Personal remittances, received in Lesotho
Lesotho: Personal remittances, received was 20.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances, received in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, personal remittances, received in Lesotho stood at 20.7%.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 40.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, received in Lesotho peaked at 235.9% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 14.7%, in 2015.
That places Lesotho 14th out of 195 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances, received in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 81.4% | — |
| 1976 | 93.5% | +14.8% |
| 1977 | 85.4% | -8.6% |
| 1978 | 66.6% | -22.1% |
| 1979 | 73.2% | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 61.0% | -16.7% |
| 1981 | 66.9% | +9.7% |
| 1982 | 232.2% | +247.0% |
| 1983 | 228.4% | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 230.1% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 216.3% | -6.0% |
| 1986 | 193.4% | -10.6% |
| 1987 | 235.9% | +22.0% |
| 1988 | 184.8% | -21.7% |
| 1989 | 177.6% | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 167.4% | -5.7% |
| 1991 | 145.2% | -13.3% |
| 1992 | 134.9% | -7.0% |
| 1993 | 124.1% | -8.0% |
| 1994 | 129.0% | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 108.4% | -16.0% |
| 1996 | 98.4% | -9.2% |
| 1997 | 87.6% | -11.0% |
| 1998 | 68.0% | -22.4% |
| 1999 | 57.5% | -15.4% |
| 2000 | 53.8% | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 48.6% | -9.7% |
| 2002 | 50.1% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 48.1% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 41.5% | -13.7% |
| 2005 | 35.6% | -14.2% |
| 2006 | 34.1% | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 37.9% | +11.2% |
| 2008 | 32.6% | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 31.5% | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 27.3% | -13.3% |
| 2011 | 25.2% | -7.8% |
| 2012 | 22.4% | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 19.6% | -12.6% |
| 2014 | 16.6% | -14.9% |
| 2015 | 14.7% | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 21.5% | +46.1% |
| 2017 | 23.7% | +10.1% |
| 2018 | 22.4% | -5.6% |
| 2019 | 22.1% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 21.9% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 19.7% | -10.2% |
| 2022 | 22.6% | +15.0% |
| 2023 | 22.5% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 19.9% | -11.7% |
| 2025 | 20.7% | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 80.0% | 66.6% | 93.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | 182.7% | 61.0% | 235.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 112.0% | 57.5% | 167.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.4% | 31.5% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.6% | 14.7% | 27.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.2% | 19.7% | 22.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 16.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.556 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 605.51 current US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), annual growth rate 13.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 9.95 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per capita 10,832 current LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.5196 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 565.81 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant LCU), per capita 5,937 constant LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances, received in Lesotho?
- Personal remittances, received in Lesotho was 20.7% in 2025, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest personal remittances, received recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 235.9% in 1987.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, received recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.7% in 2015.
- How does Lesotho rank for personal remittances, received?
- Lesotho ranks 14th out of 195 countries with data for 2025.
- Is personal remittances, received rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Personal remittances, received (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Personal remittances comprise personal transfers and compensation of employees. Personal transfers consist of all current transfers in cash or in kind made or received by resident households to or from nonresident households. Personal transfers thus include all current transfers between resident and nonresident individuals. Compensation of employees refers to the income of border, seasonal, and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by nonresident entities. Data are the sum of two items defined in the sixth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: personal transfers and compensation of employees.