Lesotho population pyramid 2026
2,389,336 people in 2026 (projected). Lesotho’s pyramid collapses above age 40, shaped by migrant mine labour in South Africa and one of the world’s most severe HIV epidemics.
- 2026 population
- 2.4Mrank 147 of 237
- Median age
- 22.1 yearsoldest rank 183
- Fertility rate
- 2.61births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful3.9% age 65+
Lesotho population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Lesotho age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 33.6% of the population, while 3.9% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 62.5% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Lesotho’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 60.1: about 60 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (53.8 children and 6.2 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Lesotho’s population pyramid
A kingdom of absent men
Lesotho is entirely surrounded by South Africa, and for most of the twentieth century its economy depended on men working in South African gold mines. The 1950 pyramid shows how extreme this was: at ages 20–24 there were about 49 men for every 100 women, and roughly 65,000 fewer men than women at ages 15–49 in a population of under 600,000. By 1975 men in their late thirties and forties slightly outnumbered women, but young adult women still clearly outnumbered men. Mining employment declined from the 1990s, yet emigration has continued; the UN estimates a net loss of about 300,000 people between 2000 and 2023, a large share for a country of 2.3 million.
The HIV generation
Lesotho has had one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world. Life expectancy rose to about 59 by 1990, then fell to about 46 by 2010, a drop of 13 years in two decades, before partly recovering to about 57 by 2023. It remains among the lowest anywhere, at about 56 for men and 61 for women. The epidemic killed mainly young and middle-aged adults, and the people who were in their twenties and thirties during the worst years are now in their forties and fifties. In 2026 the pyramid narrows abruptly above 40: the 50–54 band, born about 1972–76, is only about a third the size of the 35–39 band. Emigration also contributes, and the chart cannot divide the loss between the two.
At older ages the gap between the sexes is very wide, with about 72 men per 100 women at ages 60–64 and 43 at 80–84. The death rate, about 10 per 1,000, is high for so young a population.
Low fertility for the region
Fertility fell from about 5.8 children per woman in 1980 to about 2.6, among the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, and the bands under 15 are now nearly equal in width. The structure most resembles Eswatini, which shared a similar epidemic. Under the UN medium scenario the population grows from about 2.4 million in 2026 to a peak of about 3.3 million in 2083, with deaths overtaking births only in 2091. The guide to population projections explains why assumptions about adult mortality matter especially for countries like Lesotho.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Lesotho’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2091. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Lesotho is projected to record 55,312 births (about 151 births a day) and 24,271 deaths, a natural increase of 31,041. Net migration adds −4,876 people, ranking #180 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 1,403,314 births, 786,411 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −297,081. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −105,471 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 61.3 years47.4 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 55.8 years41.2 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 13.0 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 51.3per 1,000 births · 162 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 65.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 27.8 yearssex ratio at birth 102.8
Women in Lesotho are projected to live 5.5 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 162 to 51.3 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #12 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 27.8 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Lesotho
The median age of 22.1 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 2.61 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 58.6 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,389,336 | #147 | Largest first |
| Median age | 22.1 years | #183 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 2.61 | #70 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.1% | #92 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 58.6 years | #233 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 3.9% | #188 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Lesotho
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10–14 | 274,079 | 11.5% | 137.6K / 136.4K |
| 2 | 5–9 | 269,289 | 11.3% | 135.6K / 133.7K |
| 3 | 0–4 | 260,212 | 10.9% | 131.2K / 129K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 250,052 | 10.5% | 125.3K / 124.7K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 226,668 | 9.5% | 113.3K / 113.4K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Lesotho has 1,165,485 males and 1,223,851 females. That is 95.2 males per 100 females, ranking #176 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 48.8% of the population and females for 51.2%. There are 58,366 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 54.6 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 102.8 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Lesotho has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 579,551 in 1950 to 2,389,336 in 2026, a change of 312%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.7 to 22.1 years.
The under-15 share changed from 43.5% to 33.6%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 6.4% to 3.9%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Lesotho’s population is projected to grow by about 25%, reaching 2,993,076 in 2050. The median age changes from 22.1 to 28.8 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 2.0 percentage points to 5.9%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 25.7%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 3,312,996 in 2083. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 579,551 | 17.7 | 5.70 | 44.6 | 25,260 | 14,079 | −986 | +1.8% |
| 1960 | 736,500 | 16.3 | 5.78 | 50.2 | 32,825 | 12,843 | +1,989 | +3.0% |
| 1970 | 1,019,272 | 17.0 | 5.70 | 51.5 | 41,577 | 15,642 | +10,605 | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 1,406,521 | 17.7 | 5.75 | 56.5 | 56,801 | 17,183 | +1,361 | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 1,809,696 | 17.4 | 4.81 | 59.3 | 63,575 | 18,516 | −11,598 | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 2,003,913 | 18.2 | 3.61 | 48.8 | 56,606 | 31,820 | −26,220 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 1,996,251 | 19.7 | 3.25 | 46.0 | 58,218 | 36,340 | −5,886 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 2,235,727 | 21.0 | 2.85 | 55.1 | 57,297 | 26,575 | −3,449 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 2,311,472 | 21.4 | 2.69 | 57.4 | 55,728 | 24,612 | −5,168 | +1.1% |
| 2024* | 2,337,423 | 21.6 | 2.66 | 57.8 | 55,542 | 24,491 | −5,107 | +1.1% |
| 2026* | 2,389,336 | 22.1 | 2.61 | 58.6 | 55,312 | 24,271 | −4,876 | +1.1% |
| 2030* | 2,493,818 | 23.0 | 2.50 | 60.2 | 55,094 | 24,075 | −4,982 | +1.0% |
| 2040* | 2,757,876 | 25.8 | 2.29 | 63.4 | 54,823 | 24,960 | −4,250 | +0.9% |
| 2050* | 2,993,076 | 28.8 | 2.14 | 66.0 | 51,775 | 27,555 | −3,675 | +0.7% |
| 2060* | 3,164,303 | 31.2 | 2.02 | 68.1 | 48,635 | 31,647 | −3,124 | +0.4% |
| 2070* | 3,269,324 | 33.3 | 1.94 | 69.9 | 46,479 | 36,071 | −2,622 | +0.2% |
| 2080* | 3,311,356 | 35.4 | 1.89 | 71.6 | 43,522 | 38,866 | −3,506 | +0.0% |
| 2090* | 3,305,222 | 37.2 | 1.84 | 73.2 | 40,576 | 40,543 | −2,208 | -0.1% |
| 2100* | 3,259,299 | 38.7 | 1.80 | 74.7 | 38,011 | 41,698 | −2,858 | -0.2% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 131,236 | 128,976 | 260,212 | 10.9% |
| 5–9 | 135,611 | 133,678 | 269,289 | 11.3% |
| 10–14 | 137,630 | 136,449 | 274,079 | 11.5% |
| 15–19 | 125,316 | 124,736 | 250,052 | 10.5% |
| 20–24 | 113,258 | 113,410 | 226,668 | 9.5% |
| 25–29 | 100,559 | 102,350 | 202,909 | 8.5% |
| 30–34 | 96,320 | 99,665 | 195,985 | 8.2% |
| 35–39 | 94,211 | 99,262 | 193,473 | 8.1% |
| 40–44 | 73,460 | 79,782 | 153,242 | 6.4% |
| 45–49 | 49,592 | 54,705 | 104,297 | 4.4% |
| 50–54 | 32,161 | 35,102 | 67,263 | 2.8% |
| 55–59 | 24,192 | 28,859 | 53,051 | 2.2% |
| 60–64 | 19,021 | 26,576 | 45,597 | 1.9% |
| 65–69 | 14,587 | 22,497 | 37,084 | 1.6% |
| 70–74 | 9,017 | 16,267 | 25,284 | 1.1% |
| 75–79 | 4,977 | 10,787 | 15,764 | 0.7% |
| 80–84 | 2,587 | 6,068 | 8,655 | 0.4% |
| 85–89 | 1,286 | 3,340 | 4,626 | 0.2% |
| 90–94 | 398 | 1,107 | 1,505 | 0.1% |
| 95–99 | 62 | 212 | 274 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 4 | 24 | 28 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Lesotho’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Eswatini97% overlap · median age 22.7
- Iraq95% overlap · median age 21.1
- Ghana95% overlap · median age 21.6
- Kenya95% overlap · median age 20.3
- Papua New Guinea95% overlap · median age 23.0
- Rwanda95% overlap · median age 20.2
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Lesotho.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Lesotho Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/lesotho/
MLA
“Lesotho Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/lesotho/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Lesotho Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/lesotho/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lesotho in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Lesotho's population in 2026 is projected at 2,389,336.
What is the median age in Lesotho?
The projected median age in Lesotho in 2026 is 22.1 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Lesotho?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 2.61 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Lesotho's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 25%, from 2.4M to 3M.
What share of Lesotho is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 3.9% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 5.9%.
How many babies are born in Lesotho each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 55,312 births and 24,271 deaths in 2026, about 151 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 31,041.
What is life expectancy in Lesotho for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 61.3 years for women and 55.8 years for men, a gap of 5.5 years in favour of women.
Does Lesotho have more immigrants or emigrants?
Lesotho is projected to lose about 4,876 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −297,081.
What is the sex ratio in Lesotho?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 95.2 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.