GDP per capita in Lesotho
Lesotho: GDP per capita was 2,721 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2,721 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
183rd
of 198 countries
All-time high
3,057 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2016
All-time low
1,422 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
GDP per capita in Lesotho, 1990–2025
Source: Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2025, gdp per capita in Lesotho stood at 2,721 international-$ in 2021 prices.
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 3,057 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2016 and was at its lowest, 1,422 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1990.
That places Lesotho 183rd out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
GDP per capita in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,422 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1991 | 1,494 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 1,572 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 1,603 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 1,676 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.6% |
| 1995 | 1,710 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 1,786 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 1,838 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 1,857 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 1,861 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 1,932 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 2,004 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 2,025 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 2,127 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 2,179 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 2,275 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.4% |
| 2006 | 2,381 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 2,470 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 2,589 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.8% |
| 2009 | 2,538 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 2,651 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 2,749 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 2,894 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.3% |
| 2013 | 2,914 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 2,931 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 2,987 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 3,057 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 2,925 international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 2,846 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 2,773 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 2,517 international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.2% |
| 2021 | 2,545 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 2,578 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 2,592 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 2,698 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.1% |
| 2025 | 2,721 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.9% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2,721 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6,095 international-$ in 2021 prices, 45% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2,721 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,781 international-$ in 2021 prices, 72% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,682 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,422 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,861 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,252 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1,932 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2,589 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,873 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2,651 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3,057 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,608 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2,517 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2,721 international-$ in 2021 prices | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 180 Mali 2,993 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 181 Uganda 2,980 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 182 Guinea-Bissau 2,814 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 184 Haiti 2,678 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 185 Burkina Faso 2,625 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 186 Chad 2,481 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 gdp per capita in Lesotho?
- Gdp per capita in Lesotho was 2,721 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2025, according to Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gdp per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 3,057 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2016.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,422 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1990.
- How does Lesotho rank for gdp per capita?
- Lesotho ranks 183rd out of 198 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 Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (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
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About this data
Average economic output per person in a country or region per year. This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.