Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho

Lesotho: Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers was 1.27 million in 2011. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2011)
1.27 million
Change on year
up 23.9%
World rank
43rd
of 53 countries
All-time high
1.27 million
in 2011
All-time low
400
in 1960
Years of data
40
1960–2011

Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho, 1960–2011

0500.0k1.0M1.5M1960198520111960: 4001965: 1.2k1970: 1.3k1975: 1.9k1976: 1.9k1977: 2.0k1978: 2.6k1979: 3.1k1980: 3.4k1981: 4.5k1982: 4.9k1983: 5.2k1984: 5.4k1985: 7.4k1986: 8.9k1987: 10.3k1988: 11.5k1989: 12.2k1990: 12.4k1991: 12.3k1992: 11.4k1993: 14.6k1994: 15.7k1995: 17.8k1996: 17.2k1997: 23.9k1998: 30.8k1999: 33.6k2000: 43.8k2001: 78.4k2002: 166.6k2003: 161.1k2004: 233.4k2005: 297.8k2006: 411.0k2007: 530.0k2008: 634.4k2009: 701.0k2010: 1.0M2011: 1.3M

Source: International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database.

Analysis

Lesotho recorded 1.27 million for mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in 2011. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.

The figure is up 23.9% on the previous year and up 1,521.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho peaked at 1.27 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 400, in 1960.

That places Lesotho 43rd out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho, 1960 to 2011.
Year Value Change
1960 400
1965 1,200 +200.0%
1970 1,300 +8.3%
1975 1,917 +47.5%
1976 1,950 +1.7%
1977 2,019 +3.5%
1978 2,590 +28.3%
1979 3,085 +19.1%
1980 3,446 +11.7%
1981 4,470 +29.7%
1982 4,870 +8.9%
1983 5,200 +6.8%
1984 5,407 +4.0%
1985 7,358 +36.1%
1986 8,931 +21.4%
1987 10,295 +15.3%
1988 11,456 +11.3%
1989 12,228 +6.7%
1990 12,357 +1.1%
1991 12,275 -0.7%
1992 11,380 -7.3%
1993 14,621 +28.5%
1994 15,712 +7.5%
1995 17,792 +13.2%
1996 17,237 -3.1%
1997 23,900 +38.7%
1998 30,831 +29.0%
1999 33,600 +9.0%
2000 43,800 +30.4%
2001 78,382 +79.0%
2002 166,556 +112.5%
2003 161,051 -3.3%
2004 233,443 +44.9%
2005 297,750 +27.5%
2006 411,049 +38.1%
2007 530,037 +28.9%
2008 634,406 +19.7%
2009 701,000 +10.5%
2010 1.03 million +46.4%
2011 1.27 million +23.9%

Lesotho compared with similar countries

  • Lesotho's 1.27 million is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.90 million, 14% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
  • Lesotho's 1.27 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.13 million, 31% of the median. (47 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1965 +200.0% 400 1,200

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 800 400 1,200 2
1970s 2,144 1,300 3,085 6
1980s 7,366 3,446 12,228 10
1990s 18,970 11,380 33,600 10
2000s 325,747 43,800 701,000 10
2010s 1.15 million 1.03 million 1.27 million 2

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 40 Gabon 1.82 million compare
  2. 41 Mauritius 1.67 million compare
  3. 42 Gambia 1.45 million compare
  4. 44 Eswatini 842,365 compare
  5. 45 Somalia 748,200 compare
  6. 46 Guinea-Bissau 720,000 compare

See the full ranking of 59 places →

More infrastructure data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho?
Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho was 1.27 million in 2011, according to International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database.
What is the highest mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 1.27 million in 2011.
What is the lowest mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 400 in 1960.
How does Lesotho rank for mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers?
Lesotho ranks 43rd out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
Is mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is up 1,521.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database, published as part of Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-and-fixed-line-telephone-subscribers/lesotho/

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About this data

Indicator
Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers
Source
International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
59 places, 2,189 data points, 1960–2011
Last refreshed

International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database.