Lesotho Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Maseru

Population

2,222,962 (2025 est.)

Area

30,355 sq km

Location

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

🧭 Background

Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822. Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK that made Basutoland first a British protectorate and, after 1884, a crown colony. After gaining independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Basotho National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE II was exiled in 1990, returned to Lesotho in 1992, was reinstated in 1995, and was then succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections in 2007 were hotly contested, and aggrieved parties disputed how seats were awarded. In 2012, competitive elections saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government -- the first in the country's history -- that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month. MOSISILI returned to power in snap elections in 2015 after the collapse of THABANE’s coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup. In 2017, THABANE returned to become prime minister but stepped down in 2020 after being implicated in his estranged wife’s murder. He was succeeded by Moseketsi MAJORO. In 2022, Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE was inaugurated as prime minister and head of a three-party coalition.

🗺️ Geography

Location

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates

29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references

Africa

Area — total

30,355 sq km

Area — land

30,355 sq km

Area — water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

Slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries — total

1,106 km

Land boundaries — border countries

South Africa 1,106 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

None (landlocked)

Climate

Temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain

Mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation — highest point

Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Elevation — lowest point

Junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

Elevation — mean elevation

2,161 m

Natural resources

Water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone

Land use — agricultural land

77.8% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 11.8% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 65.9% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

1.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

21.1% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

12 sq km (2013)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Orange river source (shared with South Africa and Namibia [m]) - 2,092 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Atlantic Ocean drainage

Orange (941,351 sq km)

Population distribution

Relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people, as shown in this population distribution map

Natural hazards

Periodic droughts

Geography - note

Landlocked, surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

2,222,962 (2025 est.)

Population — male

1,099,314

Population — female

1,123,648

Nationality — noun

Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

Nationality — adjective

Basotho

Ethnic groups

Sotho 99.7%, other 0.3% (includes Kwena, Nguni (Hlubi and Phuthi), Zulu)

Languages

Sesotho (official), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu

Religions

Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.)

Age structure — 0-14 years

32% (male 358,137/female 353,618)

Age structure — 15-64 years

62.7% (male 699,197/female 696,626)

Age structure — 65 years and over

5.4% (2024 est.) (male 44,625/female 75,345)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

56.8 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

48.2 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

8.6 (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

11.6 (2025 est.)

Median age — total

24 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

23.4 years

Median age — female

24.3 years

Population growth rate

0.73% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

21.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-4.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

Relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people, as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization — urban population

30.4% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

202,000 MASERU (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio — at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.59 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.9 years (2014 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

478 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate — total

52.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

51 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

40.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

60.2 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

58.1 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

62.3 years

Total fertility rate

2.49 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.23 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 93% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 74% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 7% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 26% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

10.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

13.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Sanitation facility access — improved: urban

Urban: 93.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: rural

Rural: 62.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — improved: total

Total: 71.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: urban

Urban: 6.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: rural

Rural: 37.6% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — unimproved: total

Total: 28.3% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

3.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

1.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

0.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

22.8% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

42.4% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

4.1% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

12.5% (2024 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

46.9% (2021 est.)

Child marriage — women married by age 15

1% (2018)

Child marriage — women married by age 18

16.4% (2018)

Child marriage — men married by age 18

1.9% (2018)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

6.6% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

10.4% national budget (2024 est.)

Literacy — total population

90.4% (2024 est.)

Literacy — male

83.2% (2024 est.)

Literacy — female

96.6% (2024 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

11 years (2017 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

11 years (2017 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

11 years (2017 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

Environmental issues

Overgrazing; severe soil erosion; soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

International environmental agreements — party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

None of the selected agreements

Climate

Temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Land use — agricultural land

77.8% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 11.8% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 65.9% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

1.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

21.1% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

30.4% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

1.148 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

175,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

973,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

17.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

73,500 tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

11.9% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

3.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

3.022 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Kingdom of Lesotho

Country name — conventional short form

Lesotho

Country name — local long form

Kingdom of Lesotho

Country name — local short form

Lesotho

Country name — former

Basutoland

Country name — etymology

The name comes from the Sotho people, whose name means "dark-skinned;" Le- is a singular noun prefix; the former name, Basutoland, uses the plural noun prefix, Ba-

Government type

Parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital — name

Maseru

Capital — geographic coordinates

29 19 S, 27 29 E

Capital — time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Capital — etymology

The name means "[place of] red sandstones" in the Sesotho language

Administrative divisions

10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Legal system

Mixed system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; High Court and Court of Appeal review legislative acts

Constitution — history

Previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version)

Constitution — amendment process

Proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, including fundamental rights and freedoms, sovereignty of the kingdom, the office of the king, and powers of Parliament, requires a majority vote by the National Assembly, approval by the Senate, approval in a referendum by a majority of qualified voters, and assent of the king; passage of amendments other than those specified provisions requires at least a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament

International law organization participation

Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

Yes

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

Yes

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

No

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch — chief of state

King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996)

Executive branch — head of government

Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE (28 October 2022)

Executive branch — cabinet

Consists of the prime minister (appointed by the King on the advice of the Council of State), the deputy prime minister, and 18 other ministers; the prime minister is the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the National Assembly

Executive branch — election/appointment process

The monarchy is hereditary but has no executive or legislative powers under the constitution; under traditional law, the College of Chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine next in line of succession, or serve as regent in the event that a successor is not of mature age

Legislative branch — legislature name

Parliament

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber — chamber name

National Assembly

Legislative branch - lower chamber — number of seats

122 (all directly elected)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — electoral system

Mixed system

Legislative branch - lower chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - lower chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - lower chamber — most recent election date

11/2/2022

Legislative branch - lower chamber — parties elected and seats per party

Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) (56); Democratic Congress (DC) (29); All Basotho Convention (ABC) (8); Basotho Action Party (BAP) (6); Other (20)

Legislative branch - lower chamber — percentage of women in chamber

25%

Legislative branch - lower chamber — expected date of next election

October 2027

Legislative branch - upper chamber — chamber name

Senate

Legislative branch - upper chamber — number of seats

33 (11 appointed)

Legislative branch - upper chamber — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch - upper chamber — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber — most recent election date

10/7/2022

Legislative branch - upper chamber — percentage of women in chamber

21.2%

Legislative branch - upper chamber — expected date of next election

November 2027

Judicial branch — highest court(s)

Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, such number of justices of appeal as set by Parliament, and the Chief Justice and the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio); High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament)

Judicial branch — judge selection and term of office

Court of Appeal president and High Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; puisne judges appointed by the monarch on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body of judicial officers and officials designated by the monarch; judges of both courts can serve until age 75

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; military courts

Political parties

All Basotho Convention or ABC Alliance of Democrats or AD Basotho Action Party or BAP Basotho National Party or BNP Democratic Congress or DC Democratic Party of Lesotho or DPL Lesotho People's Congress or LPC Movement of Economic Change or MEC National Independent Party or NIP Popular Front for Democracy of PFD Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Tumisang MOSOTHO (since 16 September 2022)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 797-5533

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 234-6815

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Lesothoembassy@verizon.net https://www.gov.ls/

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Thomas HINES (since August 2024)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

254 Kingsway Avenue, Maseru

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

2340 Maseru Place, Washington DC 20521-2340

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[266] 22312666

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

[266] 22310116

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

USConsularMaseru@state.gov https://ls.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

4 October 1966 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Flag

Description: three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green; centered on the white stripe is a black mokorotlo, a traditional Basotho straw hat and national symbol meaning: blue stands for rain, white for peace, and green for prosperity history: the redesigned flag was introduced in 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

National symbol(s)

Mokorotio (Basotho hat)

National color(s)

Blue, white, green, black

National anthem(s) — title

"Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR

National anthem(s) — history

Adopted 1967; music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

1 (mixed)

National heritage — selected World Heritage Site locales

Maloti-Drakensberg Park

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

Economic overview

Lower middle-income economy surrounded by South Africa; environmentally fragile and politically unstable; key infrastructure and renewable energy investments; dire poverty; urban job and income losses due to COVID-19; systemic corruption

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$6.166 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$6 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.893 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.8% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.4% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$2,600 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,600 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.272 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

6.1% (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.3% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.3% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

6.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

31% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

48% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

92.9% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

35.6% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

28.3% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

-1.1% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

42.9% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-98.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural products

Milk, potatoes, maize, vegetables, fruits, sorghum, wheat, game meat, beans, wool (2023)

Industries

Food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate

2.6% (2024 est.)

Labor force

884,200 (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2024

16.2% (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

16.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

16.7% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

24.2% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

17.7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

36.2% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

49.7% (2017 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income — Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

44.9 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — lowest 10%

1.7% (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share — highest 10%

32.9% (2017 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2024

22% of GDP (2024 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

22.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

22.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Budget — revenues

$1.13 billion (2022 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$1.256 billion (2022 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2020

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

30.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2024

$84.393 million (2024 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2023

-$151.577 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

-$268.876 million (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2024

$983.027 million (2024 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$885.789 million (2023 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$1.07 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

South Africa 31%, Belgium 26%, USA 20%, UAE 8%, India 8% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Diamonds, garments, wool, power equipment, bedding (2023)

Imports — Imports 2024

$2.083 billion (2024 est.)

Imports — Imports 2023

$2.077 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — Imports 2022

$2.247 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

South Africa 78%, China 10%, Taiwan 3%, Japan 1%, India 1% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Refined petroleum, fabric, trucks, garments, cotton fabric (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$1.008 billion (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$854.089 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$771.278 million (2022 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$928.019 million (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Maloti (LSL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

18.329 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

18.45 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

16.356 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

14.779 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

16.459 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

50% (2022 est.)

Electricity access — electrification - urban areas

83.6%

Electricity access — electrification - rural areas

37.7%

Electricity — installed generating capacity

104,000 kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

833.009 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

453.992 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

102.88 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

99.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal — production

57,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

81,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — exports

1 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

24,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

8.117 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

7,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

1.64 million (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

70 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations; most private broadcast media transmitters are connected to government radio signal towers; satellite TV subscription service available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters obtainable (2019)

Internet country code

.ls

Internet users — percent of population

48% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

9,000 (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7P

Airports

34 (2025)

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

Military and security forces

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) (2025)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2024

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

Approximately 2,000 active Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The LDF is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older or secondhand equipment of European, South African, and US origin (2025)

Military service age and obligation

20-30 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women (2026)

Military - note

The Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) is responsible for the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; the LDF is a small force that began in 1964 as the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); the PMU was designated as the Lesotho Paramilitary Force in 1980 and became the Royal Lesotho Defense Force in 1986; it was renamed the Lesotho Defense Force in 1993 (2025)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

610 (2024 est.)