Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) was -33.48 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net in Lesotho, 1980–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net in Lesotho is -33.48 million BoP, current US$, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 125.9% on the previous year and up 70.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net in Lesotho peaked at 57.51 million BoP, current US$ in 2019 and was at its lowest, -134.94 million BoP, current US$, in 2017.
That places Lesotho 61st out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | -4.49 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1981 | -4.79 million BoP, current US$ | +6.5% |
| 1982 | -3.24 million BoP, current US$ | -32.3% |
| 1983 | -5.05 million BoP, current US$ | +55.9% |
| 1984 | -2.41 million BoP, current US$ | -52.2% |
| 1985 | -4.89 million BoP, current US$ | +102.7% |
| 1986 | -2.25 million BoP, current US$ | -53.9% |
| 1987 | -1.55 million BoP, current US$ | -31.1% |
| 1988 | -19.06 million BoP, current US$ | +1126.4% |
| 1989 | -13.74 million BoP, current US$ | -27.9% |
| 1990 | -16.48 million BoP, current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1991 | -7.99 million BoP, current US$ | -51.5% |
| 1992 | -8.37 million BoP, current US$ | +4.8% |
| 1993 | -15.66 million BoP, current US$ | +87.1% |
| 1994 | -43.27 million BoP, current US$ | +176.4% |
| 1995 | -24.18 million BoP, current US$ | -44.1% |
| 1996 | -29.07 million BoP, current US$ | +20.3% |
| 1997 | -32.68 million BoP, current US$ | +12.4% |
| 1998 | -28.35 million BoP, current US$ | -13.2% |
| 1999 | -22.04 million BoP, current US$ | -22.3% |
| 2000 | -32.40 million BoP, current US$ | +47.0% |
| 2001 | -29.70 million BoP, current US$ | -8.4% |
| 2002 | -28.39 million BoP, current US$ | -4.4% |
| 2003 | -43.95 million BoP, current US$ | +54.8% |
| 2004 | -55.67 million BoP, current US$ | +26.7% |
| 2005 | -27.44 million BoP, current US$ | -50.7% |
| 2006 | -24.32 million BoP, current US$ | -11.4% |
| 2007 | -75.62 million BoP, current US$ | +210.9% |
| 2008 | -11.01 million BoP, current US$ | -85.4% |
| 2009 | -91.35 million BoP, current US$ | +729.7% |
| 2010 | -9.51 million BoP, current US$ | -89.6% |
| 2011 | -61.17 million BoP, current US$ | +543.3% |
| 2012 | -56.65 million BoP, current US$ | -7.4% |
| 2013 | -50.43 million BoP, current US$ | -11.0% |
| 2014 | -94.46 million BoP, current US$ | +87.3% |
| 2015 | -113.22 million BoP, current US$ | +19.9% |
| 2016 | -38.95 million BoP, current US$ | -65.6% |
| 2017 | -134.94 million BoP, current US$ | +246.4% |
| 2018 | -23.46 million BoP, current US$ | -82.6% |
| 2019 | 57.51 million BoP, current US$ | -345.2% |
| 2020 | -12.26 million BoP, current US$ | -121.3% |
| 2021 | 12.44 million BoP, current US$ | -201.5% |
| 2022 | 138,752 BoP, current US$ | -98.9% |
| 2023 | -24.94 million BoP, current US$ | -18071.2% |
| 2024 | -14.82 million BoP, current US$ | -40.6% |
| 2025 | -33.48 million BoP, current US$ | +125.9% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's -33.48 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -680.55 million BoP, current US$, 5% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's -33.48 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -396.63 million BoP, current US$, 8% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -18071.2% | 138,752 BoP, current US$ | -24.94 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1988 | -1126.4% | -1.55 million BoP, current US$ | -19.06 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2009 | -729.7% | -11.01 million BoP, current US$ | -91.35 million BoP, current US$ |
| 2011 | -543.3% | -9.51 million BoP, current US$ | -61.17 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -6.15 million BoP, current US$ | -19.06 million BoP, current US$ | -1.55 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -22.81 million BoP, current US$ | -43.27 million BoP, current US$ | -7.99 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -41.98 million BoP, current US$ | -91.35 million BoP, current US$ | -11.01 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -52.53 million BoP, current US$ | -134.94 million BoP, current US$ | 57.51 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -12.15 million BoP, current US$ | -33.48 million BoP, current US$ | 12.44 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 58 Chad -26.51 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 59 Eritrea -27.88 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 60 Burundi -31.21 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 62 French Polynesia -37.32 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 63 Iran -39.00 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 64 Nepal -43.53 million BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -71.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 57.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0799 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 87.06 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 50.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0584 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 63.57 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0303 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 33.01 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net in Lesotho?
- Foreign direct investment, net in Lesotho was -33.48 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 57.51 million BoP, current US$ in 2019.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -134.94 million BoP, current US$ in 2017.
- How does Lesotho rank for foreign direct investment, net?
- Lesotho ranks 61st out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 70.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the voting power is evidence of a direct investment relationship. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.