Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Lesotho
Lesotho: Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both was 45,848 number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Lesotho, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 45,848 number for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in 2020.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Lesotho peaked at 54,665 number in 1996 and was at its lowest, 31,049 number, in 1970.
That places Lesotho 138th out of 206 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 31,049 number | — |
| 1971 | 31,891 number | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 32,808 number | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 33,773 number | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 34,757 number | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 35,715 number | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 36,900 number | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 38,186 number | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 39,504 number | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 40,769 number | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 41,897 number | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 43,294 number | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 44,654 number | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 45,940 number | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 47,113 number | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 48,136 number | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 49,400 number | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 50,596 number | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 51,682 number | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 52,617 number | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 53,349 number | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 53,957 number | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 54,374 number | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 54,607 number | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 54,639 number | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 54,488 number | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 54,665 number | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 54,665 number | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 54,462 number | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 54,023 number | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 53,380 number | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 52,415 number | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 51,204 number | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 49,878 number | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 48,570 number | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 47,364 number | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 46,869 number | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 46,695 number | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 46,653 number | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 46,534 number | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 46,094 number | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 46,214 number | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 46,022 number | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 45,554 number | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 44,825 number | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 43,907 number | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 43,992 number | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 44,406 number | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 44,974 number | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 45,528 number | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 45,848 number | +0.7% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 45,848 number is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 236,397 number, 19% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 45,848 number is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 360,057 number, 13% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35,535 number | 31,049 number | 40,769 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 47,533 number | 41,897 number | 52,617 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 54,323 number | 53,349 number | 54,665 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 48,956 number | 46,534 number | 53,380 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 45,152 number | 43,907 number | 46,214 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 45,848 number | 45,848 number | 45,848 number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1324 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Lesotho?
- Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both in Lesotho was 45,848 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 54,665 number in 1996.
- What is the lowest population of the official entrance age to primary education, both recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 31,049 number in 1970.
- How does Lesotho rank for population of the official entrance age to primary education, both?
- Lesotho ranks 138th out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population of the official entrance age to primary education, both rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of the official entrance age to primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to the official entrance age to primary education. The official entrance age is the age at which students would enter a given programme or level of education assuming they start at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, study full-time throughout and progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade. The theoretical entrance age to a given programme or level is typically, but not always, the most common entrance age.