GDP per capita in Lesotho
Lesotho: GDP per capita was 1,021 constant 2015 US$ in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1,021 constant 2015 US$
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
189th
of 209 countries
All-time high
1,148 constant 2015 US$
in 2016
All-time low
259.77 constant 2015 US$
in 1961
Years of data
66
1960–2025
GDP per capita in Lesotho, 1960–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2015 US$.
Analysis
In 2025, gdp per capita in Lesotho stood at 1,021 constant 2015 US$.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita in Lesotho peaked at 1,148 constant 2015 US$ in 2016 and was at its lowest, 259.77 constant 2015 US$, in 1961.
That places Lesotho 189th out of 209 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
GDP per capita in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 262.74 constant 2015 US$ | — |
| 1961 | 259.77 constant 2015 US$ | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 290.78 constant 2015 US$ | +11.9% |
| 1963 | 312.24 constant 2015 US$ | +7.4% |
| 1964 | 328.2 constant 2015 US$ | +5.1% |
| 1965 | 325.59 constant 2015 US$ | -0.8% |
| 1966 | 314.06 constant 2015 US$ | -3.5% |
| 1967 | 336.09 constant 2015 US$ | +7.0% |
| 1968 | 322.8 constant 2015 US$ | -4.0% |
| 1969 | 316.1 constant 2015 US$ | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 311.55 constant 2015 US$ | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 316.02 constant 2015 US$ | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 304.47 constant 2015 US$ | -3.7% |
| 1973 | 371.74 constant 2015 US$ | +22.1% |
| 1974 | 398.58 constant 2015 US$ | +7.2% |
| 1975 | 333.01 constant 2015 US$ | -16.5% |
| 1976 | 358.13 constant 2015 US$ | +7.5% |
| 1977 | 423.81 constant 2015 US$ | +18.3% |
| 1978 | 487.35 constant 2015 US$ | +15.0% |
| 1979 | 487.17 constant 2015 US$ | -0.0% |
| 1980 | 460.2 constant 2015 US$ | -5.5% |
| 1981 | 450.1 constant 2015 US$ | -2.2% |
| 1982 | 456.71 constant 2015 US$ | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 452.52 constant 2015 US$ | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 464.09 constant 2015 US$ | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 462.89 constant 2015 US$ | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 472.43 constant 2015 US$ | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 465.47 constant 2015 US$ | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 494.92 constant 2015 US$ | +6.3% |
| 1989 | 513.11 constant 2015 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 533.83 constant 2015 US$ | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 560.88 constant 2015 US$ | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 590.01 constant 2015 US$ | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 601.56 constant 2015 US$ | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 628.96 constant 2015 US$ | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 641.76 constant 2015 US$ | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 670.47 constant 2015 US$ | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 689.81 constant 2015 US$ | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 696.94 constant 2015 US$ | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 698.44 constant 2015 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 725.26 constant 2015 US$ | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 752.24 constant 2015 US$ | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 760.03 constant 2015 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 798.54 constant 2015 US$ | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 817.79 constant 2015 US$ | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 853.96 constant 2015 US$ | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 893.75 constant 2015 US$ | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 927.27 constant 2015 US$ | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 971.88 constant 2015 US$ | +4.8% |
| 2009 | 952.75 constant 2015 US$ | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 995.23 constant 2015 US$ | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 1,032 constant 2015 US$ | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 1,086 constant 2015 US$ | +5.3% |
| 2013 | 1,094 constant 2015 US$ | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 1,100 constant 2015 US$ | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 1,121 constant 2015 US$ | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 1,148 constant 2015 US$ | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 1,098 constant 2015 US$ | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 1,068 constant 2015 US$ | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 1,041 constant 2015 US$ | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 944.83 constant 2015 US$ | -9.2% |
| 2021 | 955.22 constant 2015 US$ | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 967.52 constant 2015 US$ | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 973.12 constant 2015 US$ | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 1,013 constant 2015 US$ | +4.1% |
| 2025 | 1,021 constant 2015 US$ | +0.9% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1,021 constant 2015 US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,985 constant 2015 US$, 51% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1,021 constant 2015 US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,159 constant 2015 US$, 88% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 306.84 constant 2015 US$ | 259.77 constant 2015 US$ | 336.09 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 379.18 constant 2015 US$ | 304.47 constant 2015 US$ | 487.35 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 469.24 constant 2015 US$ | 450.1 constant 2015 US$ | 513.11 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 631.26 constant 2015 US$ | 533.83 constant 2015 US$ | 698.44 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 845.35 constant 2015 US$ | 725.26 constant 2015 US$ | 971.88 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,078 constant 2015 US$ | 995.23 constant 2015 US$ | 1,148 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 979.11 constant 2015 US$ | 944.83 constant 2015 US$ | 1,021 constant 2015 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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 gdp per capita in Lesotho?
- Gdp per capita in Lesotho was 1,021 constant 2015 US$ in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gdp per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1,148 constant 2015 US$ in 2016.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 259.77 constant 2015 US$ in 1961.
- How does Lesotho rank for gdp per capita?
- Lesotho ranks 189th out of 209 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gdp per capita rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average economic output per person in a country or region per year. This data is adjusted by inflation but _does not_ account for differences in living costs between countries.