Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho

Lesotho: Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate was -54.09 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
-54.09 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 6.1%
World rank
150th
of 195 countries
All-time high
227.97 % change on previous year
in 2023
All-time low
-729.69 % change on previous year
in 2009
Years of data
44
1981–2025

Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho, 1981–2025

-800-600-400-20002001981200320251981: -6.5 % change on previous year1982: 32.3 % change on previous year1983: -55.9 % change on previous year1984: 52.2 % change on previous year1985: -102.7 % change on previous year1986: 53.9 % change on previous year1987: 31.1 % change on previous year1989: 27.9 % change on previous year1990: -20 % change on previous year1991: 51.5 % change on previous year1992: -4.8 % change on previous year1993: -87.1 % change on previous year1994: -176.4 % change on previous year1995: 44.1 % change on previous year1996: -20.3 % change on previous year1997: -12.4 % change on previous year1998: 13.2 % change on previous year1999: 22.3 % change on previous year2000: -47 % change on previous year2001: 8.4 % change on previous year2002: 4.4 % change on previous year2003: -54.8 % change on previous year2004: -26.7 % change on previous year2005: 50.7 % change on previous year2006: 11.4 % change on previous year2007: -210.9 % change on previous year2008: 85.4 % change on previous year2009: -729.7 % change on previous year2010: 89.6 % change on previous year2011: -543.3 % change on previous year2012: 7.4 % change on previous year2013: 11 % change on previous year2014: -87.3 % change on previous year2015: -19.9 % change on previous year2016: 30 % change on previous year2017: 46.8 % change on previous year2018: 3.1 % change on previous year2019: 12.6 % change on previous year2020: 21.6 % change on previous year2021: 144.2 % change on previous year2022: -36.8 % change on previous year2023: 228 % change on previous year2024: -51 % change on previous year2025: -54.1 % change on previous year

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.

Analysis

The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net (bop, current us$), annual growth rate in Lesotho is -54.09 % change on previous year, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.1% on the previous year and down 172.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net (bop, current us$), annual growth rate in Lesotho peaked at 227.97 % change on previous year in 2023 and was at its lowest, -729.69 % change on previous year, in 2009.

Lesotho ranks 150th of 195 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho, 1981 to 2025.
Year % change on previous year Change
1981 -6.5 % change on previous year
1982 32.25 % change on previous year -596.4%
1983 -55.86 % change on previous year -273.2%
1984 52.21 % change on previous year -193.5%
1985 -102.69 % change on previous year -296.7%
1986 53.94 % change on previous year -152.5%
1987 31.06 % change on previous year -42.4%
1989 27.93 % change on previous year -10.1%
1990 -19.96 % change on previous year -171.5%
1991 51.51 % change on previous year -358.1%
1992 -4.75 % change on previous year -109.2%
1993 -87.06 % change on previous year +1731.2%
1994 -176.36 % change on previous year +102.6%
1995 44.13 % change on previous year -125.0%
1996 -20.26 % change on previous year -145.9%
1997 -12.4 % change on previous year -38.8%
1998 13.25 % change on previous year -206.8%
1999 22.27 % change on previous year +68.1%
2000 -47.04 % change on previous year -311.2%
2001 8.36 % change on previous year -117.8%
2002 4.39 % change on previous year -47.5%
2003 -54.79 % change on previous year -1347.9%
2004 -26.68 % change on previous year -51.3%
2005 50.71 % change on previous year -290.1%
2006 11.36 % change on previous year -77.6%
2007 -210.9 % change on previous year -1957.1%
2008 85.44 % change on previous year -140.5%
2009 -729.69 % change on previous year -954.0%
2010 89.59 % change on previous year -112.3%
2011 -543.34 % change on previous year -706.5%
2012 7.39 % change on previous year -101.4%
2013 10.99 % change on previous year +48.7%
2014 -87.32 % change on previous year -894.6%
2015 -19.86 % change on previous year -77.3%
2016 30.02 % change on previous year -251.1%
2017 46.78 % change on previous year +55.8%
2018 3.07 % change on previous year -93.4%
2019 12.58 % change on previous year +309.7%
2020 21.64 % change on previous year +72.0%
2021 144.18 % change on previous year +566.4%
2022 -36.79 % change on previous year -125.5%
2023 227.97 % change on previous year -719.6%
2024 -50.98 % change on previous year -122.4%
2025 -54.09 % change on previous year +6.1%

Lesotho compared with similar countries

  • Lesotho's -54.09 % change on previous year is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -8.24 % change on previous year, 6.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
  • Lesotho's -54.09 % change on previous year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -22.82 % change on previous year, 2.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate 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.

YearChange FromTo
2007 -1957.1% 11.36 % change on previous year -210.9 % change on previous year
1993 -1731.2% -4.75 % change on previous year -87.06 % change on previous year
2003 -1347.9% 4.39 % change on previous year -54.79 % change on previous year

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 4.04 % change on previous year -102.69 % change on previous year 53.94 % change on previous year 8
1990s -18.96 % change on previous year -176.36 % change on previous year 51.51 % change on previous year 10
2000s -90.88 % change on previous year -729.69 % change on previous year 85.44 % change on previous year 10
2010s -45.01 % change on previous year -543.34 % change on previous year 89.59 % change on previous year 10
2020s 41.99 % change on previous year -54.09 % change on previous year 227.97 % change on previous year 6

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 147 China -48.36 % change on previous year compare
  2. 148 Switzerland -53.26 % change on previous year compare
  3. 149 Honduras -53.6 % change on previous year compare
  4. 151 Kyrgyzstan -57.32 % change on previous year compare
  5. 152 Trinidad and Tobago -58.74 % change on previous year compare
  6. 153 Peru -60.49 % change on previous year compare

See the full ranking of 196 places →

More economy & growth data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is foreign direct investment, net (bop, current us$), annual growth rate in Lesotho?
Foreign direct investment, net (bop, current us$), annual growth rate in Lesotho was -54.09 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest foreign direct investment, net (bop, current us$), annual growth rate recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 227.97 % change on previous year in 2023.
What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net (bop, current us$), annual growth rate recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was -729.69 % change on previous year in 2009.
How does Lesotho rank for foreign direct investment, net (bop, current us$), annual growth rate?
Lesotho ranks 150th out of 195 countries with data for 2025.
Is foreign direct investment, net (bop, current us$), annual growth rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is down 172.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/foreign-direct-investment-net-bop-current-us-annual-growth-rate/lesotho/

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<a href="https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/foreign-direct-investment-net-bop-current-us-annual-growth-rate/lesotho/">Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

The year-on-year percentage change in Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$), annual growth rate
Unit
% change on previous year
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
196 places, 6,839 data points, 1961–2025
Last refreshed

The year-on-year percentage change in Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.