Merchandise trade to GDP ratio in Lesotho
Lesotho: Merchandise trade to GDP ratio was 159.0% in 2011. ▲ Rising
Latest (2011)
159.0%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
1st
of 53 countries
All-time high
209.9%
in 2002
All-time low
50.2%
in 1960
Years of data
52
1960–2011
Merchandise trade to GDP ratio in Lesotho, 1960–2011
Source: World Bank country economists. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise trade to gdp ratio in Lesotho is 159.0%, measured in 2011.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and down 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise trade to gdp ratio in Lesotho peaked at 209.9% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 50.2%, in 1960.
That places Lesotho 1st out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Merchandise trade to GDP ratio in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 50.2% | — |
| 1961 | 58.0% | +15.6% |
| 1962 | 62.2% | +7.2% |
| 1963 | 65.8% | +5.7% |
| 1964 | 65.0% | -1.2% |
| 1965 | 68.9% | +6.0% |
| 1966 | 67.4% | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 68.7% | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 67.2% | -2.2% |
| 1969 | 65.2% | -3.1% |
| 1970 | 61.1% | -6.2% |
| 1971 | 67.6% | +10.7% |
| 1972 | 85.2% | +26.0% |
| 1973 | 82.0% | -3.7% |
| 1974 | 90.7% | +10.6% |
| 1975 | 118.4% | +30.5% |
| 1976 | 156.5% | +32.2% |
| 1977 | 124.3% | -20.6% |
| 1978 | 107.9% | -13.3% |
| 1979 | 145.7% | +35.1% |
| 1980 | 131.1% | -10.0% |
| 1981 | 136.3% | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 170.4% | +25.0% |
| 1983 | 166.5% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 175.3% | +5.3% |
| 1985 | 161.6% | -7.8% |
| 1986 | 148.4% | -8.2% |
| 1987 | 145.5% | -2.0% |
| 1988 | 161.7% | +11.2% |
| 1989 | 161.0% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 140.3% | -12.9% |
| 1991 | 164.0% | +16.9% |
| 1992 | 154.5% | -5.8% |
| 1993 | 149.8% | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 146.3% | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 143.7% | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 159.0% | +10.7% |
| 1997 | 154.1% | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 182.7% | +18.5% |
| 1999 | 166.8% | -8.7% |
| 2000 | 169.6% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 190.4% | +12.3% |
| 2002 | 209.9% | +10.2% |
| 2003 | 199.4% | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 186.2% | -6.7% |
| 2005 | 169.7% | -8.8% |
| 2006 | 172.6% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 170.1% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 177.3% | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 161.4% | -9.0% |
| 2010 | 157.7% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 159.0% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 63.9% | 50.2% | 68.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 104.0% | 61.1% | 156.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 155.8% | 131.1% | 175.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 156.1% | 140.3% | 182.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 180.7% | 161.4% | 209.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 158.4% | 157.7% | 159.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 2 Democratic Republic of Congo 146.3% compare
- 3 Seychelles 144.7% compare
- 4 Zimbabwe 137.3% compare
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 9.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.8725 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 950.1 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 6.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 15.61 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 16,996 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 2.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.8589 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per 935.36 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant LCU), annual growth 2.65 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise trade to gdp ratio in Lesotho?
- Merchandise trade to gdp ratio in Lesotho was 159.0% in 2011, according to World Bank country economists.
- What is the highest merchandise trade to gdp ratio recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 209.9% in 2002.
- What is the lowest merchandise trade to gdp ratio recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.2% in 1960.
- How does Lesotho rank for merchandise trade to gdp ratio?
- Lesotho ranks 1st out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is merchandise trade to gdp ratio rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank country economists, published as part of Merchandise trade to GDP ratio (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise trade as a share of GDP is the sum of merchandise exports and imports divided by the value of GDP, all in current US dollars and from the national accounts.