Digital & energy access · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income
Lesotho: internet, mobile and energy access
Internet users is 51.8% (2024), 147th of 188 in the world and 13th of 46 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mobile subscriptions is 70.3 (2024), 179th of 210 in the world and 33rd of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Fixed broadband is 0.4 (2024), 182nd of 208 in the world and 28th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Internet users
LesothoSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
Mobile subscriptions
LesothoSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
10 indicators
Digital & energy access: Lesotho in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet usersInternet users, % of population | 51.8%2024 | 147/188 | 13/46 | 0.2% | 3.9% | 43.7% | +29.8 ppsince 2014 | 35.7% | 62.9% | 73.6% | |
| Mobile subscriptionsMobile subscriptions per 100 people | 70.32024 | 179/210 | 33/48 | 1.1 | 49.5 | 69.9 | −32%since 2014 | 90.4 | 89.9 | 111.5 | |
| Fixed broadbandFixed broadband per 100 people | 0.42024 | 182/208 | 28/48 | · | 0.0 | 0.2 | +425%since 2014 | 1.1 | 5.0 | 20.1 | |
| Fixed telephoneFixed telephone lines per 100 people | 0.32024 | 183/213 | 25/48 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.5 | −86%since 2014 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 9.9 | |
| Secure serversSecure internet servers per million people | 862024 | 172/215 | 14/48 | · | 1 | 67 | +4,372%since 2014 | 903 | 717 | 16,381 | |
| Electricity accessAccess to electricity, % of population | 60.6%2024 | 187/215 | 22/48 | 4.3% | 17.0% | 47.5% | +32.8 ppsince 2014 | 55.1% | 91.4% | 91.9% | |
| Electricity access, ruralAccess to electricity, rural, % of rural population | 41.4%2024 | 185/211 | 23/47 | 2.0% | 4.4% | 35.2% | +25.8 ppsince 2014 | 35.7% | 88.0% | 84.9% | |
| Electricity access, urbanAccess to electricity, urban, % of urban population | 85.2%2024 | 187/213 | 25/48 | 13.6% | 55.2% | 77.5% | +23.7 ppsince 2014 | 82.9% | 96.2% | 97.8% | |
| Clean cookingAccess to clean cooking fuels, % of population | 58.0%2024 | 131/192 | 7/48 | 16.0% | 31.0% | 50.0% | +18.0 ppsince 2014 | 22.9% | 63.8% | 75.4% | |
| Energy use per personEnergy use, kg of oil equivalent per person | 10 kgoe2007 | — | — | · | · | · | — | 476 kgoe | 640 kgoe | 1,892 kgoe |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Internet users+29.8 pp51.8% in 2024
- Fixed broadband+425%0.4 in 2024
- Secure servers+4,372%86 in 2024
- Electricity access+32.8 pp60.6% in 2024
Worse than ten years ago
No rated indicator got worse over the decade.
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Lesotho and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Lesotho. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Lesotho | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Internet users | 51.8%2024 | 78.4%2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions | 70.32024 | 179.32024 |
| Fixed broadband | 0.42024 | 5.32024 |
| Fixed telephone | 0.32024 | 1.62024 |
| Secure servers | 862024 | 16,6582024 |
| Electricity access | 60.6%2024 | 90.2%2024 |
| Electricity access, rural | 41.4%2024 | 86.3%2024 |
| Electricity access, urban | 85.2%2024 | 92.4%2024 |
| Clean cooking | 58.0%2024 | 90.0%2024 |