Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Lesotho
Lesotho: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 6,948 animals in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
6,948 animals
Change on year
down 8.3%
World rank
172nd
of 198 countries
All-time high
84,000 animals
in 1988
All-time low
6,370 animals
in 2022
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Lesotho, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
In 2024, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Lesotho stood at 6,948 animals.
That represents a change of down 8.3% on the previous year and down 55.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Lesotho peaked at 84,000 animals in 1988 and was at its lowest, 6,370 animals, in 2022.
Lesotho ranks 172nd of 198 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 55,135 animals | — |
| 1962 | 56,762 animals | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 55,155 animals | -2.8% |
| 1964 | 42,760 animals | -22.5% |
| 1965 | 50,848 animals | +18.9% |
| 1966 | 30,652 animals | -39.7% |
| 1967 | 41,155 animals | +34.3% |
| 1968 | 38,144 animals | -7.3% |
| 1969 | 43,492 animals | +14.0% |
| 1970 | 55,474 animals | +27.5% |
| 1971 | 56,000 animals | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 57,000 animals | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 60,000 animals | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 62,000 animals | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 60,000 animals | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 58,000 animals | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 60,000 animals | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 65,000 animals | +8.3% |
| 1979 | 70,000 animals | +7.7% |
| 1980 | 72,000 animals | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 72,000 animals | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 78,000 animals | +8.3% |
| 1983 | 80,000 animals | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 80,000 animals | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 82,000 animals | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 83,000 animals | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 83,000 animals | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 84,000 animals | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 75,900 animals | -9.6% |
| 1990 | 63,000 animals | -17.0% |
| 1991 | 14,500 animals | -77.0% |
| 1992 | 19,017 animals | +31.2% |
| 1993 | 17,967 animals | -5.5% |
| 1994 | 15,835 animals | -11.9% |
| 1995 | 15,965 animals | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 14,901 animals | -6.7% |
| 1997 | 16,709 animals | +12.1% |
| 1998 | 13,840 animals | -17.2% |
| 1999 | 21,186 animals | +53.1% |
| 2000 | 21,492 animals | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 22,684 animals | +5.5% |
| 2002 | 19,774 animals | -12.8% |
| 2003 | 20,721 animals | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 20,332 animals | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 21,632 animals | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 20,119 animals | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 22,095 animals | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 18,199 animals | -17.6% |
| 2009 | 13,023 animals | -28.4% |
| 2010 | 12,652 animals | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 16,562 animals | +30.9% |
| 2012 | 17,694 animals | +6.8% |
| 2013 | 16,777 animals | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 15,590 animals | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 16,706 animals | +7.2% |
| 2016 | 15,342 animals | -8.2% |
| 2017 | 13,245 animals | -13.7% |
| 2018 | 11,199 animals | -15.4% |
| 2019 | 9,280 animals | -17.1% |
| 2020 | 10,905 animals | +17.5% |
| 2021 | 6,895 animals | -36.8% |
| 2022 | 6,370 animals | -7.6% |
| 2023 | 7,580 animals | +19.0% |
| 2024 | 6,948 animals | -8.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 6,948 animals is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 424,850 animals, 2% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 6,948 animals is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 250,645 animals, 3% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -77.0% | 63,000 animals | 14,500 animals |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 46,011 animals | 30,652 animals | 56,762 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 60,347 animals | 55,474 animals | 70,000 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 78,990 animals | 72,000 animals | 84,000 animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 21,292 animals | 13,840 animals | 63,000 animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 20,007 animals | 13,023 animals | 22,684 animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 14,505 animals | 9,280 animals | 17,694 animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 7,740 animals | 6,370 animals | 10,905 animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Lesotho?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Lesotho was 6,948 animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 84,000 animals in 1988.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,370 animals in 2022.
- How does Lesotho rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- Lesotho ranks 172nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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