Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Lesotho
Lesotho: Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP was -0.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Lesotho, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Lesotho is -0.6%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 54.3% on the previous year and down 114.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Lesotho peaked at 5.2% in 2009 and was at its lowest, -1.2%, in 2023.
Lesotho ranks 196th of 212 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 inflows, as a proportion of GDP in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.7% | — |
| 2001 | 3.6% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 3.8% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 3.7% | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 1.6% | -55.7% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | -17.2% |
| 2007 | 4.5% | +232.7% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | -86.1% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | +742.1% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | -91.9% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | +457.4% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 3.9% | +81.6% |
| 2015 | 4.8% | +24.0% |
| 2016 | 3.7% | -21.9% |
| 2017 | 1.8% | -51.2% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | -12.5% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 1.4% | -8.8% |
| 2021 | -0.5% | -137.6% |
| 2022 | -0.3% | -35.3% |
| 2023 | -1.2% | +264.7% |
| 2024 | -0.6% | -54.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.2% | 0.6% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 0.4% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.2% | -1.2% | 1.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 194 Russian Federation -0.4% compare
- 194 Russian Federation -0.4% compare
- 197 Papua New Guinea -0.6% compare
- 198 Suriname -0.9% compare
- 199 Angola -1.1% compare
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 13.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3123 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 340.12 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 10.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 5.59 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 6,084 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 6.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.3404 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 370.67 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 9.07 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Lesotho?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp in Lesotho was -0.6% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2% in 2009.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.2% in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp?
- Lesotho ranks 196th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 114.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).