What is area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho?

Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho was 2.00 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in Lesotho?

The highest recorded value was 2.22 million hectares in 1961.

What is the lowest area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in Lesotho?

The lowest recorded value was 2.00 million hectares in 1971.

How does Lesotho rank for area of permanent meadows and pastures?

Lesotho ranks 85th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.

Is area of permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in Lesotho?

Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Lesotho data come from?

The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Area of permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho

Name: Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Lesotho: Area of permanent meadows and pastures was 2.00 million hectares in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

2.00 million hectares

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

85th

of 209 countries

All-time high

2.22 million hectares

in 1961

All-time low

2.00 million hectares

in 1971

Years of data

1961–2023

Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho, 1961–2023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

Lesotho recorded 2.00 million hectares for area of permanent meadows and pastures in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho peaked at 2.22 million hectares in 1961 and was at its lowest, 2.00 million hectares, in 1971.

That places Lesotho 85th out of 209 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.

Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho, 1961 to 2023.
Year	hectares	Change
1961	2.22 million hectares	—
1962	2.22 million hectares	+0.0%
1963	2.22 million hectares	+0.0%
1964	2.22 million hectares	+0.0%
1965	2.22 million hectares	+0.0%
1966	2.22 million hectares	+0.0%
1967	2.22 million hectares	+0.0%
1968	2.17 million hectares	-2.5%
1969	2.11 million hectares	-2.5%
1970	2.06 million hectares	-2.6%
1971	2.00 million hectares	-2.7%
1972	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1973	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1974	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1975	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1976	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1977	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1978	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1979	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1980	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1981	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1982	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1983	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1984	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1985	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1986	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1987	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1988	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1989	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1990	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1991	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1992	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1993	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1994	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1995	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1996	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1997	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1998	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
1999	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2000	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2001	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2002	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2003	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2004	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2005	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2006	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2007	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2008	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2009	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2010	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2011	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2012	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2013	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2014	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2015	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2016	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2017	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2018	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2019	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2020	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2021	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2022	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%
2023	2.00 million hectares	+0.0%

Lesotho compared with similar countries

Lesotho's 2.00 million hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.83 million hectares, 71% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Lesotho's 2.00 million hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.90 million hectares, 29% of the median. (47 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	2.20 million hectares	2.11 million hectares	2.22 million hectares	9
1970s	2.01 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	2.06 million hectares	10
1980s	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	10
1990s	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	10
2000s	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	10
2010s	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	10
2020s	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	2.00 million hectares	4

Countries ranked near Lesotho

82 Belarus 2.38 million hectares compare
83 Sierra Leone 2.20 million hectares compare
84 Portugal 2.16 million hectares compare
85 Cameroon 2.00 million hectares compare
87 Honduras 1.96 million hectares compare
88 Georgia 1.94 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 210 places →

More reference data data for Lesotho

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0331 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5388 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.582 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0101 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.582 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.111 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1115 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.48 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.77 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0549 (2050)

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho?: Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho was 2.00 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in Lesotho?: The highest recorded value was 2.22 million hectares in 1961.
What is the lowest area of permanent meadows and pastures recorded in Lesotho?: The lowest recorded value was 2.00 million hectares in 1971.
How does Lesotho rank for area of permanent meadows and pastures?: Lesotho ranks 85th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
Is area of permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in Lesotho?: Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?: The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Area of permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Area of permanent meadows and pastures in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/area-of-permanent-meadows-and-pastures/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator: Area of permanent meadows and pastures
Unit: hectares
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 210 places, 12,094 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

This is the land used for livestock grazing. The total land use for livestock farming is higher as it additionally requires cropland used to grow animal feed.