Ethiopia vs Lesotho: Rural population density

Ethiopia
482.76 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 2011
Lesotho
515.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 2011
Ethiopia rank
14th
Lesotho rank
13th

Rural population density over time

  • Ethiopia
  • Lesotho
200300400500600196119862011

How they compare

Lesotho currently reports 515.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land against 482.76 rural population per sq. km of arable land in Ethiopia, a difference of 33.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land.

That makes Lesotho's figure about 1.1 times Ethiopia's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 51 shared years of data; in 1961 it was Lesotho ahead.

Ethiopia ranks 14th and Lesotho ranks 13th of 53 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, Ethiopia averaged higher in 2 and Lesotho in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ethiopia Lesotho Difference Ahead
1960s 198.93 rural population per sq. km of arable land 244.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land 45.95 rural population per sq. km of arable land Lesotho
1970s 225.56 rural population per sq. km of arable land 305.67 rural population per sq. km of arable land 80.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land Lesotho
1980s 303.71 rural population per sq. km of arable land 427.51 rural population per sq. km of arable land 123.8 rural population per sq. km of arable land Lesotho
1990s 477.73 rural population per sq. km of arable land 457.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land 19.74 rural population per sq. km of arable land Ethiopia
2000s 527.22 rural population per sq. km of arable land 493.98 rural population per sq. km of arable land 33.25 rural population per sq. km of arable land Ethiopia
2010s 488.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land 504.58 rural population per sq. km of arable land 15.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land Lesotho

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher rural population density, Ethiopia or Lesotho?
Lesotho, at 515.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land against 482.76 rural population per sq. km of arable land in Ethiopia as of 2011.
What is the difference in rural population density between Ethiopia and Lesotho?
33.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land, with Lesotho ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and Lesotho?
51 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2011.
How do Ethiopia and Lesotho rank globally for rural population density?
Ethiopia ranks 14th and Lesotho ranks 13th of 53 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates, published as Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Ethiopia vs Lesotho: Rural population density. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/rural-population-density-rural-population-per-sq-km-of-arable-land/ethiopia/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator
Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land)
Unit
rural population per sq. km of arable land
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
59 places, 2,977 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed

Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.