Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Lesotho
Lesotho: Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods was 65.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Lesotho, 1977–2024
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 65.3% for contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in 2024. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Lesotho peaked at 65.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1977.
That places Lesotho 21st out of 113 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 3.0% | — |
| 2000 | 29.6% | +886.1% |
| 2001 | 36.1% | +22.0% |
| 2002 | 34.7% | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 35.2% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 45.6% | +29.5% |
| 2011 | 60.8% | +33.4% |
| 2014 | 59.8% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 64.6% | +8.0% |
| 2024 | 65.3% | +1.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 65.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.1%, 1.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 65.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.3%, 2.6× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 36.2% | 29.6% | 45.6% | 5 |
| 2010s | 61.7% | 59.8% | 64.6% | 3 |
| 2020s | 65.3% | 65.3% | 65.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Lesotho?
- Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods in Lesotho was 65.3% in 2024, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 65.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1977.
- How does Lesotho rank for contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods?
- Lesotho ranks 21st out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Contraceptive usage: modern methods vs. any methods. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of women using contraceptive methods, among those aged 15–49 and married or in union. This is compared between modern methods and any method (modern or traditional).