Goods imports in Lesotho
Lesotho: Goods imports was 1.69 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.69 billion BoP, current US$
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
162nd
of 200 countries
All-time high
2.25 billion BoP, current US$
in 2012
All-time low
151.45 million BoP, current US$
in 1975
Years of data
51
1975–2025
Goods imports in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, goods imports in Lesotho stood at 1.69 billion BoP, current US$.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, goods imports in Lesotho peaked at 2.25 billion BoP, current US$ in 2012 and was at its lowest, 151.45 million BoP, current US$, in 1975.
Lesotho ranks 162nd of 200 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Goods imports in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 151.45 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 189.41 million BoP, current US$ | +25.1% |
| 1977 | 210.79 million BoP, current US$ | +11.3% |
| 1978 | 243.11 million BoP, current US$ | +15.3% |
| 1979 | 316.74 million BoP, current US$ | +30.3% |
| 1980 | 424.48 million BoP, current US$ | +34.0% |
| 1981 | 448.62 million BoP, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 1982 | 522.59 million BoP, current US$ | +16.5% |
| 1983 | 572.17 million BoP, current US$ | +9.5% |
| 1984 | 518.10 million BoP, current US$ | -9.5% |
| 1985 | 381.81 million BoP, current US$ | -26.3% |
| 1986 | 396.08 million BoP, current US$ | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 529.01 million BoP, current US$ | +33.6% |
| 1988 | 641.96 million BoP, current US$ | +21.3% |
| 1989 | 680.26 million BoP, current US$ | +6.0% |
| 1990 | 766.85 million BoP, current US$ | +12.7% |
| 1991 | 913.68 million BoP, current US$ | +19.1% |
| 1992 | 1.04 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.4% |
| 1993 | 986.24 million BoP, current US$ | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 957.75 million BoP, current US$ | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 1.11 billion BoP, current US$ | +16.4% |
| 1996 | 1.11 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 1.13 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 947.89 million BoP, current US$ | -15.9% |
| 1999 | 855.34 million BoP, current US$ | -9.8% |
| 2000 | 794.97 million BoP, current US$ | -7.1% |
| 2001 | 750.17 million BoP, current US$ | -5.6% |
| 2002 | 722.64 million BoP, current US$ | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 1.03 billion BoP, current US$ | +42.8% |
| 2004 | 1.23 billion BoP, current US$ | +19.6% |
| 2005 | 1.29 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 1.36 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 1.51 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.8% |
| 2008 | 1.53 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 1.62 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 1.97 billion BoP, current US$ | +21.9% |
| 2011 | 2.16 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.5% |
| 2012 | 2.25 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 1.89 billion BoP, current US$ | -16.1% |
| 2014 | 1.82 billion BoP, current US$ | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 1.73 billion BoP, current US$ | -5.1% |
| 2016 | 1.61 billion BoP, current US$ | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 1.83 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.3% |
| 2018 | 1.93 billion BoP, current US$ | +5.7% |
| 2019 | 1.78 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.7% |
| 2020 | 1.60 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.1% |
| 2021 | 1.81 billion BoP, current US$ | +13.2% |
| 2022 | 1.80 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 1.66 billion BoP, current US$ | -7.6% |
| 2024 | 1.67 billion BoP, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 1.69 billion BoP, current US$ | +1.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1.69 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.23 billion BoP, current US$, 18% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1.69 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.65 billion BoP, current US$, 36% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 222.30 million BoP, current US$ | 151.45 million BoP, current US$ | 316.74 million BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | 511.51 million BoP, current US$ | 381.81 million BoP, current US$ | 680.26 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 981.77 million BoP, current US$ | 766.85 million BoP, current US$ | 1.13 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.18 billion BoP, current US$ | 722.64 million BoP, current US$ | 1.62 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.90 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.61 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.25 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.71 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.60 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.81 billion BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 159 Suriname 1.91 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 160 Curacao 1.83 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 161 Cayman Islands 1.78 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 163 Barbados 1.53 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 164 Liberia 1.51 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 165 French Polynesia 1.49 billion BoP, current US$ 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 goods imports in Lesotho?
- Goods imports in Lesotho was 1.69 billion BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest goods imports recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 2.25 billion BoP, current US$ in 2012.
- What is the lowest goods imports recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 151.45 million BoP, current US$ in 1975.
- How does Lesotho rank for goods imports?
- Lesotho ranks 162nd out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is goods imports rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Goods imports (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Imports of goods occur when there are changes in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.