School age population, primary education, female (number) (population) in Lesotho
Lesotho: School age population, primary education, female (number) (population) was 191,982 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
191,982
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
123rd
of 222 countries
All-time high
194,160
in 1997
All-time low
96,373
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
School age population, primary education, female in Lesotho, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, female in Lesotho is 191,982, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, female in Lesotho peaked at 194,160 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 96,373, in 1970.
Lesotho ranks 123rd of 222 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, female (number) (population) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 96,373 | — |
| 1971 | 98,756 | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 101,092 | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 103,395 | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 105,728 | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 108,118 | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 110,620 | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 112,700 | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 115,430 | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 118,716 | +2.8% |
| 1980 | 122,526 | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 126,914 | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 131,849 | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 137,311 | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 143,040 | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 148,869 | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 154,769 | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 153,243 | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 158,822 | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 164,256 | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 169,339 | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 174,046 | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 178,402 | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 182,394 | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 186,681 | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 190,160 | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 192,636 | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 194,160 | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 193,055 | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 191,029 | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 187,921 | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 183,419 | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 178,995 | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 174,998 | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 171,472 | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 167,521 | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 163,391 | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 161,532 | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 161,428 | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 162,488 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 163,547 | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 164,059 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 165,062 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 166,709 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 169,206 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 171,332 | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 172,503 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 173,747 | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 176,742 | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 180,066 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 183,478 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 185,947 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 188,052 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 190,295 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 192,106 | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 191,982 | -0.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 191,982 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 728,412, 26% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 191,982 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.17 million, 16% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 107,093 | 96,373 | 118,716 | 10 |
| 1980s | 144,160 | 122,526 | 164,256 | 10 |
| 1990s | 185,190 | 169,339 | 194,160 | 10 |
| 2000s | 171,316 | 161,428 | 187,921 | 10 |
| 2010s | 170,297 | 163,547 | 180,066 | 10 |
| 2020s | 188,643 | 183,478 | 192,106 | 6 |
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 school age population, primary education, female in Lesotho?
- School age population, primary education, female in Lesotho was 191,982 in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, female recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 194,160 in 1997.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, female recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 96,373 in 1970.
- How does Lesotho rank for school age population, primary education, female?
- Lesotho ranks 123rd out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, primary education, female rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.1%. 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, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release