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 197th of 214 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% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's -0.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.1%. (43 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's -0.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.5%. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net inflows, as a proportion of GDP (%) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +742.1% | 0.6% | 5.2% |
| 2011 | +457.4% | 0.4% | 2.4% |
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
- 195 Russian Federation -0.4% compare
- 195 Russia -0.4% compare
- 198 Papua New Guinea -0.6% compare
- 199 Suriname -0.9% compare
- 200 Angola -1.1% 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 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 197th out of 214 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.
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