Cropland extent over the long-term in Lesotho
Lesotho: Cropland extent over the long-term was 432,760 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
432,760 hectares
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
136th
of 202 countries
All-time high
433,300 hectares
in 2018
All-time low
0 hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Cropland extent over the long-term in Lesotho, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2025, cropland extent over the long-term in Lesotho stood at 432,760 hectares.
The figure is up 94.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cropland extent over the long-term in Lesotho peaked at 433,300 hectares in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0 hectares, in 1000.
That places Lesotho 136th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cropland extent over the long-term in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0 hectares | — |
| 1100 | 15,740 hectares | — |
| 1200 | 17,957 hectares | +14.1% |
| 1300 | 20,487 hectares | +14.1% |
| 1400 | 23,374 hectares | +14.1% |
| 1500 | 26,666 hectares | +14.1% |
| 1600 | 30,423 hectares | +14.1% |
| 1700 | 34,708 hectares | +14.1% |
| 1710 | 35,701 hectares | +2.9% |
| 1720 | 36,767 hectares | +3.0% |
| 1730 | 37,915 hectares | +3.1% |
| 1740 | 39,154 hectares | +3.3% |
| 1750 | 40,497 hectares | +3.4% |
| 1760 | 41,958 hectares | +3.6% |
| 1770 | 43,555 hectares | +3.8% |
| 1780 | 45,310 hectares | +4.0% |
| 1790 | 47,247 hectares | +4.3% |
| 1800 | 49,400 hectares | +4.6% |
| 1810 | 51,809 hectares | +4.9% |
| 1820 | 54,526 hectares | +5.2% |
| 1830 | 57,619 hectares | +5.7% |
| 1840 | 63,968 hectares | +11.0% |
| 1850 | 66,052 hectares | +3.3% |
| 1860 | 73,023 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1870 | 80,729 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1880 | 89,248 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1890 | 98,667 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1900 | 109,079 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1910 | 128,383 hectares | +17.7% |
| 1920 | 149,708 hectares | +16.6% |
| 1930 | 184,288 hectares | +23.1% |
| 1940 | 296,472 hectares | +60.9% |
| 1950 | 311,184 hectares | +5.0% |
| 1951 | 315,577 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 320,037 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1953 | 324,580 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1954 | 329,224 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 333,991 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1956 | 338,917 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 344,042 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1958 | 349,401 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 355,041 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1960 | 361,000 hectares | +1.7% |
| 1961 | 361,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 356,000 hectares | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 356,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 358,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 358,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 363,000 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1967 | 363,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 368,000 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1969 | 368,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 372,000 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 364,000 hectares | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 359,000 hectares | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 359,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 359,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 376,000 hectares | +4.7% |
| 1976 | 359,000 hectares | -4.5% |
| 1977 | 292,000 hectares | -18.7% |
| 1978 | 293,000 hectares | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 309,000 hectares | +5.5% |
| 1980 | 296,000 hectares | -4.2% |
| 1981 | 302,000 hectares | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 292,000 hectares | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 287,000 hectares | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 301,000 hectares | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 308,000 hectares | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 291,000 hectares | -5.5% |
| 1987 | 330,000 hectares | +13.4% |
| 1988 | 343,000 hectares | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 305,000 hectares | -11.1% |
| 1990 | 321,000 hectares | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 323,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 336,000 hectares | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 334,000 hectares | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 329,000 hectares | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 324,000 hectares | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 326,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 329,000 hectares | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 329,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 329,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 334,000 hectares | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 334,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 304,000 hectares | -9.0% |
| 2003 | 304,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 314,000 hectares | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 327,000 hectares | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 307,000 hectares | -6.1% |
| 2007 | 329,000 hectares | +7.2% |
| 2008 | 362,000 hectares | +10.0% |
| 2009 | 339,000 hectares | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 326,000 hectares | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 312,000 hectares | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 285,300 hectares | -8.6% |
| 2013 | 252,100 hectares | -11.6% |
| 2014 | 276,300 hectares | +9.6% |
| 2015 | 223,000 hectares | -19.3% |
| 2016 | 356,000 hectares | +59.6% |
| 2017 | 418,000 hectares | +17.4% |
| 2018 | 433,300 hectares | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 433,000 hectares | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 433,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 433,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 433,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 432,880 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 432,820 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 432,760 hectares | -0.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 432,760 hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.01 million hectares, 14% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 432,760 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.31 million hectares, 13% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cropland extent over the long-term 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | +60.9% | 184,288 hectares | 296,472 hectares |
| 2016 | +59.6% | 223,000 hectares | 356,000 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0 hectares | 0 hectares | 0 hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 15,740 hectares | 15,740 hectares | 15,740 hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 17,957 hectares | 17,957 hectares | 17,957 hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 20,487 hectares | 20,487 hectares | 20,487 hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 23,374 hectares | 23,374 hectares | 23,374 hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 26,666 hectares | 26,666 hectares | 26,666 hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 30,423 hectares | 30,423 hectares | 30,423 hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 34,708 hectares | 34,708 hectares | 34,708 hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 35,701 hectares | 35,701 hectares | 35,701 hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 36,767 hectares | 36,767 hectares | 36,767 hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 37,915 hectares | 37,915 hectares | 37,915 hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 39,154 hectares | 39,154 hectares | 39,154 hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 40,497 hectares | 40,497 hectares | 40,497 hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 41,958 hectares | 41,958 hectares | 41,958 hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 43,555 hectares | 43,555 hectares | 43,555 hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 45,310 hectares | 45,310 hectares | 45,310 hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 47,247 hectares | 47,247 hectares | 47,247 hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 49,400 hectares | 49,400 hectares | 49,400 hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 51,809 hectares | 51,809 hectares | 51,809 hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 54,526 hectares | 54,526 hectares | 54,526 hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 57,619 hectares | 57,619 hectares | 57,619 hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 63,968 hectares | 63,968 hectares | 63,968 hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 66,052 hectares | 66,052 hectares | 66,052 hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 73,023 hectares | 73,023 hectares | 73,023 hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 80,729 hectares | 80,729 hectares | 80,729 hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 89,248 hectares | 89,248 hectares | 89,248 hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 98,667 hectares | 98,667 hectares | 98,667 hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 109,079 hectares | 109,079 hectares | 109,079 hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 128,383 hectares | 128,383 hectares | 128,383 hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 149,708 hectares | 149,708 hectares | 149,708 hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 184,288 hectares | 184,288 hectares | 184,288 hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 296,472 hectares | 296,472 hectares | 296,472 hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 332,199 hectares | 311,184 hectares | 355,041 hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 361,200 hectares | 356,000 hectares | 368,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 344,200 hectares | 292,000 hectares | 376,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 305,500 hectares | 287,000 hectares | 343,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 328,000 hectares | 321,000 hectares | 336,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 325,400 hectares | 304,000 hectares | 362,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 331,500 hectares | 223,000 hectares | 433,300 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 432,910 hectares | 432,760 hectares | 433,000 hectares | 6 |
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 cropland extent over the long-term in Lesotho?
- Cropland extent over the long-term in Lesotho was 432,760 hectares in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cropland extent over the long-term recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 433,300 hectares in 2018.
- What is the lowest cropland extent over the long-term recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 hectares in 1000.
- How does Lesotho rank for cropland extent over the long-term?
- Lesotho ranks 136th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is cropland extent over the long-term rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 94.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cropland extent over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total cropland area for each separate country over time.