Rural population, per square kilometre in Lesotho
Lesotho: Rural population, per square kilometre was 43.64 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
43.64 units per square kilometre
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
76th
of 215 countries
All-time high
53.92 units per square kilometre
in 1997
All-time low
23.93 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in Lesotho, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 43.64 units per square kilometre for rural population, per square kilometre in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in Lesotho peaked at 53.92 units per square kilometre in 1997 and was at its lowest, 23.93 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
Lesotho ranks 76th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 23.93 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 24.5 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 25.08 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 25.66 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 26.27 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 26.98 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 27.82 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 28.69 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 29.58 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 30.48 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1971 | 31.4 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 32.35 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 33.35 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 34.39 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 35.52 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1976 | 36.66 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 37.73 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 38.81 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 39.95 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 41.12 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 42.33 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 43.58 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 44.85 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 46.15 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 47.47 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 48.68 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 49.68 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 50.54 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 51.3 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 51.93 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1991 | 52.45 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 52.88 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 53.22 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 53.48 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 53.69 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 53.86 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 53.92 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 53.82 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 53.6 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 53.25 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 52.79 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 52.24 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 51.57 units per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 50.77 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 49.84 units per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 49.12 units per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 48.76 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 48.45 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 48.11 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 47.74 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 47.36 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 46.97 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 46.58 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 46.15 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 45.69 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 45.26 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 45.1 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 44.9 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 44.68 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 44.45 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 44.21 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 43.92 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 43.64 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 43.64 units per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.64 units per square kilometre, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 43.64 units per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.51 units per square kilometre, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 26.5 units per square kilometre | 23.93 units per square kilometre | 29.58 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 35.06 units per square kilometre | 30.48 units per square kilometre | 39.95 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 46.57 units per square kilometre | 41.12 units per square kilometre | 51.3 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 53.29 units per square kilometre | 51.93 units per square kilometre | 53.92 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.49 units per square kilometre | 48.11 units per square kilometre | 53.25 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.04 units per square kilometre | 44.68 units per square kilometre | 47.74 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.06 units per square kilometre | 43.64 units per square kilometre | 44.45 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 73 Cote d'Ivoire 45.66 units per square kilometre compare
- 74 Portugal 44.8 units per square kilometre compare
- 75 American Samoa 44.26 units per square kilometre compare
- 77 Germany 43.13 units per square kilometre compare
- 78 Moldova 42.54 units per square kilometre compare
- 79 Senegal 42.54 units per square kilometre compare
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 rural population, per square kilometre in Lesotho?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in Lesotho was 43.64 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 53.92 units per square kilometre in 1997.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.93 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Lesotho rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- Lesotho ranks 76th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.