Spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption in Lesotho
Lesotho: Spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption was 8.9% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption in Lesotho, 2000–2019
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption in Lesotho is 8.9%, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 56.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption in Lesotho peaked at 24.3% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 8.9%, in 2018.
That places Lesotho 162nd out of 185 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.2% | — |
| 2001 | 15.2% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 16.1% | +6.1% |
| 2003 | 17.1% | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 17.8% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 18.5% | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 18.9% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 19.1% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 18.8% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 20.6% | +9.2% |
| 2010 | 22.8% | +10.9% |
| 2011 | 24.3% | +6.5% |
| 2012 | 21.8% | -10.4% |
| 2013 | 18.7% | -14.3% |
| 2014 | 18.2% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 16.9% | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 10.6% | -33.6% |
| 2018 | 8.9% | -16.0% |
| 2019 | 8.9% | +0.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 8.9% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.2%, 37% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 8.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.1%, 88% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.7% | 15.2% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.7% | 8.9% | 24.3% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 0 BoP, current US$ (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0 BoP, current US$ per person (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -5.77 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 54.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -2.44 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4215 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 431.19 includes gold, current US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption in Lesotho?
- Spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption in Lesotho was 8.9% in 2019, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 2011.
- What is the lowest spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.9% in 2018.
- How does Lesotho rank for spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption?
- Lesotho ranks 162nd out of 185 countries with data for 2019.
- Is spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Spirits as a share of total alcohol consumption by adults aged over 15, as measured in terms of litres of pure alcohol.