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🇱🇸 Lesotho

Overview

ISO 3166-1 alpha-3LSO
ISO 3166-1 alpha-2LS
UN M49 numeric426
IOC codeLES
Official nameKingdom of Lesotho
Native name(s)eng: official: Kingdom of Lesotho; common: Lesotho; sot: official: Kingdom of Lesotho; common: Lesotho
Alt spellingsLS, Kingdom of Lesotho, Muso oa Lesotho
Statusofficially-assigned
IndependentYes
UN memberYes

Geography

RegionAfrica
SubregionSouthern Africa
UN regional groupAfrican Group
CapitalMaseru
Area (km²)30,355
Lat / Lng-29.5000, 28.5000
LandlockedYes
Borders (ISO3)ZAF
Top-level domain.ls
Calling coderoot: +2; suffixes: 66

Demographics

Population (World Bank)2,363,325 (2025)
Life expectancy (years, World Bank)57.798 (2024)
Languageseng: English; sot: Sotho
Demonymseng: f: Mosotho; m: Mosotho; fra: f: Lésothienne; m: Lésothien
Population time-series (UN WPP)74

Economy

GDP (current USD)2,573,572,920.052 (2025)
GDP per capita (current USD)1,088.963 (2025)
Unemployment rate (%)16.315 (2025)
CurrenciesLSL: name: Lesotho loti; symbol: L; ZAR: name: South African rand; symbol: R

Population by year (UN WPP)

74 yearly data points — click to expand
YearPopulation
1950579,551
1951590,269
1952601,947
1953614,474
1954627,894
1955642,188
1956657,311
1957674,669
1958694,315
1959714,947
1960736,500
1961758,824
1962781,814
1963805,373
1964829,437
1965854,090
1966881,870
1967913,982
1968948,105
1969983,202
19701,019,273
19711,056,246
19721,094,063
19731,132,697
19741,172,420
19751,213,643
19761,253,214
19771,289,967
19781,327,240
19791,366,169
19801,406,521
19811,448,069
19821,490,732
19831,534,413
19841,578,986
19851,624,379
19861,666,138
19871,703,390
19881,739,841
19891,775,436
19901,809,696
19911,842,379
19921,873,274
19931,901,793
19941,927,707
19951,951,437
19961,972,418
19971,988,130
19981,998,049
19992,003,234
20002,003,913
20012,000,853
20021,994,679
20031,985,059
20041,971,129
20051,953,076
20061,945,063
20071,953,268
20081,966,541
20091,980,883
20101,996,251
20112,014,009
20122,034,354
20132,056,504
20142,080,089
20152,104,611
20162,130,422
20172,157,110
20182,183,603
20192,209,405
20202,235,727
20212,261,542
20222,286,110
20232,311,472

Full raw record (JSON)

JSON
{
  "iso3": "LSO",
  "iso2": "LS",
  "ccn3": "426",
  "cioc": "LES",
  "name": {
    "common": "Lesotho",
    "official": "Kingdom of Lesotho",
    "native": {
      "eng": {
        "official": "Kingdom of Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "sot": {
        "official": "Kingdom of Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      }
    }
  },
  "alt_spellings": [
    "LS",
    "Kingdom of Lesotho",
    "Muso oa Lesotho"
  ],
  "translations": {
    "ara": {
      "official": "مملكة ليسوتو",
      "common": "ليسوتو"
    },
    "bre": {
      "official": "Rouantelezh Lesotho",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "ces": {
      "official": "Lesothské království",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "deu": {
      "official": "Königreich Lesotho",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "est": {
      "official": "Lesotho Kuningriik",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "fin": {
      "official": "Lesothon kuningaskunta",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "fra": {
      "official": "Royaume du Lesotho",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "hrv": {
      "official": "Kraljevina Lesoto",
      "common": "Lesoto"
    },
    "hun": {
      "official": "Lesothói Királyság",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "ita": {
      "official": "Regno del Lesotho",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "jpn": {
      "official": "レソト王国",
      "common": "レソト"
    },
    "kor": {
      "official": "레소토 왕국",
      "common": "레소토"
    },
    "nld": {
      "official": "Koninkrijk Lesotho",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "per": {
      "official": "پادشاهی لسوتو",
      "common": "لسوتو"
    },
    "pol": {
      "official": "Królestwo Lesotho",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "por": {
      "official": "Reino do Lesoto",
      "common": "Lesoto"
    },
    "rus": {
      "official": "Королевство Лесото",
      "common": "Лесото"
    },
    "slk": {
      "official": "Lesothské kráľovstvo",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "spa": {
      "official": "Reino de Lesotho",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "srp": {
      "official": "Kraljevina Lesoto",
      "common": "Lesoto"
    },
    "swe": {
      "official": "Konungariket Lesotho",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "tur": {
      "official": "Lesotho Krallığı",
      "common": "Lesotho"
    },
    "urd": {
      "official": "مملکتِ لیسوتھو",
      "common": "لیسوتھو"
    },
    "zho": {
      "official": "莱索托王国",
      "common": "莱索托"
    }
  },
  "capital": [
    "Maseru"
  ],
  "region": "Africa",
  "subregion": "Southern Africa",
  "un_regional_group": "African Group",
  "currencies": {
    "LSL": {
      "name": "Lesotho loti",
      "symbol": "L"
    },
    "ZAR": {
      "name": "South African rand",
      "symbol": "R"
    }
  },
  "languages": {
    "eng": "English",
    "sot": "Sotho"
  },
  "idd": {
    "root": "+2",
    "suffixes": [
      "66"
    ]
  },
  "tld": [
    ".ls"
  ],
  "area_sq_km": 30355,
  "latlng": [
    -29.5,
    28.5
  ],
  "landlocked": true,
  "borders": [
    "ZAF"
  ],
  "independent": true,
  "un_member": true,
  "status": "officially-assigned",
  "flag_emoji": "🇱🇸",
  "flag_png_url": "https://flagcdn.com/w320/ls.png",
  "demonyms": {
    "eng": {
      "f": "Mosotho",
      "m": "Mosotho"
    },
    "fra": {
      "f": "Lésothienne",
      "m": "Lésothien"
    }
  },
  "world_bank": {
    "population_total": {
      "value": 2363325,
      "year": 2025
    },
    "gdp_usd": {
      "value": 2573572920.05159,
      "year": 2025
    },
    "gdp_per_capita_usd": {
      "value": 1088.96276223185,
      "year": 2025
    },
    "unemployment_rate_pct": {
      "value": 16.315,
      "year": 2025
    },
    "life_expectancy_years": {
      "value": 57.798,
      "year": 2024
    }
  },
  "population_timeseries": [
    {
      "year": 1950,
      "population": 579551
    },
    {
      "year": 1951,
      "population": 590269
    },
    {
      "year": 1952,
      "population": 601947
    },
    {
      "year": 1953,
      "population": 614474
    },
    {
      "year": 1954,
      "population": 627894
    },
    {
      "year": 1955,
      "population": 642188
    },
    {
      "year": 1956,
      "population": 657311
    },
    {
      "year": 1957,
      "population": 674669
    },
    {
      "year": 1958,
      "population": 694315
    },
    {
      "year": 1959,
      "population": 714947
    },
    {
      "year": 1960,
      "population": 736500
    },
    {
      "year": 1961,
      "population": 758824
    },
    {
      "year": 1962,
      "population": 781814
    },
    {
      "year": 1963,
      "population": 805373
    },
    {
      "year": 1964,
      "population": 829437
    },
    {
      "year": 1965,
      "population": 854090
    },
    {
      "year": 1966,
      "population": 881870
    },
    {
      "year": 1967,
      "population": 913982
    },
    {
      "year": 1968,
      "population": 948105
    },
    {
      "year": 1969,
      "population": 983202
    },
    {
      "year": 1970,
      "population": 1019273
    },
    {
      "year": 1971,
      "population": 1056246
    },
    {
      "year": 1972,
      "population": 1094063
    },
    {
      "year": 1973,
      "population": 1132697
    },
    {
      "year": 1974,
      "population": 1172420
    },
    {
      "year": 1975,
      "population": 1213643
    },
    {
      "year": 1976,
      "population": 1253214
    },
    {
      "year": 1977,
      "population": 1289967
    },
    {
      "year": 1978,
      "population": 1327240
    },
    {
      "year": 1979,
      "population": 1366169
    },
    {
      "year": 1980,
      "population": 1406521
    },
    {
      "year": 1981,
      "population": 1448069
    },
    {
      "year": 1982,
      "population": 1490732
    },
    {
      "year": 1983,
      "population": 1534413
    },
    {
      "year": 1984,
      "population": 1578986
    },
    {
      "year": 1985,
      "population": 1624379
    },
    {
      "year": 1986,
      "population": 1666138
    },
    {
      "year": 1987,
      "population": 1703390
    },
    {
      "year": 1988,
      "population": 1739841
    },
    {
      "year": 1989,
      "population": 1775436
    },
    {
      "year": 1990,
      "population": 1809696
    },
    {
      "year": 1991,
      "population": 1842379
    },
    {
      "year": 1992,
      "population": 1873274
    },
    {
      "year": 1993,
      "population": 1901793
    },
    {
      "year": 1994,
      "population": 1927707
    },
    {
      "year": 1995,
      "population": 1951437
    },
    {
      "year": 1996,
      "population": 1972418
    },
    {
      "year": 1997,
      "population": 1988130
    },
    {
      "year": 1998,
      "population": 1998049
    },
    {
      "year": 1999,
      "population": 2003234
    },
    {
      "year": 2000,
      "population": 2003913
    },
    {
      "year": 2001,
      "population": 2000853
    },
    {
      "year": 2002,
      "population": 1994679
    },
    {
      "year": 2003,
      "population": 1985059
    },
    {
      "year": 2004,
      "population": 1971129
    },
    {
      "year": 2005,
      "population": 1953076
    },
    {
      "year": 2006,
      "population": 1945063
    },
    {
      "year": 2007,
      "population": 1953268
    },
    {
      "year": 2008,
      "population": 1966541
    },
    {
      "year": 2009,
      "population": 1980883
    },
    {
      "year": 2010,
      "population": 1996251
    },
    {
      "year": 2011,
      "population": 2014009
    },
    {
      "year": 2012,
      "population": 2034354
    },
    {
      "year": 2013,
      "population": 2056504
    },
    {
      "year": 2014,
      "population": 2080089
    },
    {
      "year": 2015,
      "population": 2104611
    },
    {
      "year": 2016,
      "population": 2130422
    },
    {
      "year": 2017,
      "population": 2157110
    },
    {
      "year": 2018,
      "population": 2183603
    },
    {
      "year": 2019,
      "population": 2209405
    },
    {
      "year": 2020,
      "population": 2235727
    },
    {
      "year": 2021,
      "population": 2261542
    },
    {
      "year": 2022,
      "population": 2286110
    },
    {
      "year": 2023,
      "population": 2311472
    }
  ],
  "reference_raw": {
    "cca3": "LSO",
    "name": {
      "common": "Lesotho",
      "official": "Kingdom of Lesotho",
      "native": {
        "eng": {
          "official": "Kingdom of Lesotho",
          "common": "Lesotho"
        },
        "sot": {
          "official": "Kingdom of Lesotho",
          "common": "Lesotho"
        }
      }
    },
    "tld": [
      ".ls"
    ],
    "cca2": "LS",
    "ccn3": "426",
    "cioc": "LES",
    "independent": true,
    "status": "officially-assigned",
    "unMember": true,
    "unRegionalGroup": "African Group",
    "currencies": {
      "LSL": {
        "name": "Lesotho loti",
        "symbol": "L"
      },
      "ZAR": {
        "name": "South African rand",
        "symbol": "R"
      }
    },
    "idd": {
      "root": "+2",
      "suffixes": [
        "66"
      ]
    },
    "capital": [
      "Maseru"
    ],
    "altSpellings": [
      "LS",
      "Kingdom of Lesotho",
      "Muso oa Lesotho"
    ],
    "region": "Africa",
    "subregion": "Southern Africa",
    "languages": {
      "eng": "English",
      "sot": "Sotho"
    },
    "translations": {
      "ara": {
        "official": "مملكة ليسوتو",
        "common": "ليسوتو"
      },
      "bre": {
        "official": "Rouantelezh Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "ces": {
        "official": "Lesothské království",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "deu": {
        "official": "Königreich Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "est": {
        "official": "Lesotho Kuningriik",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "fin": {
        "official": "Lesothon kuningaskunta",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "fra": {
        "official": "Royaume du Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "hrv": {
        "official": "Kraljevina Lesoto",
        "common": "Lesoto"
      },
      "hun": {
        "official": "Lesothói Királyság",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "ita": {
        "official": "Regno del Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "jpn": {
        "official": "レソト王国",
        "common": "レソト"
      },
      "kor": {
        "official": "레소토 왕국",
        "common": "레소토"
      },
      "nld": {
        "official": "Koninkrijk Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "per": {
        "official": "پادشاهی لسوتو",
        "common": "لسوتو"
      },
      "pol": {
        "official": "Królestwo Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "por": {
        "official": "Reino do Lesoto",
        "common": "Lesoto"
      },
      "rus": {
        "official": "Королевство Лесото",
        "common": "Лесото"
      },
      "slk": {
        "official": "Lesothské kráľovstvo",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "spa": {
        "official": "Reino de Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "srp": {
        "official": "Kraljevina Lesoto",
        "common": "Lesoto"
      },
      "swe": {
        "official": "Konungariket Lesotho",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "tur": {
        "official": "Lesotho Krallığı",
        "common": "Lesotho"
      },
      "urd": {
        "official": "مملکتِ لیسوتھو",
        "common": "لیسوتھو"
      },
      "zho": {
        "official": "莱索托王国",
        "common": "莱索托"
      }
    },
    "latlng": [
      -29.5,
      28.5
    ],
    "landlocked": true,
    "borders": [
      "ZAF"
    ],
    "area": 30355,
    "flag": "🇱🇸",
    "demonyms": {
      "eng": {
        "f": "Mosotho",
        "m": "Mosotho"
      },
      "fra": {
        "f": "Lésothienne",
        "m": "Lésothien"
      }
    }
  }
}