Prison population per 100,000 — all countries

Prison population per 100,000 — Lesotho

Prison population per 100,000 in Lesotho in 2025 — 117 per 100k. Ranked 40 in the world out of 54. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 18.2%.

2025 117 per 100k +1.74% vs 2017
World rank 40of 54
Period maximum 173 per 100k2002
Period minimum 102 per 100k2014

Trend over time

2000–2025 · per 100,000 people

Prison population per 100,000 — Lesotho, 2000–20251001201401601802000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 143 per 100k2002: 173 per 100k2004: 158 per 100k2006: 126 per 100k2008: 130 per 100k2010: 125 per 100k2012: 127 per 100k2014: 102 per 100k2017: 115 per 100k2025: 117 per 100k
Change over the period: −26 (−18.18%) Average annual rate: -0.8 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Lesotho

Lesotho 117 per 100k
Southern Africa computed 257.1 per 100k
Prison population per 100,000 — Lesotho, by year Lesotho All countries CSV XLSX
Year per 100k Change Change, %
2025 117
2017 115
2014 102
2012 127
2010 125
2008 130
2006 126
2004 158
2002 173
2000 143

Southern Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The number of persons held in correctional institutions and pretrial detention facilities per 100,000 people. The indicator covers both the convicted and those under investigation — in a number of countries the second group makes up more than half. UNODC data, collected from national prison services.

Important: The indicator does not measure the level of crime. A high value is just as likely to reflect harsh judicial practice as an actual crime problem.

Source: UNODC Crime Statistics, license UN data: free to use with attribution.