 22 Mozambique 59.42 compare
- 23 Togo 56.13 compare
- 24 Pakistan 55.96 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 under-five mortality rate in Lesotho?
- Under-five mortality rate in Lesotho was 59.96 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest under-five mortality rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 232.56 in 1952.
- What is the lowest under-five mortality rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.96 in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for under-five mortality rate?
- Lesotho ranks 21st out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
- Is under-five mortality rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Under-five mortality rate (UN IGME estimate, 2024). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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