Water withdrawals per capita in Lesotho
Lesotho: Water withdrawals per capita was 18.95 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
18.95 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
171st
of 180 countries
All-time high
32.49 cubic meters per person
in 1985
All-time low
18.95 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
39
1985–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Lesotho, 1985–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters per person.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 18.95 cubic meters per person for water withdrawals per capita in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Lesotho peaked at 32.49 cubic meters per person in 1985 and was at its lowest, 18.95 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
Lesotho ranks 171st of 180 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 32.49 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1986 | 30.92 cubic meters per person | -4.8% |
| 1987 | 29.35 cubic meters per person | -5.1% |
| 1988 | 28.38 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 1989 | 27.45 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 26.58 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 1991 | 25.77 cubic meters per person | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 25 cubic meters per person | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 24.3 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 23.64 cubic meters per person | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 23.03 cubic meters per person | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 22.47 cubic meters per person | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 21.97 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 21.54 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 21.17 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 21.86 cubic meters per person | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 21.89 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 21.96 cubic meters per person | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 22.06 cubic meters per person | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 22.22 cubic meters per person | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 22.43 cubic meters per person | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 22.52 cubic meters per person | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 22.42 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 22.27 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 22.11 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 21.94 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 21.75 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 21.53 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 21.3 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 21.06 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 20.81 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 20.56 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 20.3 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 20.06 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 19.82 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 19.59 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 19.37 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 19.16 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 18.95 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 18.95 cubic meters per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 11% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 18.95 cubic meters per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 32% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 29.72 cubic meters per person | 27.45 cubic meters per person | 32.49 cubic meters per person | 5 |
| 1990s | 23.55 cubic meters per person | 21.17 cubic meters per person | 26.58 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.17 cubic meters per person | 21.86 cubic meters per person | 22.52 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.91 cubic meters per person | 19.82 cubic meters per person | 21.94 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.27 cubic meters per person | 18.95 cubic meters per person | 19.59 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More environment data for Lesotho
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.284 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.783 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.521 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.4197 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in Lesotho?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Lesotho was 18.95 cubic meters per person in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 32.49 cubic meters per person in 1985.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.95 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Lesotho ranks 171st out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals 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 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Water withdrawals per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses, divided by the population.