Agricultural area over the long-term in Lesotho
Lesotho: Agricultural area over the long-term was 832,760 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
832,760 hectares
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
143rd
of 202 countries
All-time high
833,300 hectares
in 2018
All-time low
870.1 hectares
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Agricultural area over the long-term in Lesotho, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 832,760 hectares for agricultural area over the long-term in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 33.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural area over the long-term in Lesotho peaked at 833,300 hectares in 2018 and was at its lowest, 870.1 hectares, in 1000.
Lesotho ranks 143rd of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Agricultural area over the long-term in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 870.1 hectares | — |
| 1100 | 16,871 hectares | +1839.0% |
| 1200 | 19,442 hectares | +15.2% |
| 1300 | 22,455 hectares | +15.5% |
| 1400 | 26,012 hectares | +15.8% |
| 1500 | 30,255 hectares | +16.3% |
| 1600 | 35,386 hectares | +17.0% |
| 1700 | 50,129 hectares | +41.7% |
| 1710 | 52,570 hectares | +4.9% |
| 1720 | 55,176 hectares | +5.0% |
| 1730 | 57,967 hectares | +5.1% |
| 1740 | 60,966 hectares | +5.2% |
| 1750 | 64,200 hectares | +5.3% |
| 1760 | 67,701 hectares | +5.5% |
| 1770 | 71,508 hectares | +5.6% |
| 1780 | 75,667 hectares | +5.8% |
| 1790 | 80,238 hectares | +6.0% |
| 1800 | 85,290 hectares | +6.3% |
| 1810 | 90,914 hectares | +6.6% |
| 1820 | 97,225 hectares | +6.9% |
| 1830 | 104,370 hectares | +7.3% |
| 1840 | 115,896 hectares | +11.0% |
| 1850 | 119,700 hectares | +3.3% |
| 1860 | 132,362 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1870 | 146,364 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1880 | 161,847 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1890 | 178,967 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1900 | 197,899 hectares | +10.6% |
| 1910 | 232,975 hectares | +17.7% |
| 1920 | 271,736 hectares | +16.6% |
| 1930 | 334,577 hectares | +23.1% |
| 1940 | 538,373 hectares | +60.9% |
| 1950 | 565,218 hectares | +5.0% |
| 1951 | 573,210 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 581,325 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1953 | 589,590 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1954 | 598,039 hectares | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 606,712 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1956 | 615,675 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 624,999 hectares | +1.5% |
| 1958 | 634,750 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 645,010 hectares | +1.6% |
| 1960 | 661,000 hectares | +2.5% |
| 1961 | 661,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 656,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 1963 | 656,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 658,000 hectares | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 658,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 663,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 663,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 668,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 668,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 672,000 hectares | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 664,000 hectares | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 659,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 659,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 659,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 676,000 hectares | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 659,000 hectares | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 592,000 hectares | -10.2% |
| 1978 | 593,000 hectares | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 609,000 hectares | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 596,000 hectares | -2.1% |
| 1981 | 602,000 hectares | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 592,000 hectares | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 587,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 601,000 hectares | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 608,000 hectares | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 591,000 hectares | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 630,000 hectares | +6.6% |
| 1988 | 643,000 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 605,000 hectares | -5.9% |
| 1990 | 621,000 hectares | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 623,000 hectares | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 636,000 hectares | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 634,000 hectares | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 629,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 624,000 hectares | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 626,000 hectares | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 629,000 hectares | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 629,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 646,500 hectares | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 659,000 hectares | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 669,000 hectares | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 649,000 hectares | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 654,000 hectares | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 674,000 hectares | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 697,000 hectares | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 707,000 hectares | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 729,000 hectares | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 762,000 hectares | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 739,000 hectares | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 726,000 hectares | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 712,000 hectares | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 685,300 hectares | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 652,100 hectares | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 676,300 hectares | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 623,000 hectares | -7.9% |
| 2016 | 756,000 hectares | +21.3% |
| 2017 | 818,000 hectares | +8.2% |
| 2018 | 833,300 hectares | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 833,000 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 833,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 833,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 833,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 832,880 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 832,820 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 832,760 hectares | -0.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 832,760 hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.65 million hectares, 9% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 832,760 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.68 million hectares, 6% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Agricultural area 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +1839.0% | 870.1 hectares | 16,871 hectares |
| 1940 | +60.9% | 334,577 hectares | 538,373 hectares |
| 1700 | +41.7% | 35,386 hectares | 50,129 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 870.1 hectares | 870.1 hectares | 870.1 hectares | 1 |
| 1100s | 16,871 hectares | 16,871 hectares | 16,871 hectares | 1 |
| 1200s | 19,442 hectares | 19,442 hectares | 19,442 hectares | 1 |
| 1300s | 22,455 hectares | 22,455 hectares | 22,455 hectares | 1 |
| 1400s | 26,012 hectares | 26,012 hectares | 26,012 hectares | 1 |
| 1500s | 30,255 hectares | 30,255 hectares | 30,255 hectares | 1 |
| 1600s | 35,386 hectares | 35,386 hectares | 35,386 hectares | 1 |
| 1700s | 50,129 hectares | 50,129 hectares | 50,129 hectares | 1 |
| 1710s | 52,570 hectares | 52,570 hectares | 52,570 hectares | 1 |
| 1720s | 55,176 hectares | 55,176 hectares | 55,176 hectares | 1 |
| 1730s | 57,967 hectares | 57,967 hectares | 57,967 hectares | 1 |
| 1740s | 60,966 hectares | 60,966 hectares | 60,966 hectares | 1 |
| 1750s | 64,200 hectares | 64,200 hectares | 64,200 hectares | 1 |
| 1760s | 67,701 hectares | 67,701 hectares | 67,701 hectares | 1 |
| 1770s | 71,508 hectares | 71,508 hectares | 71,508 hectares | 1 |
| 1780s | 75,667 hectares | 75,667 hectares | 75,667 hectares | 1 |
| 1790s | 80,238 hectares | 80,238 hectares | 80,238 hectares | 1 |
| 1800s | 85,290 hectares | 85,290 hectares | 85,290 hectares | 1 |
| 1810s | 90,914 hectares | 90,914 hectares | 90,914 hectares | 1 |
| 1820s | 97,225 hectares | 97,225 hectares | 97,225 hectares | 1 |
| 1830s | 104,370 hectares | 104,370 hectares | 104,370 hectares | 1 |
| 1840s | 115,896 hectares | 115,896 hectares | 115,896 hectares | 1 |
| 1850s | 119,700 hectares | 119,700 hectares | 119,700 hectares | 1 |
| 1860s | 132,362 hectares | 132,362 hectares | 132,362 hectares | 1 |
| 1870s | 146,364 hectares | 146,364 hectares | 146,364 hectares | 1 |
| 1880s | 161,847 hectares | 161,847 hectares | 161,847 hectares | 1 |
| 1890s | 178,967 hectares | 178,967 hectares | 178,967 hectares | 1 |
| 1900s | 197,899 hectares | 197,899 hectares | 197,899 hectares | 1 |
| 1910s | 232,975 hectares | 232,975 hectares | 232,975 hectares | 1 |
| 1920s | 271,736 hectares | 271,736 hectares | 271,736 hectares | 1 |
| 1930s | 334,577 hectares | 334,577 hectares | 334,577 hectares | 1 |
| 1940s | 538,373 hectares | 538,373 hectares | 538,373 hectares | 1 |
| 1950s | 603,453 hectares | 565,218 hectares | 645,010 hectares | 10 |
| 1960s | 661,200 hectares | 656,000 hectares | 668,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1970s | 644,200 hectares | 592,000 hectares | 676,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 605,500 hectares | 587,000 hectares | 643,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 629,750 hectares | 621,000 hectares | 646,500 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 693,900 hectares | 649,000 hectares | 762,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 731,500 hectares | 623,000 hectares | 833,300 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 832,910 hectares | 832,760 hectares | 833,000 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 agricultural area over the long-term in Lesotho?
- Agricultural area over the long-term in Lesotho was 832,760 hectares in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural area over the long-term recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 833,300 hectares in 2018.
- What is the lowest agricultural area over the long-term recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 870.1 hectares in 1000.
- How does Lesotho rank for agricultural area over the long-term?
- Lesotho ranks 143rd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is agricultural area over the long-term rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.7%. 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 Agricultural area over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total agricultural area for each separate country over time.