Lesotho Military - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2023)

note: the Lesotho Mounted Police Service is responsible for internal security and reports to the Minister of Police and Public Safety

Military expenditures

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 2,000 personnel (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the LDF has a small inventory of older and second-hand equipment from a variety of countries (2023)

Military service age and obligation

20-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2022)

Military - note

Lesotho's declared policy for its military is the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; the LDF is a small force comprised of about a half dozen infantry companies; it began in 1964 as the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); the PMU was designated as the Lesotho Paramilitary Force in 1980 and became the Royal Lesotho Defense Force in 1986; it was subsequently renamed the Lesotho Defense Force in 1993 (2023)

NOTE: The information regarding Lesotho on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Lesotho 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Lesotho 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.