Primary energy use in Lesotho
Lesotho: Primary energy use was 3.93 terawatt-hours in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Primary energy use in Lesotho, 1980–2024
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary energy use in Lesotho is 3.93 terawatt-hours, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.8% on the previous year and up 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use in Lesotho peaked at 4.82 terawatt-hours in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.463 terawatt-hours, in 1988.
Lesotho ranks 174th of 219 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy use in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.5979 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 0.5963 terawatt-hours | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 0.5963 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.5963 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.5979 terawatt-hours | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 0.6559 terawatt-hours | +9.7% |
| 1986 | 0.688 terawatt-hours | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 0.688 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.463 terawatt-hours | -32.7% |
| 1989 | 0.688 terawatt-hours | +48.6% |
| 1990 | 0.88 terawatt-hours | +27.9% |
| 1991 | 0.894 terawatt-hours | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 0.9308 terawatt-hours | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 0.9618 terawatt-hours | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 1.07 terawatt-hours | +11.2% |
| 1995 | 1.08 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 1.1 terawatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 1.08 terawatt-hours | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 0.9372 terawatt-hours | -13.0% |
| 1999 | 0.9782 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 1.9 terawatt-hours | +93.9% |
| 2001 | 1.92 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 1.95 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 1.98 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 2.05 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 2.21 terawatt-hours | +7.6% |
| 2006 | 2.29 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 2.92 terawatt-hours | +27.8% |
| 2008 | 2.5 terawatt-hours | -14.4% |
| 2009 | 2.91 terawatt-hours | +16.5% |
| 2010 | 3.11 terawatt-hours | +6.8% |
| 2011 | 3.03 terawatt-hours | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 3.28 terawatt-hours | +8.3% |
| 2013 | 3.31 terawatt-hours | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 3.41 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 3.32 terawatt-hours | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 3.7 terawatt-hours | +11.5% |
| 2017 | 3.97 terawatt-hours | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 3.87 terawatt-hours | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 4.02 terawatt-hours | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 3.61 terawatt-hours | -10.4% |
| 2021 | 3.97 terawatt-hours | +10.1% |
| 2022 | 4.82 terawatt-hours | +21.4% |
| 2023 | 4.26 terawatt-hours | -11.6% |
| 2024 | 3.93 terawatt-hours | -7.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3.93 terawatt-hours is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 52.67 terawatt-hours, 7% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3.93 terawatt-hours is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.78 terawatt-hours, 19% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary energy use in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +93.9% | 0.9782 terawatt-hours | 1.9 terawatt-hours |
| 1989 | +48.6% | 0.463 terawatt-hours | 0.688 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.6168 terawatt-hours | 0.463 terawatt-hours | 0.688 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9908 terawatt-hours | 0.88 terawatt-hours | 1.1 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.26 terawatt-hours | 1.9 terawatt-hours | 2.92 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5 terawatt-hours | 3.03 terawatt-hours | 4.02 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.12 terawatt-hours | 3.61 terawatt-hours | 4.82 terawatt-hours | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 171 Aruba 4.93 terawatt-hours compare
- 172 Belize 4.22 terawatt-hours compare
- 173 Seychelles 4.12 terawatt-hours compare
- 175 Burundi 3.91 terawatt-hours compare
- 176 Faroe Islands 3.58 terawatt-hours compare
- 177 Cayman Islands 3.55 terawatt-hours compare
More energy & mining data for Lesotho
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -7.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 15.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary energy use in Lesotho?
- Primary energy use in Lesotho was 3.93 terawatt-hours in 2024, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy use recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 4.82 terawatt-hours in 2022.
- What is the lowest primary energy use recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.463 terawatt-hours in 1988.
- How does Lesotho rank for primary energy use?
- Lesotho ranks 174th out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary energy use rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.