Imports of goods and services in Lesotho
Lesotho: Imports of goods and services was 104.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in Lesotho, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, imports of goods and services in Lesotho stood at 104.5%.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Lesotho peaked at 138.6% in 1976 and was at its lowest, 38.5%, in 1960.
That places Lesotho 7th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 38.5% | — |
| 1961 | 45.5% | +18.3% |
| 1962 | 47.8% | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 50.9% | +6.4% |
| 1964 | 49.6% | -2.5% |
| 1965 | 53.3% | +7.5% |
| 1966 | 56.5% | +6.1% |
| 1967 | 56.7% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 55.1% | -2.8% |
| 1969 | 51.6% | -6.5% |
| 1970 | 48.9% | -5.2% |
| 1971 | 54.8% | +12.2% |
| 1972 | 69.1% | +26.1% |
| 1973 | 67.8% | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 77.1% | +13.7% |
| 1975 | 104.0% | +34.9% |
| 1976 | 138.6% | +33.3% |
| 1977 | 112.4% | -18.9% |
| 1978 | 90.6% | -19.4% |
| 1979 | 123.6% | +36.5% |
| 1980 | 110.1% | -10.9% |
| 1981 | 117.0% | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 111.8% | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 108.2% | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 114.1% | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 108.0% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 102.1% | -5.5% |
| 2012 | 108.4% | +6.2% |
| 2013 | 95.1% | -12.3% |
| 2014 | 88.1% | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 86.8% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 90.5% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 98.9% | +9.2% |
| 2018 | 94.6% | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 94.3% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 96.6% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 93.0% | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 95.9% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 98.0% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 103.1% | +5.1% |
| 2025 | 104.5% | +1.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 104.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 41.9%, 2.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 104.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 30.0%, 3.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 50.6% | 38.5% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 88.7% | 48.9% | 138.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 113.5% | 110.1% | 117.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 111.4% | 108.2% | 114.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 96.7% | 86.8% | 108.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.5% | 93.0% | 104.5% | 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 imports of goods and services in Lesotho?
- Imports of goods and services in Lesotho was 104.5% 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 138.6% in 1976.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.5% in 1960.
- How does Lesotho rank for imports of goods and services?
- Lesotho ranks 7th 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 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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 as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.