What is the capital of Lesotho?
Maseru lies on the Caledon River at about 1,600 metres above sea level, directly on the border between Lesotho and South Africa.
Maseru is the capital and seat of government of Lesotho, a role it has held since 1869. Lesotho itself has an estimated population of 2,363,325 (2025).
Maseru is also the largest city in Lesotho, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Maseru at a glance
| City population | 330,760 (2016 census) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇱🇸 Lesotho |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Capital since | 1869 |
| Largest city in Lesotho | Maseru |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (SAST) |
| Currency | Lesotho loti (LSL) |
About Maseru
Maseru began as a police camp in 1869 and was made the capital when the country became a British protectorate that same year.
Maseru has been the capital of Lesotho since 1869, when the settlement was designated the capital of the new British protectorate; it kept the role when Lesotho became independent in 1966.
The name Maseru is a Sesotho word meaning 'red sandstones'.
The city is also the capital of the surrounding Maseru District.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Maseru.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Lesotho?
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What is the population of Maseru?
Where is Maseru located?
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Lesotho on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.