Gross domestic product (GDP) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Gross domestic product (GDP) was 5.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
5.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
163rd
of 184 countries
All-time high
7.62 billion international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2015
All-time low
922.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Gross domestic product (GDP) in Lesotho, 1960–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2023, gross domestic product (gdp) in Lesotho stood at 5.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices.
The figure is up 2.2% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp) in Lesotho peaked at 7.62 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2015 and was at its lowest, 922.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1960.
Lesotho ranks 163rd of 184 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Gross domestic product (GDP) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 922.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1961 | 935.69 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 1.08 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +15.4% |
| 1963 | 1.21 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +12.0% |
| 1964 | 1.30 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.6% |
| 1965 | 1.33 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 1.41 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.3% |
| 1967 | 1.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.8% |
| 1968 | 1.53 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 1.53 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 1.61 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.8% |
| 1971 | 1.50 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.3% |
| 1972 | 1.85 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +23.1% |
| 1973 | 2.29 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +23.7% |
| 1974 | 2.47 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.8% |
| 1975 | 2.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.5% |
| 1976 | 2.88 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +17.4% |
| 1977 | 3.19 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.5% |
| 1978 | 3.56 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +11.6% |
| 1979 | 3.31 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.9% |
| 1980 | 3.02 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.8% |
| 1981 | 3.14 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 3.28 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 3.21 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 3.30 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 3.37 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 3.31 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 3.51 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.9% |
| 1988 | 3.99 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +13.8% |
| 1989 | 4.34 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.6% |
| 1990 | 4.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 4.60 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 4.56 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 5.04 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 5.02 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 5.28 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.2% |
| 1996 | 5.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.9% |
| 1997 | 5.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 5.23 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -12.5% |
| 1999 | 5.32 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 5.44 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 5.78 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.4% |
| 2002 | 5.85 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 5.89 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 5.87 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 6.02 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 6.14 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 6.28 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 6.77 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 6.43 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.1% |
| 2010 | 5.86 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.8% |
| 2011 | 5.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 6.54 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +9.4% |
| 2013 | 6.61 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 7.10 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.4% |
| 2015 | 7.62 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +7.4% |
| 2016 | 7.27 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 6.96 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 6.41 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.0% |
| 2019 | 5.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.6% |
| 2020 | 5.38 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -10.1% |
| 2021 | 5.16 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 5.24 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 5.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 5.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 72.56 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 7% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 5.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45.59 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 12% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.28 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 922.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1.53 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.51 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 1.50 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.56 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.45 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.02 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.34 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.13 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.46 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.05 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.44 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6.77 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.63 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.86 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 7.62 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.28 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.16 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.38 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 160 South Sudan 8.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 161 Gambia 7.65 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 162 Central African Republic 5.66 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 164 Guinea-Bissau 5.25 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 165 Cape Verde 4.97 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 166 Aruba 4.89 billion international-$ in 2021 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 5.35 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp) recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 7.62 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2015.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp) recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 922.14 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 1960.
- How does Lesotho rank for gross domestic product (gdp)?
- Lesotho ranks 163rd out of 184 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp) rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gross domestic product (GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.