Gross domestic product (GDP) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Gross domestic product (GDP) was 4.76 billion international-$ in 2011 prices in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
4.76 billion international-$ in 2011 prices
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
154th
of 166 countries
All-time high
5.42 billion international-$ in 2011 prices
in 2016
All-time low
458.11 million international-$ in 2011 prices
in 1950
Years of data
73
1950–2022
Gross domestic product (GDP) in Lesotho, 1950–2022
Source: Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2011 prices.
Analysis
In 2022, gross domestic product (gdp) in Lesotho stood at 4.76 billion international-$ in 2011 prices.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp) in Lesotho peaked at 5.42 billion international-$ in 2011 prices in 2016 and was at its lowest, 458.11 million international-$ in 2011 prices, in 1950.
Lesotho ranks 154th of 166 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gross domestic product (GDP) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2011 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 458.11 million international-$ in 2011 prices | — |
| 1951 | 484.21 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +5.7% |
| 1952 | 498.83 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.0% |
| 1953 | 519.00 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +4.0% |
| 1954 | 547.28 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +5.4% |
| 1955 | 565.13 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.3% |
| 1956 | 588.00 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +4.0% |
| 1957 | 608.94 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.6% |
| 1958 | 632.59 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.9% |
| 1959 | 651.64 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 698.37 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +7.2% |
| 1961 | 711.38 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 819.77 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +15.2% |
| 1963 | 907.44 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +10.7% |
| 1964 | 982.33 million international-$ in 2011 prices | +8.3% |
| 1965 | 1.00 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 998.35 million international-$ in 2011 prices | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 1.11 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +11.0% |
| 1968 | 1.10 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 1.12 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 1.14 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 1.04 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -9.2% |
| 1972 | 1.24 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +19.1% |
| 1973 | 1.56 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +25.9% |
| 1974 | 1.65 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +6.1% |
| 1975 | 1.52 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -8.2% |
| 1976 | 1.77 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +16.6% |
| 1977 | 2.08 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +17.6% |
| 1978 | 2.49 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +19.8% |
| 1979 | 2.22 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -10.9% |
| 1980 | 2.16 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -2.7% |
| 1981 | 2.18 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 2.26 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 2.30 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 2.40 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 2.48 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.4% |
| 1986 | 2.61 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +5.1% |
| 1987 | 2.62 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 2.86 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +9.0% |
| 1989 | 3.02 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +5.7% |
| 1990 | 3.21 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 3.21 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 3.37 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +5.1% |
| 1993 | 3.41 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 3.50 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 3.49 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 3.61 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 3.66 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 3.65 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 3.67 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 3.77 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 3.84 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 3.77 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 3.86 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 3.86 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.87 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 3.95 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 4.04 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 4.17 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 4.21 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 4.44 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 4.52 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 4.74 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 4.95 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 5.13 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 5.28 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 5.42 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 5.20 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 5.07 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 5.00 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 4.62 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 4.71 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 4.76 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | +1.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 4.76 billion international-$ in 2011 prices is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 54.95 billion international-$ in 2011 prices, 9% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 4.76 billion international-$ in 2011 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 26.73 billion international-$ in 2011 prices, 18% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross domestic product (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +25.9% | 1.24 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 1.56 billion international-$ in 2011 prices |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 555.37 million international-$ in 2011 prices | 458.11 million international-$ in 2011 prices | 651.64 million international-$ in 2011 prices | 10 |
| 1960s | 945.44 million international-$ in 2011 prices | 698.37 million international-$ in 2011 prices | 1.12 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.67 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 1.04 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 2.49 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.49 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 2.16 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 3.02 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.48 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 3.21 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 3.67 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.93 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 3.77 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 4.21 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.97 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 4.44 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 5.42 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.70 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 4.62 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 4.76 billion international-$ in 2011 prices | 3 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 151 Sierra Leone 11.68 billion international-$ in 2011 prices compare
- 152 Eswatini 9.59 billion international-$ in 2011 prices compare
- 153 Burundi 9.18 billion international-$ in 2011 prices compare
- 155 Gambia 4.66 billion international-$ in 2011 prices compare
- 156 Cape Verde 4.25 billion international-$ in 2011 prices compare
- 157 Liberia 4.23 billion international-$ in 2011 prices compare
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 0 BoP, current US$ (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0 BoP, current US$ per person (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -5.77 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 54.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -2.44 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4215 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 431.19 includes gold, current US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross domestic product (gdp) in Lesotho?
- Gross domestic product (gdp) in Lesotho was 4.76 billion international-$ in 2011 prices in 2022, according to Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 5.42 billion international-$ in 2011 prices in 2016.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 458.11 million international-$ in 2011 prices in 1950.
- How does Lesotho rank for gross domestic product (gdp)?
- Lesotho ranks 154th out of 166 countries with data for 2022.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Bolt and van Zanden – Maddison Project Database 2023 – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gross domestic product (GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total economic output of a country or region per year. This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.