Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Lesotho
Lesotho: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 44.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
44.7%
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
177th
of 238 countries
All-time high
44.7%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Lesotho, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Lesotho stood at 44.7%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 31.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Lesotho peaked at 44.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Lesotho ranks 177th of 238 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.2% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 0.2% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 0.3% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 0.4% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 0.5% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 0.6% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 0.7% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 0.8% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 0.9% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 1.2% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 1.8% | +42.0% |
| 1951 | 1.8% | +0.8% |
| 1952 | 1.8% | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 1.9% | +3.3% |
| 1954 | 1.9% | +4.1% |
| 1955 | 2.0% | +4.6% |
| 1956 | 2.1% | +5.3% |
| 1957 | 2.3% | +9.7% |
| 1958 | 2.7% | +14.7% |
| 1959 | 3.1% | +16.7% |
| 1960 | 3.7% | +16.9% |
| 1961 | 4.2% | +16.0% |
| 1962 | 4.9% | +14.5% |
| 1963 | 5.5% | +12.7% |
| 1964 | 6.1% | +10.9% |
| 1965 | 6.6% | +9.0% |
| 1966 | 7.1% | +7.3% |
| 1967 | 7.6% | +6.9% |
| 1968 | 8.1% | +7.0% |
| 1969 | 8.7% | +6.8% |
| 1970 | 9.2% | +6.3% |
| 1971 | 9.7% | +5.7% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | +4.9% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 10.9% | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 11.2% | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 11.2% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 11.2% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 11.3% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 11.3% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 11.3% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 11.5% | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 11.8% | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 12.3% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 12.9% | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 13.6% | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 15.0% | +5.2% |
| 1994 | 15.8% | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 16.5% | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 17.1% | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 17.7% | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 18.8% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 19.3% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 19.9% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 20.5% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 21.1% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 21.8% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 22.5% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 23.3% | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 25.2% | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 26.3% | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 27.4% | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 28.6% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 29.9% | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 31.2% | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 32.6% | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 34.1% | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 35.5% | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 36.5% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 37.6% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 38.6% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 39.6% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 40.7% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 41.7% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 43.7% | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 44.7% | +2.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 44.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 88% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 44.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 100% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1800s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1810s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1830s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1850s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1860s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1870s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1890s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1 |
| 1930s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1940s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.2% | 3.7% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.7% | 9.2% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.4% | 11.2% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.0% | 12.9% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.4% | 19.3% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.2% | 27.4% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.2% | 39.6% | 44.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 174 Zambia 45.9% compare
- 175 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 176 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.1% compare
- 178 Central African Republic 44.6% compare
- 179 Togo 44.4% compare
- 180 Moldova 43.7% compare
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 do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Lesotho?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Lesotho was 44.7% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 44.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Lesotho rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Lesotho ranks 177th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.