Net primary income in Lesotho
Lesotho: Net primary income was 578.11 million BoP, current US$ in 2025. ▼ Falling
Net primary income in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, net primary income in Lesotho stood at 578.11 million BoP, current US$.
That represents a change of up 12.8% on the previous year and up 97.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net primary income in Lesotho peaked at 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ in 1994 and was at its lowest, 122.51 million BoP, current US$, in 1975.
Lesotho ranks 25th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Net primary income in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 122.51 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 138.57 million BoP, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 1977 | 165.60 million BoP, current US$ | +19.5% |
| 1978 | 177.79 million BoP, current US$ | +7.4% |
| 1979 | 213.65 million BoP, current US$ | +20.2% |
| 1980 | 265.52 million BoP, current US$ | +24.3% |
| 1981 | 292.74 million BoP, current US$ | +10.2% |
| 1982 | 778.10 million BoP, current US$ | +165.8% |
| 1983 | 861.01 million BoP, current US$ | +10.7% |
| 1984 | 750.90 million BoP, current US$ | -12.8% |
| 1985 | 573.51 million BoP, current US$ | -23.6% |
| 1986 | 600.77 million BoP, current US$ | +4.8% |
| 1987 | 923.54 million BoP, current US$ | +53.7% |
| 1988 | 835.17 million BoP, current US$ | -9.6% |
| 1989 | 837.39 million BoP, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 956.39 million BoP, current US$ | +14.2% |
| 1991 | 977.95 million BoP, current US$ | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 1.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.8% |
| 1993 | 984.75 million BoP, current US$ | -7.4% |
| 1994 | 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ | +9.7% |
| 1995 | 1.05 billion BoP, current US$ | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 898.93 million BoP, current US$ | -14.6% |
| 1997 | 845.41 million BoP, current US$ | -6.0% |
| 1998 | 592.89 million BoP, current US$ | -29.9% |
| 1999 | 574.02 million BoP, current US$ | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 462.53 million BoP, current US$ | -19.4% |
| 2001 | 356.55 million BoP, current US$ | -22.9% |
| 2002 | 333.38 million BoP, current US$ | -6.5% |
| 2003 | 498.48 million BoP, current US$ | +49.5% |
| 2004 | 569.05 million BoP, current US$ | +14.2% |
| 2005 | 677.98 million BoP, current US$ | +19.1% |
| 2006 | 685.44 million BoP, current US$ | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 688.67 million BoP, current US$ | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 649.25 million BoP, current US$ | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 573.21 million BoP, current US$ | -11.7% |
| 2010 | 660.01 million BoP, current US$ | +15.1% |
| 2011 | 530.89 million BoP, current US$ | -19.6% |
| 2012 | 435.74 million BoP, current US$ | -17.9% |
| 2013 | 376.74 million BoP, current US$ | -13.5% |
| 2014 | 330.70 million BoP, current US$ | -12.2% |
| 2015 | 293.07 million BoP, current US$ | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 409.60 million BoP, current US$ | +39.8% |
| 2017 | 469.52 million BoP, current US$ | +14.6% |
| 2018 | 489.08 million BoP, current US$ | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 455.31 million BoP, current US$ | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 401.96 million BoP, current US$ | -11.7% |
| 2021 | 408.86 million BoP, current US$ | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 477.32 million BoP, current US$ | +16.7% |
| 2023 | 474.08 million BoP, current US$ | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 512.62 million BoP, current US$ | +8.1% |
| 2025 | 578.11 million BoP, current US$ | +12.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 578.11 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is -988.90 million BoP, current US$. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 578.11 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -348.88 million BoP, current US$. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net primary income in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +165.8% | 292.74 million BoP, current US$ | 778.10 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 163.63 million BoP, current US$ | 122.51 million BoP, current US$ | 213.65 million BoP, current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | 671.87 million BoP, current US$ | 265.52 million BoP, current US$ | 923.54 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 902.63 million BoP, current US$ | 574.02 million BoP, current US$ | 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 549.45 million BoP, current US$ | 333.38 million BoP, current US$ | 688.67 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 445.07 million BoP, current US$ | 293.07 million BoP, current US$ | 660.01 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 475.49 million BoP, current US$ | 401.96 million BoP, current US$ | 578.11 million BoP, current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 22 Italy 1.27 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 23 Palestine 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 24 Nepal 638.46 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 26 French Polynesia 550.45 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 27 New Caledonia 515.90 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 28 Ukraine 500.00 million 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 net primary income in Lesotho?
- Net primary income in Lesotho was 578.11 million BoP, current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net primary income recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ in 1994.
- What is the lowest net primary income recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 122.51 million BoP, current US$ in 1975.
- How does Lesotho rank for net primary income?
- Lesotho ranks 25th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net primary income rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Net primary income (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net primary income includes the net labor income and net property and entrepreneurial income components of the SNA. Labor income covers compensation of employees paid to nonresident workers. Property and entrepreneurial income covers investment income from the ownership of foreign financial claims (interest, dividends, rent, etc.) and nonfinancial property income (patents, copyrights, etc.). 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.