Number of people using the Internet in Lesotho
Lesotho: Number of people using the Internet was 1.21 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people using the Internet in Lesotho, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi. Measured in people.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 1.21 million people for number of people using the internet in 2024. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
The figure is up 6.9% on the previous year and up 164.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people using the internet in Lesotho peaked at 1.21 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1990.
Lesotho ranks 146th of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people using the Internet in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 people | — |
| 1996 | 56.21 people | — |
| 1997 | 110.94 people | +97.3% |
| 1998 | 219.78 people | +98.1% |
| 1999 | 1,078 people | +390.4% |
| 2000 | 4,244 people | +293.8% |
| 2001 | 5,225 people | +23.1% |
| 2002 | 21,621 people | +313.8% |
| 2003 | 30,421 people | +40.7% |
| 2004 | 42,882 people | +41.0% |
| 2005 | 50,393 people | +17.5% |
| 2006 | 57,957 people | +15.0% |
| 2007 | 67,298 people | +16.1% |
| 2008 | 70,402 people | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 73,689 people | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 77,055 people | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 140,981 people | +83.0% |
| 2012 | 203,435 people | +44.3% |
| 2013 | 308,476 people | +51.6% |
| 2014 | 457,620 people | +48.3% |
| 2015 | 526,153 people | +15.0% |
| 2016 | 691,404 people | +31.4% |
| 2017 | 841,273 people | +21.7% |
| 2018 | 890,910 people | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 934,617 people | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 976,063 people | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 1.02 million people | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 1.10 million people | +7.8% |
| 2023 | 1.13 million people | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 1.21 million people | +6.9% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1.21 million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.91 million people, 20% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1.21 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.88 million people, 31% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people using the Internet 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +390.4% | 219.78 people | 1,078 people |
| 2002 | +313.8% | 5,225 people | 21,621 people |
| 2000 | +293.8% | 1,078 people | 4,244 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 292.94 people | 0 people | 1,078 people | 5 |
| 2000s | 42,413 people | 4,244 people | 73,689 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 507,192 people | 77,055 people | 934,617 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.09 million people | 976,063 people | 1.21 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More science & technology data for Lesotho
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 70.33 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.7033 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 1.64 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 52.8 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 60.18 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people using the internet in Lesotho?
- Number of people using the internet in Lesotho was 1.21 million people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi.
- What is the highest number of people using the internet recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1.21 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people using the internet recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1990.
- How does Lesotho rank for number of people using the internet?
- Lesotho ranks 146th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people using the internet rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 164.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi, published as part of Number of people using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people who used the Internet in the last three months.