LSO
Data file updated Jul 5, 2026
Lesotho
Country profile covering economy, demographics, military, quality-of-life signals, and historical trends.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Maseru
- Currency
- Lesotho Loti (LSL)
- Language
- Sesotho, English
- Government
- Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
- Internet Users
- 51.8%
- Unemployment
- 16.3%
- Smoking (15+)
- 23.2%
Population
2.36M
GDP
$2.57B
GDP per Capita
$1,089
Area
30,355 km²
Life Expectancy
57.8 years
HDI
0.5
Economy
5 metrics| GDP (USD) | $2.57B |
|---|---|
| GDP Per Capita (USD) | $1,089 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 16.3% |
| GINI Index (Income Inequality) | 44.9 |
| Currency | Lesotho Loti (LSL) |
Society & Demographics
4 metrics| Life Expectancy (years) | 57.8 |
|---|---|
| Literacy Rate (%) | 90.4% |
| Internet Users (%) | 51.8% |
| Human Development Index | 0.5 |
Military Strength
9 metrics| Active Personnel | 2,000 |
|---|---|
| Reserve Personnel | 500 |
| Total Military Personnel | 2,500 |
| Defense Budget (USD) | $55M |
| Tanks | 0 |
| Armored Vehicles | 20 |
| Self-Propelled Artillery | 0 |
| Towed Artillery | 4 |
| Rocket Projectors | 0 |
Air Force
7 metrics| Total Aircraft | 5 |
|---|---|
| Fighters | 0 |
| Attack Aircraft | 0 |
| Transport Aircraft | 2 |
| Trainer Aircraft | 1 |
| Helicopters | 2 |
| Attack Helicopters | 0 |
Education
4 metrics| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 7.4% |
|---|---|
| Universities | 4 |
| Primary Enrollment (%) | 83.0% |
| Secondary Enrollment (%) | 37.0% |
Healthcare
5 metrics| Healthcare Expenditure (% of GDP) | 11.5% |
|---|---|
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.1 |
| Hospital Beds per 1,000 people | 1.3 |
| Life Expectancy (Male) | 51.5 |
| Life Expectancy (Female) | 57.3 |
Cost of Living
12 metrics| Cost of Living Index | 29.5 |
|---|---|
| Rent Index | 10.2 |
| Groceries Index | 28.0 |
| Restaurant Price Index | 18.5 |
| Local Purchasing Power | 13.0 |
| Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant (USD) | $3 |
| Three-Course Meal for 2 (USD) | $12 |
| Monthly Rent - City Center (USD) | $200 |
| Monthly Rent - Outside Center (USD) | $100 |
| Monthly Utilities (USD) | $35 |
| Internet (60 Mbps, USD) | $25 |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (USD) | $10 |
Historical Data
No Historical Data Available
Historical data is not available for the selected countries.
Compare Lesotho
Religious Composition
- Christian 80.0%
- Roman Catholic 36.0%
- Evangelical 26.0%
- Other Christian 18.0%
- Traditional Indigenous 10.0%
- None 7.5%
Beverages per Person
- Alcohol 4.2 L pure/yr
Per-capita — consumption where available, else FAOSTAT supply · alcohol = litres of pure alcohol (WHO)
Age Demographics
21.5
Median Age