1.26M
20212.26M
2021■ Sheep ■ People
More People Than Sheep
Highest Sheep Pop.
2.04M
2017Lowest Sheep Pop.
627K
2020Max sheep per person
1.83
1962Min sheep per person
0.28
2020Summary
The sheep population of Lesotho grew from 1,227,386 in 1961 to 1,259,964 in 2021 — a 3% increase over six decades. The flock peaked at 2,041,479 in 2017. In 2021, there was 1 sheep for every 1.8 people.
Fun Sheep Fact
Lesotho is famous for raising woolly Basotho sheep that produce some of the world's finest wool, making the country absolutely fleece-tastic! These hardy mountain sheep are so good at their job, they really know how to raise the bar-aa-aa!
Sheep Population (1961-2021)
Sheep & People (% of combined)
Year by Year
| Year | Sheep | People | Sheep per person | Persons per sheep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,259,9641.26M | 2,261,5422.26M | 0.56 | 1.79 |
| 2020 | 626,668627K | 2,235,7272.24M | 0.28 | 3.57 |
| 2019 | 1,539,8551.54M | 2,209,4052.21M | 0.70 | 1.43 |
| 2018 | 1,613,3701.61M | 2,183,6032.18M | 0.74 | 1.35 |
| 2017 | 2,041,4792.04M | 2,157,1102.16M | 0.95 | 1.06 |
| 2016 | 1,432,0651.43M | 2,130,4222.13M | 0.67 | 1.49 |
| 2015 | 1,356,4851.36M | 2,104,6112.1M | 0.64 | 1.55 |
| 2014 | 1,346,5961.35M | 2,080,0892.08M | 0.65 | 1.54 |
| 2013 | 1,410,0131.41M | 2,056,5042.06M | 0.69 | 1.46 |
| 2012 | 1,220,0001.22M | 2,034,3542.03M | 0.60 | 1.67 |
| 2011 | 1,215,0001.22M | 2,014,0092.01M | 0.60 | 1.66 |
| 2010 | 1,228,5581.23M | 1,996,2512M | 0.62 | 1.62 |
| 2009 | 1,241,9601.24M | 1,980,8831.98M | 0.63 | 1.59 |
| 2008 | 1,275,7541.28M | 1,966,5411.97M | 0.65 | 1.54 |
| 2007 | 904,743905K | 1,953,2681.95M | 0.46 | 2.16 |
| 2006 | 904,742905K | 1,945,0631.95M | 0.47 | 2.15 |
| 2005 | 1,041,3131.04M | 1,953,0761.95M | 0.53 | 1.88 |
| 2004 | 1,045,2531.05M | 1,971,1291.97M | 0.53 | 1.89 |
| 2003 | 936,432936K | 1,985,0591.99M | 0.47 | 2.12 |
| 2002 | 1,030,7851.03M | 1,994,6791.99M | 0.52 | 1.94 |
| 2001 | 1,082,5181.08M | 2,000,8532M | 0.54 | 1.85 |
| 2000 | 1,116,6291.12M | 2,003,9132M | 0.56 | 1.79 |
| 1999 | 1,109,1071.11M | 2,003,2342M | 0.55 | 1.81 |
| 1998 | 696,344696K | 1,998,0492M | 0.35 | 2.87 |
| 1997 | 937,504938K | 1,988,1301.99M | 0.47 | 2.12 |
| 1996 | 951,000951K | 1,972,4181.97M | 0.48 | 2.07 |
| 1995 | 1,130,7501.13M | 1,951,4371.95M | 0.58 | 1.73 |
| 1994 | 1,276,5951.28M | 1,927,7071.93M | 0.66 | 1.51 |
| 1993 | 1,176,4801.18M | 1,901,7931.9M | 0.62 | 1.62 |
| 1992 | 1,382,0001.38M | 1,873,2741.87M | 0.74 | 1.36 |
| 1991 | 1,466,7901.47M | 1,842,3791.84M | 0.80 | 1.26 |
| 1990 | 1,377,7501.38M | 1,809,6961.81M | 0.76 | 1.31 |
| 1989 | 1,504,9351.5M | 1,775,4361.78M | 0.85 | 1.18 |
| 1988 | 1,650,1451.65M | 1,739,8411.74M | 0.95 | 1.05 |
| 1987 | 1,703,8091.7M | 1,703,3901.7M | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| 1986 | 1,391,6251.39M | 1,666,1381.67M | 0.84 | 1.20 |
| 1985 | 1,412,1881.41M | 1,624,3791.62M | 0.87 | 1.15 |
| 1984 | 1,280,9751.28M | 1,578,9861.58M | 0.81 | 1.23 |
| 1983 | 1,279,4991.28M | 1,534,4131.53M | 0.83 | 1.20 |
| 1982 | 1,337,4481.34M | 1,490,7321.49M | 0.90 | 1.11 |
| 1981 | 1,168,4041.17M | 1,448,0691.45M | 0.81 | 1.24 |
| 1980 | 1,043,5611.04M | 1,406,5211.41M | 0.74 | 1.35 |
| 1979 | 973,996974K | 1,366,1691.37M | 0.71 | 1.40 |
| 1978 | 942,833943K | 1,327,2401.33M | 0.71 | 1.41 |
| 1977 | 1,128,0001.13M | 1,289,9671.29M | 0.87 | 1.14 |
| 1976 | 1,519,7001.52M | 1,253,2141.25M | 1.21 | 0.82 |
| 1975 | 1,577,4001.58M | 1,213,6431.21M | 1.30 | 0.77 |
| 1974 | 1,584,7001.58M | 1,172,4201.17M | 1.35 | 0.74 |
| 1973 | 1,556,9001.56M | 1,132,6971.13M | 1.37 | 0.73 |
| 1972 | 1,681,5001.68M | 1,094,0631.09M | 1.54 | 0.65 |
| 1971 | 1,700,0001.7M | 1,056,2461.06M | 1.61 | 0.62 |
| 1970 | 1,655,1281.66M | 1,019,2731.02M | 1.62 | 0.62 |
| 1969 | 1,473,8201.47M | 983,202983K | 1.50 | 0.67 |
| 1968 | 1,364,7031.36M | 948,105948K | 1.44 | 0.69 |
| 1967 | 1,526,4421.53M | 913,982914K | 1.67 | 0.60 |
| 1966 | 1,447,3001.45M | 881,870882K | 1.64 | 0.61 |
| 1965 | 1,468,4951.47M | 854,090854K | 1.72 | 0.58 |
| 1964 | 1,408,0001.41M | 829,437829K | 1.70 | 0.59 |
| 1963 | 1,431,6311.43M | 805,373805K | 1.78 | 0.56 |
| 1962 | 1,434,5381.43M | 781,814782K | 1.83 | 0.54 |
| 1961 | 1,227,3861.23M | 758,824759K | 1.62 | 0.62 |
