Lesotho: cities by population
Lesotho has a population of 2,389,336 (UN estimate, 2026), with Maseru as its capital. The 47 largest of its 47 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
+19%
since 2000 (2,003,913)
+25%
projected by 2050 (2,993,077)
79
people per km²
Figures are the latest available in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), which draws on national censuses of varying dates — treat them as recent, not same-year. Country totals are UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant) where the UN lists the country separately; the handful it reports under a parent state keep a GeoNames figure and are marked as such. Sources & method.
Largest cities in Lesotho
| # | Place | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maseru | Maseru District | 359,753 |
| 2 | Maputsoe | Leribe | 61,916 |
| 3 | Mohale's Hoek | Mohale's Hoek District | 46,593 |
| 4 | Mafeteng | Mafeteng District | 45,287 |
| 5 | Hlotse | Leribe | 43,967 |
| 6 | Butha-Buthe | Butha-Buthe | 40,599 |
| 7 | Mabote | Berea | 38,047 |
| 8 | Quthing | Quthing | 33,910 |
| 9 | Teyateyaneng | Berea | 27,272 |
| 10 | Qacha’s Nek | Qacha's Nek District | 25,573 |
| 11 | Thaba-Tseka | Thaba-Tseka | 16,765 |
| 12 | Mokhotlong | Mokhotlong District | 14,461 |
| 13 | Roma | Maseru District | 14,259 |
| 14 | Mapoteng | Berea | 14,161 |
| 15 | Nako | Maseru District | 13,146 |
| 16 | Mazenod | Maseru District | 12,713 |
| 17 | Mantsebo | 9,216 | |
| 18 | Semonkong | Maseru District | 8,636 |
| 19 | Phamong | Mohale's Hoek District | 8,402 |
| 20 | Mamathes | 8,058 | |
| 21 | Mount Moorosi | Quthing | 6,992 |
| 22 | Pitseng | Leribe | 6,486 |
| 23 | Thabana Morena | 5,970 | |
| 24 | Mantsonyane | Thaba-Tseka | 5,965 |
| 25 | Peka | Leribe | 5,937 |
| 26 | Kolo | Maseru District | 5,233 |
| 27 | Morija | Maseru District | 5,160 |
| 28 | Sefikeng | Berea | 5,119 |
| 29 | Rothe | Maseru District | 4,879 |
| 30 | Morunyaneng | 4,541 | |
| 31 | Matsieng | 4,197 | |
| 32 | Kolonyama | 3,989 | |
| 33 | Mapholaneng | Mokhotlong District | 3,739 |
| 34 | Katse | Thaba-Tseka | 2,870 |
| 35 | Tsa Kholo | 2,688 | |
| 36 | Makhakhe | Mafeteng District | 2,486 |
| 37 | Sekake | 2,443 | |
| 38 | Sehonghong | Thaba-Tseka | 2,234 |
| 39 | Mpharane | 2,181 | |
| 40 | Lejone | 2,178 | |
| 41 | Sehlabathebe | 1,985 | |
| 42 | Mphaki | Quthing | 1,978 |
| 43 | Ramabanta | Maseru District | 1,971 |
| 44 | Mohale | Thaba-Tseka | 1,932 |
| 45 | Ketane | Mohale's Hoek District | 1,908 |
| 46 | Seshote | Leribe | 1,858 |
| 47 | Marakabeis | Thaba-Tseka | 1,659 |
Twenty years earlier: Lesotho in the 2005 World Gazetteer — population then 2,393,207.
Common questions
What is the population of Lesotho?
Lesotho has a population of 2,389,336, the UN World Population Prospects estimate for 2026. The UN's medium-variant projection for 2050 is 2,993,077 — a forecast, not a measurement.
What is the capital of Lesotho?
Maseru.