Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Lesotho
Lesotho: Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters was 335,764 people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Lesotho, 1968–2025
Source: EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Lesotho is 335,764 people, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 48.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Lesotho peaked at 658,578 people in 2012 and was at its lowest, 28,439 people, in 2023.
That places Lesotho 40th out of 78 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 204,000 people | — |
| 1983 | 238,571 people | +16.9% |
| 1984 | 261,429 people | +9.6% |
| 1992 | 75,149 people | -71.3% |
| 1993 | 128,175 people | +70.6% |
| 1994 | 128,176 people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 214,843 people | +67.6% |
| 2003 | 285,157 people | +32.7% |
| 2007 | 158,909 people | -44.3% |
| 2008 | 316,091 people | +98.9% |
| 2011 | 66,937 people | -78.8% |
| 2012 | 658,578 people | +883.9% |
| 2016 | 648,948 people | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 60,052 people | -90.7% |
| 2019 | 433,000 people | +621.0% |
| 2020 | 109,685 people | -74.7% |
| 2021 | 328,157 people | +199.2% |
| 2022 | 328,158 people | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 28,439 people | -91.3% |
| 2024 | 334,846 people | +1077.4% |
| 2025 | 335,764 people | +0.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 335,764 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 933,054 people, 36% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 335,764 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.70 million people, 20% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +1077.4% | 28,439 people | 334,846 people |
| 2012 | +883.9% | 66,937 people | 658,578 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 204,000 people | 204,000 people | 204,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 250,000 people | 238,571 people | 261,429 people | 2 |
| 1990s | 110,500 people | 75,149 people | 128,176 people | 3 |
| 2000s | 243,750 people | 158,909 people | 316,091 people | 4 |
| 2010s | 373,503 people | 60,052 people | 658,578 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 244,175 people | 28,439 people | 335,764 people | 6 |
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 annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Lesotho?
- Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters in Lesotho was 335,764 people in 2025, according to EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual number of people affected by all natural disasters recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 658,578 people in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual number of people affected by all natural disasters recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 28,439 people in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for annual number of people affected by all natural disasters?
- Lesotho ranks 40th out of 78 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual number of people affected by all natural disasters rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual number of people affected by all natural disasters. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of people affected by a natural disaster.