Imports of goods and services (current LCU) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Imports of goods and services (current LCU) was 48.09 billion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Imports of goods and services in Lesotho, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for imports of goods and services in Lesotho is 48.09 billion current LCU, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.4% on the previous year and up 83.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Lesotho peaked at 48.09 billion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 9.50 million current LCU, in 1960.
That places Lesotho 143rd out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Imports of goods and services (current LCU) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.50 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 11.60 million current LCU | +22.1% |
| 1962 | 14.30 million current LCU | +23.3% |
| 1963 | 17.10 million current LCU | +19.6% |
| 1964 | 18.40 million current LCU | +7.6% |
| 1965 | 20.90 million current LCU | +13.6% |
| 1966 | 22.90 million current LCU | +9.6% |
| 1967 | 24.00 million current LCU | +4.8% |
| 1968 | 24.20 million current LCU | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 24.30 million current LCU | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 24.00 million current LCU | -1.2% |
| 1971 | 30.00 million current LCU | +25.0% |
| 1972 | 43.00 million current LCU | +43.3% |
| 1973 | 57.00 million current LCU | +32.6% |
| 1974 | 79.00 million current LCU | +38.6% |
| 1975 | 115.00 million current LCU | +45.6% |
| 1976 | 178.00 million current LCU | +54.8% |
| 1977 | 189.00 million current LCU | +6.2% |
| 1978 | 210.00 million current LCU | +11.1% |
| 1979 | 302.00 million current LCU | +43.8% |
| 1980 | 370.00 million current LCU | +22.5% |
| 1981 | 445.80 million current LCU | +20.5% |
| 2007 | 13.25 billion current LCU | +2872.1% |
| 2008 | 15.79 billion current LCU | +19.2% |
| 2009 | 16.84 billion current LCU | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 17.66 billion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 19.11 billion current LCU | +8.2% |
| 2012 | 22.06 billion current LCU | +15.4% |
| 2013 | 21.73 billion current LCU | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 23.35 billion current LCU | +7.5% |
| 2015 | 26.14 billion current LCU | +12.0% |
| 2016 | 28.16 billion current LCU | +7.7% |
| 2017 | 30.39 billion current LCU | +7.9% |
| 2018 | 32.00 billion current LCU | +5.3% |
| 2019 | 32.58 billion current LCU | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 32.67 billion current LCU | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 33.17 billion current LCU | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 36.93 billion current LCU | +11.3% |
| 2023 | 38.53 billion current LCU | +4.3% |
| 2024 | 45.17 billion current LCU | +17.3% |
| 2025 | 48.09 billion current LCU | +6.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 48.09 billion current LCU is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 787.38 billion current LCU, 6% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 48.09 billion current LCU is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.09 trillion current LCU, 2% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Imports of goods and services (current LCU) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +2872.1% | 445.80 million current LCU | 13.25 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18.72 million current LCU | 9.50 million current LCU | 24.30 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 122.70 million current LCU | 24.00 million current LCU | 302.00 million current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 407.90 million current LCU | 370.00 million current LCU | 445.80 million current LCU | 2 |
| 2000s | 15.29 billion current LCU | 13.25 billion current LCU | 16.84 billion current LCU | 3 |
| 2010s | 25.32 billion current LCU | 17.66 billion current LCU | 32.58 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.09 billion current LCU | 32.67 billion current LCU | 48.09 billion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 57.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0799 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 87.06 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 50.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0584 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 63.57 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0303 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 33.01 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, annual growth rate -0.0491 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Lesotho?
- Imports of goods and services in Lesotho was 48.09 billion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 48.09 billion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.50 million current LCU in 1960.
- How does Lesotho rank for imports of goods and services?
- Lesotho ranks 143rd out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 83.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.