Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Lesotho

Lesotho: Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) was 34.2 % in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
34.2 %
Change on year
up 5.2%
World rank
44th
of 177 countries
All-time high
34.2 %
in 2023
All-time low
23.6 %
in 2011
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Lesotho, 2000–2023

01020302000201120232000: 32.1 %2001: 31 %2002: 30 %2003: 29 %2004: 28.1 %2005: 27.3 %2006: 26.4 %2007: 25.6 %2008: 24.9 %2009: 24.3 %2010: 23.8 %2011: 23.6 %2012: 23.6 %2013: 23.7 %2014: 24 %2015: 24.5 %2016: 25.3 %2017: 26.1 %2018: 27.1 %2019: 28.2 %2020: 29.5 %2021: 30.9 %2022: 32.5 %2023: 34.2 %

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Lesotho is 34.2 %, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.2% on the previous year and up 44.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Lesotho peaked at 34.2 % in 2023 and was at its lowest, 23.6 %, in 2011.

Lesotho ranks 44th of 177 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) (percent) — Value — Female — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National in Lesotho, 2000 to 2023.
Year % Change
2000 32.1 %
2001 31 % -3.4%
2002 30 % -3.2%
2003 29 % -3.3%
2004 28.1 % -3.1%
2005 27.3 % -2.8%
2006 26.4 % -3.3%
2007 25.6 % -3.0%
2008 24.9 % -2.7%
2009 24.3 % -2.4%
2010 23.8 % -2.1%
2011 23.6 % -0.8%
2012 23.6 % +0.0%
2013 23.7 % +0.4%
2014 24 % +1.3%
2015 24.5 % +2.1%
2016 25.3 % +3.3%
2017 26.1 % +3.2%
2018 27.1 % +3.8%
2019 28.2 % +4.1%
2020 29.5 % +4.6%
2021 30.9 % +4.7%
2022 32.5 % +5.2%
2023 34.2 % +5.2%

Lesotho compared with similar countries

  • Lesotho's 34.2 % is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.9 %, 1.0× the median. (40 countries reporting)
  • Lesotho's 34.2 % is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 38.95 %, 88% of the median. (44 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 27.87 % 24.3 % 32.1 % 10
2010s 24.99 % 23.6 % 28.2 % 10
2020s 31.77 % 29.5 % 34.2 % 4

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 41 South Sudan 35 % compare
  2. 42 Turkmenistan 34.8 % compare
  3. 43 Oman 34.4 % compare
  4. 45 Lebanon 34 % compare
  5. 45 Sudan 34 % compare
  6. 47 Bhutan 33.8 % compare

See the full ranking of 234 places →

More economy & growth data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Lesotho?
Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Lesotho was 34.2 % in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 34.2 % in 2023.
What is the lowest prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 23.6 % in 2011.
How does Lesotho rank for prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years)?
Lesotho ranks 44th out of 177 countries with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is up 44.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) (percent) — Value — Female — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 19 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-anemia-among-women-of-reproductive-age-15-49-years-percent-value-female-all/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) (percent) — Value — Female — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
234 places, 5,616 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

The Suite of Gender Indicators presents a set of indicators relevant to agrifood systems that are disaggregated by sex, with the aim of highlighting gender differences across agrifood systems. The initial set of indicators is based on those used in FAO’s 2023 Status of Women in Agrifood Systems (SWAFS) report and on the recommendations of an expert consultation held in December 2023, and covers key dimensions including economic participation, governance, agency, social norms, assets and services, education, health, and nutrition. Indicator selection was informed by expert judgment and by the availability of data with sufficient geographic and temporal coverage to enable meaningful comparisons across regions and over time. While most indicators are produced and published by FAO and other international organizations, the objective of this domain is to provide a one-stop shop for sex-disaggregated data on agrifood systems.