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Lesotho Population 2023
Lesotho officially the Kingdom of Lesotho is an enclaved country within the border of South Africa. It is by far the largest of the world’s three independent states surrounded by the territory of another country, with Vatican City and San Marino being the other two. As per the UN World Population Prospects report, the population of Lesotho in 2023 is 2,330,318 (23.30 Lakh)
Estimated Population of Lesotho in 2023 – 2.3 million
| Lesotho | 2023 Population |
| Total Population | 2,330,318 |
| Global Rank | 147 |
| Land Area | 30,355 sq. km (11,720 sq. mi) |
| Area Rank | 137 |
| Pop. Density | 71 people/sq. km |
| Capital City | Maseru |
Source: UN World Population Prospects report
Christianity is the majority religion in Lesotho and its followed by 92.3% of the population. Among Christians, Catholics accounted for 49.4 % of the population followed by Protestants (40 %) and other Christians.
Traditional African religions account for 6.4%, and the remaining are classified as unaffiliated, which can mean agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular.”
Religion percentage in Lesotho
- Christians – 92.3%
- Traditional African religions – 6.4%
- Other – 1.0%
- None – 0.2%
read about religion in Africa
Lesotho Demographics
| Fertility Rate* | 3.16 |
| Infant mortality rate ** | 50.5 |
| Median Age | 24 Years |
| Life Expectancy | 55.65 years |
| Urban Population | 32% |
*Fertility rate, average number of children born to women during their reproductive years.
**Infant mortality rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children under one year of age.
Top Cities in Lesotho by Population
| # | City | Population |
| 1 | Maseru | 330,760 |
| 2 | Teyateyaneng | 75,115 |
| 3 | Maputsoe | 55,541 |
| 4 | Mohale’s Hoek | 40,040 |
| 5 | Mafeteng | 39,754 |
| 6 | Hlotse | 38,558 |
| 7 | Butha-Buthe | 35,108 |
| 8 | Quthing | 27,314 |
| 9 | Qacha’s Nek | 15,917 |
| 10 | Thaba-Tseka | 15,248 |
| 11 | Mokhotlong | 12,940 |
Source: Census 2016