Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Lesotho
Lesotho: Renewable freshwater resources per capita was 2,288 cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
2,288 cubic meters
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
98th
of 183 countries
All-time high
6,892 cubic meters
in 1961
All-time low
2,288 cubic meters
in 2022
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Lesotho, 1961–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 2,288 cubic meters for renewable freshwater resources per capita in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 62 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable freshwater resources per capita in Lesotho peaked at 6,892 cubic meters in 1961 and was at its lowest, 2,288 cubic meters, in 2022.
That places Lesotho 98th out of 183 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6,892 cubic meters | — |
| 1962 | 6,690 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 6,494 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1964 | 6,305 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1965 | 6,123 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1966 | 5,931 cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 1967 | 5,722 cubic meters | -3.5% |
| 1968 | 5,516 cubic meters | -3.6% |
| 1969 | 5,319 cubic meters | -3.6% |
| 1970 | 5,131 cubic meters | -3.5% |
| 1971 | 4,952 cubic meters | -3.5% |
| 1972 | 4,780 cubic meters | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 4,617 cubic meters | -3.4% |
| 1974 | 4,461 cubic meters | -3.4% |
| 1975 | 4,309 cubic meters | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 4,173 cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 1977 | 4,054 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1978 | 3,941 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 3,828 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1980 | 3,718 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1981 | 3,612 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 3,508 cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1983 | 3,408 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 3,312 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 3,220 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 3,139 cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1987 | 3,070 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 3,006 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 2,946 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1990 | 2,890 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 2,839 cubic meters | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 2,792 cubic meters | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 2,750 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 2,713 cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 2,680 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 2,652 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 2,631 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 2,618 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 2,611 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 2,610 cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 2,614 cubic meters | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 2,622 cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 2,635 cubic meters | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 2,653 cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 2,678 cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 2,689 cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 2,678 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 2,659 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 2,640 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 2,620 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 2,597 cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 2,571 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 2,543 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 2,514 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 2,485 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 2,455 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 2,425 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 2,395 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 2,367 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 2,339 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 2,313 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 2,288 cubic meters | -1.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2,288 cubic meters is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2,227 cubic meters, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2,288 cubic meters is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,439 cubic meters, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6,110 cubic meters | 5,319 cubic meters | 6,892 cubic meters | 9 |
| 1970s | 4,425 cubic meters | 3,828 cubic meters | 5,131 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 3,294 cubic meters | 2,946 cubic meters | 3,718 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,717 cubic meters | 2,611 cubic meters | 2,890 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,648 cubic meters | 2,610 cubic meters | 2,689 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,497 cubic meters | 2,367 cubic meters | 2,620 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,313 cubic meters | 2,288 cubic meters | 2,339 cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 15.3% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 0.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable freshwater resources per capita in Lesotho?
- Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Lesotho was 2,288 cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest renewable freshwater resources per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 6,892 cubic meters in 1961.
- What is the lowest renewable freshwater resources per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,288 cubic meters in 2022.
- How does Lesotho rank for renewable freshwater resources per capita?
- Lesotho ranks 98th out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
- Is renewable freshwater resources per capita rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Renewable freshwater resources per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Renewable internal freshwater resources flows refer to internal renewable resources (internal river flows and groundwater from rainfall) in the country.