Life Expectancy at Birth: Lesotho

Analysis# Lesotho Life Expectancy at Birth Lesotho's life expectancy reached 57.798 years in 2024, reflecting a modest recovery from recent decades. The country peaked at 59.572 years in 1988 before experiencing a dramatic decline to 43.182 years in 2006—a 26.4-year drop driven primarily by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Since 1960, life expectancy has increased 15.2% overall, indicating long-term gains despite the severe mid-period setback. The trajectory since 2006 demonstrates sustained improvement, with life expectancy climbing nearly 14.6 years over the past 18 years. Annual gains averaged 0.8 years from 2015 to 2024, with particularly strong growth in 2022 (56.812 years). Although still 1.8 years below the 1988 peak, Lesotho's steady upward trend suggests continuing progress in public health outcomes.