External debt stocks in Lesotho
Lesotho: External debt stocks was 65.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
External debt stocks in Lesotho, 1970–2024
Source: International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GNI.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 65.4% for external debt stocks in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.2% on the previous year and up 94.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external debt stocks in Lesotho peaked at 71.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 1974.
Lesotho ranks 34th of 121 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.
External debt stocks in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of GNI | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 9.2% | — |
| 1971 | 8.8% | -4.2% |
| 1972 | 8.8% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 5.0% | -42.7% |
| 1974 | 4.2% | -15.8% |
| 1975 | 5.6% | +32.3% |
| 1976 | 5.7% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 6.9% | +21.0% |
| 1978 | 7.7% | +11.7% |
| 1979 | 10.5% | +37.8% |
| 1980 | 10.4% | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 11.6% | +12.5% |
| 1982 | 17.6% | +50.8% |
| 1983 | 16.7% | -4.8% |
| 1984 | 20.7% | +24.0% |
| 1985 | 34.9% | +68.5% |
| 1986 | 33.6% | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 35.0% | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 35.4% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 40.3% | +13.6% |
| 1990 | 41.3% | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 41.4% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 40.8% | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 46.5% | +13.9% |
| 1994 | 51.6% | +11.0% |
| 1995 | 51.1% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 55.4% | +8.3% |
| 1997 | 50.9% | -8.0% |
| 1998 | 57.7% | +13.4% |
| 1999 | 57.5% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 68.1% | +18.4% |
| 2001 | 57.3% | -15.8% |
| 2002 | 63.4% | +10.7% |
| 2003 | 42.6% | -32.8% |
| 2004 | 37.3% | -12.5% |
| 2005 | 30.5% | -18.2% |
| 2006 | 29.3% | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 29.2% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 29.3% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 33.4% | +14.2% |
| 2010 | 27.4% | -17.9% |
| 2011 | 26.3% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 31.3% | +18.7% |
| 2013 | 34.0% | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 33.5% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 36.1% | +7.6% |
| 2016 | 56.6% | +56.7% |
| 2017 | 57.4% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 48.1% | -16.2% |
| 2019 | 55.5% | +15.4% |
| 2020 | 71.2% | +28.2% |
| 2021 | 65.2% | -8.4% |
| 2022 | 64.0% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 68.9% | +7.7% |
| 2024 | 65.4% | -5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.2% | 4.2% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.6% | 10.4% | 40.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.4% | 40.8% | 57.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 42.1% | 29.2% | 68.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.6% | 26.3% | 57.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.9% | 64.0% | 71.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Services, value added (constant LCU), per capita 5,937 constant LCU per person (2025)
- GDP deflator (base year varies by country), annual growth rate 3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 9.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.8725 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 950.1 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 6.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 15.61 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 16,996 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 2.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.8589 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external debt stocks in Lesotho?
- External debt stocks in Lesotho was 65.4% in 2024, according to International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest external debt stocks recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 71.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest external debt stocks recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 1974.
- How does Lesotho rank for external debt stocks?
- Lesotho ranks 34th out of 121 countries with data for 2024.
- Is external debt stocks rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 94.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB), published as part of External debt stocks (% of GNI). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total external debt stocks to gross national income. Total external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private nonguaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt. Short-term debt includes all debt having an original maturity of one year or less and interest in arrears on long-term debt. GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad.