Languages spoken in Lesotho
Africa · Capital: Maseru · Population 2.2 million
In Lesotho, two languages have official status: Southern Sotho and English. Southern Sotho is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 98% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 2.2 million people. After Southern Sotho, the most widely spoken are English at 27% and Zulu at 14%. Southern Sotho belongs to the Niger-Congo language family. Southern Sotho is also spoken in one of its one neighbour: South Africa. In total, five languages are recorded in Lesotho, and their shares add up to 142.4% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.4 of them.
What languages are spoken in Lesotho?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern SothoNiger-Congo | 98% | Official | 2.2 million |
| EnglishIndo-European | 27% | Official | 601,439 |
| ZuluNiger-Congo | 14% | Spoken | 311,857 |
| SwatiNiger-Congo | 2.4% | Spoken | 53,461 |
| XhosaNiger-Congo | 1% | Spoken | 22,053 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Lesotho?
In Lesotho, two languages have official status: Southern Sotho and English. Southern Sotho is spoken by an estimated 98% of the population, or roughly 2.2 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Southern Sotho in Lesotho?
An estimated 98% of Lesotho's 2.2 million people speak Southern Sotho, which works out at roughly 2.2 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Lesotho
- Capital
- Maseru
- Population
- 2.2 million
- Continent
- Africa
- Area
- 30,355 km²
- Currency
- LSL and ZAR
- Languages recorded
- 5
- Land borders
- 1
- ISO codes
- LS / LSO / 426
Which countries border Lesotho?
Lesotho shares a land border with one country: South Africa. Southern Sotho, the most widely spoken language in Lesotho, is also spoken in South Africa.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.