Botswana vs Lesotho: Land use
Botswana
262,000 hectares
in 2023
Lesotho
360,748 hectares
in 2023
Botswana rank
143rd
Lesotho rank
140th
Land use over time
- Botswana
- Lesotho
How they compare
Lesotho currently reports 360,748 hectares against 262,000 hectares in Botswana, a difference of 98,748 hectares.
That makes Lesotho's figure about 1.4 times Botswana's.
The two have swapped places 11 times across 63 shared years of data; in 1961 it was Botswana ahead.
Botswana ranks 143rd and Lesotho ranks 140th of 224 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Botswana averaged higher in 3 and Lesotho in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Botswana | Lesotho | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 400,556 hectares | 361,222 hectares | 39,333 hectares | Botswana |
| 1970s | 402,000 hectares | 344,200 hectares | 57,800 hectares | Botswana |
| 1980s | 407,700 hectares | 305,500 hectares | 102,200 hectares | Botswana |
| 1990s | 318,500 hectares | 328,000 hectares | 9,500 hectares | Lesotho |
| 2000s | 242,200 hectares | 325,400 hectares | 83,200 hectares | Lesotho |
| 2010s | 286,840 hectares | 303,640 hectares | 16,800 hectares | Lesotho |
| 2020s | 262,000 hectares | 303,737 hectares | 41,737 hectares | Lesotho |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher land use, Botswana or Lesotho?
- Lesotho, at 360,748 hectares against 262,000 hectares in Botswana as of 2023.
- What is the difference in land use between Botswana and Lesotho?
- 98,748 hectares, with Lesotho ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and Lesotho?
- 63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
- How do Botswana and Lesotho rank globally for land use?
- Botswana ranks 143rd and Lesotho ranks 140th of 224 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Land use. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.