Armed forces personnel, total in Lesotho
Lesotho: Armed forces personnel, total was 2,000 in 2020. ▬ Flat
Armed forces personnel, total in Lesotho, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Analysis
The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total in Lesotho is 2,000, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total in Lesotho peaked at 2,000 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 2,000, in 1985.
That places Lesotho 156th out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Armed forces personnel, total in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 2,000 | — |
| 1989 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2,000 | +0.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2,000 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 23,000, 9% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2,000 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16,000, 12% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More public sector data for Lesotho
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Democracy 6 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel, total in Lesotho?
- Armed forces personnel, total in Lesotho was 2,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 2,000 in 1985.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,000 in 1985.
- How does Lesotho rank for armed forces personnel, total?
- Lesotho ranks 156th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel, total rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as part of Armed forces personnel, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.