Sex ratio at birth in Lesotho
Lesotho: Sex ratio at birth was 101.81 males per 100 females in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
101.81 males per 100 females
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
224th
of 236 countries
All-time high
104.92 males per 100 females
in 1950
All-time low
100.8 males per 100 females
in 1951
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Sex ratio at birth in Lesotho, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in males per 100 females.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 101.81 males per 100 females for sex ratio at birth in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex ratio at birth in Lesotho peaked at 104.92 males per 100 females in 1950 and was at its lowest, 100.8 males per 100 females, in 1951.
That places Lesotho 224th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Sex ratio at birth in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | males per 100 females | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 104.92 males per 100 females | — |
| 1951 | 100.8 males per 100 females | -3.9% |
| 1952 | 100.84 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 100.89 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 100.94 males per 100 females | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 100.98 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 101.03 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 101.05 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 101.09 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 101.13 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 101.13 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 101.13 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 101.12 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 101.12 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1964 | 101.12 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 101.11 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 101.11 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 101.11 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 101.14 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 101.16 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 101.19 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 101.23 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 101.29 males per 100 females | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 101.34 males per 100 females | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 101.39 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 101.45 males per 100 females | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 101.5 males per 100 females | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 101.54 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 101.55 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 101.58 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 101.61 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 101.62 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 101.63 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 101.63 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 101.64 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 101.66 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 101.69 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 101.72 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 101.75 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 101.78 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 101.81 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 101.8 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 101.79 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 101.77 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 101.76 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 101.75 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 101.75 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 101.73 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 101.7 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 101.69 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 101.71 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 101.74 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 101.75 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 101.74 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 101.74 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 101.72 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 101.68 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 101.65 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 101.61 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 101.58 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 101.56 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 101.57 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 101.56 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 101.53 males per 100 females | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 101.54 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 101.59 males per 100 females | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 101.64 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 101.66 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 101.68 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 101.69 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 101.74 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 101.78 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 101.79 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 101.81 males per 100 females | +0.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 101.81 males per 100 females is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 103.72 males per 100 females, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 101.81 males per 100 females is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 102.58 males per 100 females, 99% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 101.37 males per 100 females | 100.8 males per 100 females | 104.92 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1960s | 101.12 males per 100 females | 101.11 males per 100 females | 101.16 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1970s | 101.41 males per 100 females | 101.19 males per 100 females | 101.58 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1980s | 101.67 males per 100 females | 101.61 males per 100 females | 101.78 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 1990s | 101.76 males per 100 females | 101.69 males per 100 females | 101.81 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2000s | 101.69 males per 100 females | 101.58 males per 100 females | 101.75 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2010s | 101.6 males per 100 females | 101.53 males per 100 females | 101.69 males per 100 females | 10 |
| 2020s | 101.78 males per 100 females | 101.74 males per 100 females | 101.81 males per 100 females | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 221 Cote d'Ivoire 101.94 males per 100 females compare
- 222 Burundi 101.91 males per 100 females compare
- 223 Angola 101.85 males per 100 females compare
- 225 Zimbabwe 101.78 males per 100 females compare
- 226 Central African Republic 101.76 males per 100 females compare
- 227 Democratic Republic of Congo 101.55 males per 100 females compare
More gender data for Lesotho
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 786.22 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.5717 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 1,708 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 1,708 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 26,291 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 26,787 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 25,880 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 26,319 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 25,717 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex ratio at birth in Lesotho?
- Sex ratio at birth in Lesotho was 101.81 males per 100 females in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest sex ratio at birth recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 104.92 males per 100 females in 1950.
- What is the lowest sex ratio at birth recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 100.8 males per 100 females in 1951.
- How does Lesotho rank for sex ratio at birth?
- Lesotho ranks 224th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sex ratio at birth rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Sex ratio at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of male births per 100 female births.