Life expectancy at birth — all countries

Life expectancy at birth — Lesotho

Life expectancy at birth in Lesotho in 2024 — 57.8 years. Ranked 213 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 15.2%.

2024 57.8 years +0.74% vs 2023
World rank 213of 217
Period maximum 59.6 years1988
Period minimum 43.2 years2006

Trend over time

1960–2024 · years

Life expectancy at birth — Lesotho, 1960–2024404550556019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 50.2 years1962: 50.3 years1964: 50.3 years1966: 50.4 years1968: 50.8 years1970: 51.5 years1972: 52.3 years1974: 52.9 years1976: 53.9 years1978: 55.2 years1980: 56.5 years1982: 58 years1984: 59 years1986: 59.3 years1988: 59.6 years1990: 59.3 years1992: 58.6 years1994: 57.3 years1996: 55.1 years1998: 52 years2000: 48.8 years2002: 46 years2004: 44 years2006: 43.2 years2008: 44.3 years2010: 46 years2012: 48.2 years2014: 50.8 years2016: 52.9 years2018: 54.6 years2020: 55.1 years2022: 56.8 years2024: 57.8 years
Change over the period: +7.6 (+15.2%) Average annual rate: 0.22 %

Comparison, 2024

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

Lesotho 57.8 years
World 73.5 years
Sub-Saharan Africa 62.8 years
Southern Africa computed 66.2 years
Lower-middle-income countries computed 70.1 years
Life expectancy at birth — Lesotho, by year Lesotho All countries CSV XLSX
Year years Change Change, %
2024 57.8 +0.4 +0.74%
2023 57.4 +0.6 +0.99%
2022 56.8 +2.6 +4.8%
2021 54.2 −0.9 −1.68%
2020 55.1 −0.1 −0.21%
2019 55.2 +0.6 +1.12%
2018 54.6 +0.8 +1.42%
2017 53.9 +1 +1.83%
2016 52.9 +1.1 +2.08%
2015 51.8 +1 +2.06%
2014 50.8 +1.2 +2.5%
2013 49.5 +1.3 +2.72%
2012 48.2 +1.3 +2.78%
2011 46.9 +0.9 +1.92%
2010 46 +1 +2.2%
2009 45.1 +0.8 +1.7%
2008 44.3 +0.6 +1.48%
2007 43.7 +0.5 +1.11%
2006 43.2 −0.4 −0.98%
2005 43.6 −0.4 −0.97%
2004 44 −0.9 −1.96%
2003 44.9 −1 −2.24%
2002 46 −1.2 −2.55%
2001 47.2 −1.6 −3.34%
2000 48.8 −1.6 −3.18%
1999 50.4 −1.6 −3.16%
1998 52 −1.7 −3.17%
1997 53.7 −1.4 −2.54%
1996 55.1 −1.2 −2.19%
1995 56.4 −0.9 −1.61%
1994 57.3 −0.8 −1.33%
1993 58.1 −0.6 −0.99%
1992 58.6 −0.4 −0.72%
1991 59.1 −0.3 −0.43%
1990 59.3 −0.2 −0.32%
1989 59.5 −0.1 −0.11%
1988 59.6 +0 +0.03%
1987 59.6 +0.2 +0.36%
1986 59.3 +0.1 +0.23%
1985 59.2 +0.3 +0.43%
1984 59 +0.5 +0.79%
1983 58.5 +0.5 +0.9%
1982 58 +0.7 +1.17%
1981 57.3 +0.8 +1.37%
1980 56.5 +0.7 +1.24%
1979 55.8 +0.7 +1.23%
1978 55.2 +0.6 +1.17%
1977 54.5 +0.6 +1.1%
1976 53.9 +0.5 +0.89%
1975 53.5 +0.5 +0.97%
1974 52.9 +0.3 +0.61%
1973 52.6 +0.4 +0.7%
1972 52.3 +0.4 +0.79%
1971 51.8 +0.3 +0.67%
1970 51.5 +0.4 +0.75%
1969 51.1 +0.3 +0.64%
1968 50.8 +0.3 +0.55%
1967 50.5 +0.1 +0.27%
1966 50.4 +0.1 +0.1%
1965 50.3 +0 +0.04%
1964 50.3 +0 +0.09%
1963 50.3 −0 −0.09%
1962 50.3 +0 +0.06%
1961 50.3 +0.1 +0.21%
1960 50.2

Southern Africa, 2024

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

About the indicator

Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates stayed the same as in the year of calculation. It is not a forecast for any individual but a summary measure of the current mortality regime: the indicator falls sharply in years of epidemics and wars and recovers just as fast.

Important: The indicator is highly sensitive to infant mortality: a decline there adds more years than an improvement in the health of the elderly.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.