Lesotho at its true size
Lesotho covers 30,355 km², number 138 of 194 countries by area. Home to 2,363,325 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 30,355 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,363,325 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 78 per km² |
| Capital | Maseru |
| Local time in Maseru | |
| Time zone | UTC+2 IANA |
| Currency | South African rand (ZAR), Loti (LSL) Wikidata |
| Languages | English, Sesotho |
| Traffic | On the left |
| Region | Southern Africa, Africa |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Landlocked |
| Calling code | +266 |
| Codes | LS · LSO · 426 |
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Where Lesotho ranks
Among the independent states, in 42 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#142 of 1942.4 million people#45 of 54 in Africa
- Population density#107 of 19478 people per km²#23 of 54 in Africa
- Urban population#139 of 19245% urban#30 of 54 in Africa
- Fertility rate#64 of 1922.66 births per woman#46 of 54 in Africa
- Population growth#92 of 192+1.10% a year#48 of 54 in Africa
- Birth rate#55 of 19223.8 births per 1,000 people#43 of 54 in Africa
- Death rate#28 of 19210.5 deaths per 1,000 people#3 of 54 in Africa
- Children under 15#53 of 19234.1% under 15#42 of 54 in Africa
- People over 65#144 of 1923.9% aged 65 and over#17 of 54 in Africa
- Net migration#147 of 192−2.2 per 1,000 people#43 of 54 in Africa
- Refugees abroad#155 of 1900.01 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#53 of 54 in Africa
Health & education
Economy
- GNI per capita#162 of 185$1,280 a person#31 of 52 in Africa
- Internet users#143 of 18452% online#19 of 52 in Africa
- GDP per capita (PPP)#169 of 184$3,184 a person#40 of 52 in Africa
- GDP growth#132 of 187+2.0% a year#45 of 52 in Africa
- Inflation#50 of 176+4.3% a year#20 of 50 in Africa
- Unemployment#13 of 17816.3% of the labour force#10 of 53 in Africa
- Extreme poverty#16 of 14941.9% under $3.00 a day#16 of 47 in Africa
- Income inequality (Gini)#16 of 149a Gini index of 44.9#9 of 47 in Africa
- Jobs in agriculture#57 of 17830.9% of jobs#36 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in industry#9 of 17833.0% of jobs#2 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in services#155 of 17836.1% of jobs#34 of 53 in Africa
- Foreign investment#117 of 1841.3% of GDP#38 of 52 in Africa
- Exports#47 of 16849.5% of GDP#7 of 49 in Africa
- Military spending#80 of 1551.6% of GDP#20 of 50 in Africa
- Mobile subscriptions#161 of 19170 subscriptions per 100 people#38 of 54 in Africa
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#153 of 1850.43 tonnes a person#28 of 53 in Africa
- Forest area#178 of 1921% forest#48 of 54 in Africa
- Renewable energy#69 of 19034.9% renewable#39 of 54 in Africa
- Access to electricity#164 of 19260.6% with electricity#28 of 54 in Africa
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#58 of 19126.4 µg/m³#28 of 54 in Africa
- Protected land#56 of 19123.4% of the land protected#16 of 54 in Africa
- Arable land#57 of 19019.0% of the land arable#16 of 54 in Africa
- Water stress#141 of 1762.6% of its available fresh water#35 of 53 in Africa
- Precipitation#106 of 180788 mm a year#32 of 54 in Africa
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Lesotho’s area, lit up on the map →
- Belgium0.99×Lesotho and Belgium are almost exactly the same size.
- Armenia1.02×Lesotho and Armenia are almost exactly the same size.
- Albania1.06×Lesotho is 6% larger than Albania.
- Solomon Islands1.07×Lesotho is 7% larger than Solomon Islands.
- Equatorial Guinea1.08×Lesotho is 8% larger than Equatorial Guinea.
- Burundi1.09×Lesotho is 9% larger than Burundi.
How many times does Lesotho fit into…
- Russia: about 563 times
- Canada: about 329 times
- United States: about 324 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Lesotho shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Rivers
- Orange2,200 km
Summits
- Thabana Ntlenyana3,482 m
- Mafadi3,450 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Lesotho. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Lesotho
- How big is Lesotho?
- Lesotho covers 30,355 km², which makes it number 138 of 194 countries by area. About 2,363,325 people live there (2025), 78 per km².
- Is Lesotho bigger than Belgium?
- Lesotho and Belgium are almost exactly the same size. Lesotho: 30,355 km²; Belgium: 30,688 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Lesotho?
- Lesotho lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Lesotho?
- Lesotho shares a land border with South Africa.