Exports of goods and services in Lesotho
Lesotho: Exports of goods and services was 49.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Exports of goods and services in Lesotho, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, exports of goods and services in Lesotho stood at 49.5%.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exports of goods and services in Lesotho peaked at 53.2% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 10.9%, in 1966.
Lesotho ranks 58th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Exports of goods and services in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.7% | — |
| 1961 | 12.5% | +6.9% |
| 1962 | 14.4% | +14.6% |
| 1963 | 14.9% | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 15.4% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 15.6% | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 10.9% | -30.2% |
| 1967 | 12.0% | +10.9% |
| 1968 | 12.1% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 13.6% | +12.5% |
| 1970 | 12.2% | -10.0% |
| 1971 | 12.8% | +4.7% |
| 1972 | 16.1% | +25.6% |
| 1973 | 14.3% | -11.2% |
| 1974 | 13.7% | -4.3% |
| 1975 | 14.5% | +5.9% |
| 1976 | 17.9% | +23.8% |
| 1977 | 11.9% | -33.6% |
| 1978 | 17.3% | +45.0% |
| 1979 | 22.1% | +28.1% |
| 1980 | 21.0% | -5.0% |
| 1981 | 19.3% | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 53.2% | +176.0% |
| 2008 | 52.9% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 44.8% | -15.4% |
| 2010 | 42.1% | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 47.7% | +13.3% |
| 2012 | 41.8% | -12.4% |
| 2013 | 38.2% | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 38.1% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 42.9% | +12.4% |
| 2016 | 45.8% | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 47.5% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 49.8% | +5.0% |
| 2019 | 46.2% | -7.3% |
| 2020 | 44.4% | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 46.1% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 46.5% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | -8.2% |
| 2024 | 49.4% | +15.8% |
| 2025 | 49.5% | +0.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 49.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 24.6%, 2.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 49.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 29.2%, 1.7× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Exports of goods and services 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +176.0% | 19.3% | 53.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.3% | 10.9% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.3% | 11.9% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.1% | 19.3% | 21.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 50.3% | 44.8% | 53.2% | 3 |
| 2010s | 44.0% | 38.1% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.5% | 42.7% | 49.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 0 BoP, current US$ (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0 BoP, current US$ per person (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -5.77 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 54.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -2.44 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4215 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 431.19 includes gold, current US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exports of goods and services in Lesotho?
- Exports of goods and services in Lesotho was 49.5% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest exports of goods and services recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 53.2% in 2007.
- What is the lowest exports of goods and services recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.9% in 1966.
- How does Lesotho rank for exports of goods and services?
- Lesotho ranks 58th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is exports of goods and services rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Exports of goods includes changes in the economic ownership of goods from residents of the compiling economy to non-residents, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Exports of services includes services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.