Urban population, annual growth rate in Lesotho
Lesotho: Urban population, annual growth rate was 3.4 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population, annual growth rate in Lesotho, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population, annual growth rate in Lesotho is 3.4 % change on previous year, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 40.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, annual growth rate in Lesotho peaked at 19.47 % change on previous year in 1961 and was at its lowest, 2.41 % change on previous year, in 2005.
That places Lesotho 34th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population, annual growth rate in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 19.47 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 17.92 % change on previous year | -8.0% |
| 1963 | 16.11 % change on previous year | -10.1% |
| 1964 | 14.2 % change on previous year | -11.9% |
| 1965 | 12.28 % change on previous year | -13.5% |
| 1966 | 10.82 % change on previous year | -11.9% |
| 1967 | 10.76 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 11.03 % change on previous year | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 10.75 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1970 | 10.22 % change on previous year | -4.9% |
| 1971 | 9.49 % change on previous year | -7.1% |
| 1972 | 8.62 % change on previous year | -9.2% |
| 1973 | 7.62 % change on previous year | -11.5% |
| 1974 | 6.54 % change on previous year | -14.2% |
| 1975 | 5.38 % change on previous year | -17.7% |
| 1976 | 3.87 % change on previous year | -28.1% |
| 1977 | 3.06 % change on previous year | -20.9% |
| 1978 | 2.99 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 1979 | 3.01 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 3.01 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 3 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 3 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 2.99 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 2.99 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 2.99 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 2.8 % change on previous year | -6.3% |
| 1987 | 3.68 % change on previous year | +31.4% |
| 1988 | 5.16 % change on previous year | +40.2% |
| 1989 | 6.23 % change on previous year | +20.7% |
| 1990 | 6.88 % change on previous year | +10.5% |
| 1991 | 7.17 % change on previous year | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 7.15 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 6.84 % change on previous year | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 6.33 % change on previous year | -7.5% |
| 1995 | 5.68 % change on previous year | -10.3% |
| 1996 | 4.89 % change on previous year | -13.9% |
| 1997 | 4.17 % change on previous year | -14.6% |
| 1998 | 3.67 % change on previous year | -12.1% |
| 1999 | 3.29 % change on previous year | -10.3% |
| 2000 | 2.99 % change on previous year | -9.1% |
| 2001 | 2.79 % change on previous year | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 2.67 % change on previous year | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 2.58 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 2.48 % change on previous year | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 2.41 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 3.13 % change on previous year | +29.7% |
| 2007 | 4.23 % change on previous year | +35.2% |
| 2008 | 4.74 % change on previous year | +12.0% |
| 2009 | 4.98 % change on previous year | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 5.16 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 5.36 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 5.54 % change on previous year | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 5.63 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 5.68 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 5.67 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 5.44 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 4.16 % change on previous year | -23.4% |
| 2018 | 4.11 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 3.97 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 3.89 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 3.76 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 3.61 % change on previous year | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 3.55 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 3.49 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 3.4 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population, annual growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +40.2% | 3.68 % change on previous year | 5.16 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.7 % change on previous year | 10.75 % change on previous year | 19.47 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 6.08 % change on previous year | 2.99 % change on previous year | 10.22 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.59 % change on previous year | 2.8 % change on previous year | 6.23 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.61 % change on previous year | 3.29 % change on previous year | 7.17 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.3 % change on previous year | 2.41 % change on previous year | 4.98 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.07 % change on previous year | 3.97 % change on previous year | 5.68 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.62 % change on previous year | 3.4 % change on previous year | 3.89 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 31 Côte d'Ivoire 3.53 % change on previous year compare
- 32 South Sudan 3.52 % change on previous year compare
- 33 Zimbabwe 3.44 % change on previous year compare
- 35 Georgia 3.4 % change on previous year compare
- 36 Nigeria 3.38 % change on previous year compare
- 37 Guinea-Bissau 3.38 % change on previous year compare
More climate change data for Lesotho
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 6.55 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 715.74 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 50.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 61.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 51.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 9.3 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1962 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, annual growth rate in Lesotho?
- Urban population, annual growth rate in Lesotho was 3.4 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 19.47 % change on previous year in 1961.
- What is the lowest urban population, annual growth rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.41 % change on previous year in 2005.
- How does Lesotho rank for urban population, annual growth rate?
- Lesotho ranks 34th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.