School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Lesotho
Lesotho: School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) was 305,399 number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
305,399 number
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
130th
of 206 countries
All-time high
381,306 number
in 1998
All-time low
200,599 number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, primary education, both sexes in Lesotho, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 305,399 number for school age population, primary education, both sexes in 2020.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in Lesotho peaked at 381,306 number in 1998 and was at its lowest, 200,599 number, in 1970.
That places Lesotho 130th 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.
School age population, primary education, both sexes (number) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 200,599 number | — |
| 1971 | 204,737 number | +2.1% |
| 1972 | 209,478 number | +2.3% |
| 1973 | 214,836 number | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 220,679 number | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 226,808 number | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 233,412 number | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 240,915 number | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 248,983 number | +3.3% |
| 1979 | 257,199 number | +3.3% |
| 1980 | 265,146 number | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 273,877 number | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 282,900 number | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 291,931 number | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 300,706 number | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 308,932 number | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 317,582 number | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 326,424 number | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 335,261 number | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 343,863 number | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 351,933 number | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 358,438 number | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 364,656 number | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 370,090 number | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 374,155 number | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 376,286 number | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 379,100 number | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 380,899 number | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 381,306 number | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 379,726 number | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 375,932 number | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 369,189 number | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 360,693 number | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 351,276 number | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 341,712 number | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 332,359 number | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 325,275 number | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 320,171 number | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 316,657 number | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 314,022 number | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 311,576 number | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 313,121 number | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 314,694 number | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 315,236 number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 313,973 number | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 310,060 number | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 306,517 number | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 304,333 number | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 303,665 number | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 304,142 number | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 305,399 number | +0.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 305,399 number is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.43 million number, 21% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 305,399 number is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.02 million number, 15% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 225,765 number | 200,599 number | 257,199 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 304,662 number | 265,146 number | 343,863 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 371,659 number | 351,933 number | 381,306 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 340,729 number | 314,022 number | 375,932 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 309,732 number | 303,665 number | 315,236 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 305,399 number | 305,399 number | 305,399 number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 68.25 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 67.83 (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, primary education, both sexes in Lesotho?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in Lesotho was 305,399 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 381,306 number in 1998.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 200,599 number in 1970.
- How does Lesotho rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- Lesotho ranks 130th out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. 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 School age population, primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.