Total FDI inflows — Value US$, 2015 prices in Lesotho
Lesotho: Total FDI inflows — Value US$, 2015 prices was -27.74 million USD in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Total FDI inflows — Value US$, 2015 prices in Lesotho, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in million USD.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded -27.74 million USD for total fdi inflows — value us$, 2015 prices in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 248.5% on the previous year and down 123.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fdi inflows — value us$, 2015 prices in Lesotho peaked at 206.51 million USD in 2015 and was at its lowest, -27.74 million USD, in 2023.
Lesotho ranks 174th of 188 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total FDI inflows — Value US$, 2015 prices in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | million USD | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 24.31 million USD | — |
| 1991 | 10.22 million USD | -58.0% |
| 1992 | 9.39 million USD | -8.1% |
| 1993 | 19.64 million USD | +109.1% |
| 1994 | 55.04 million USD | +180.3% |
| 1995 | 28.28 million USD | -48.6% |
| 1996 | 37.12 million USD | +31.3% |
| 1997 | 41.7 million USD | +12.3% |
| 1998 | 38.22 million USD | -8.4% |
| 1999 | 48.12 million USD | +25.9% |
| 2000 | 52.04 million USD | +8.1% |
| 2001 | 54.25 million USD | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 56.13 million USD | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 61.6 million USD | +9.7% |
| 2004 | 63.83 million USD | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 28.59 million USD | -55.2% |
| 2006 | 25.32 million USD | -11.4% |
| 2007 | 81.4 million USD | +221.4% |
| 2008 | 11.62 million USD | -85.7% |
| 2009 | 98.31 million USD | +746.1% |
| 2010 | 45.62 million USD | -53.6% |
| 2011 | 119.59 million USD | +162.1% |
| 2012 | 123.77 million USD | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 117.56 million USD | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 150.71 million USD | +28.2% |
| 2015 | 206.51 million USD | +37.0% |
| 2016 | 92.89 million USD | -55.0% |
| 2017 | 43.21 million USD | -53.5% |
| 2018 | 37.04 million USD | -14.3% |
| 2019 | 34.05 million USD | -8.1% |
| 2020 | 29 million USD | -14.8% |
| 2021 | -11.19 million USD | -138.6% |
| 2022 | -7.96 million USD | -28.9% |
| 2023 | -27.74 million USD | +248.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's -27.74 million USD is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 440.01 million USD. (41 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's -27.74 million USD is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 446.95 million USD. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total FDI inflows — Value US$, 2015 prices in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +746.1% | 11.62 million USD | 98.31 million USD |
| 2023 | -248.5% | -7.96 million USD | -27.74 million USD |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.2 million USD | 9.39 million USD | 55.04 million USD | 10 |
| 2000s | 53.31 million USD | 11.62 million USD | 98.31 million USD | 10 |
| 2010s | 97.1 million USD | 34.05 million USD | 206.51 million USD | 10 |
| 2020s | -4.47 million USD | -27.74 million USD | 29 million USD | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 171 Samoa -2.57 million USD compare
- 172 French Polynesia -6.4 million USD compare
- 173 Netherlands Antilles (former) -27.19 million USD compare
- 175 Brunei Darussalam -44.51 million USD compare
- 176 Suriname -77.18 million USD compare
- 177 Aruba -164.61 million USD compare
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), 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 total fdi inflows — value us$, 2015 prices in Lesotho?
- Total fdi inflows — value us$, 2015 prices in Lesotho was -27.74 million USD in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest total fdi inflows — value us$, 2015 prices recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 206.51 million USD in 2015.
- What is the lowest total fdi inflows — value us$, 2015 prices recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -27.74 million USD in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for total fdi inflows — value us$, 2015 prices?
- Lesotho ranks 174th out of 188 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total fdi inflows — value us$, 2015 prices rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 123.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Total FDI inflows — Value US$, 2015 prices. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
FDI is an investment which aims to acquire a lasting management influence (10 percent or more of the voting stock) in an enterprise operating in a foreign economy. FDI may be undertaken by individuals, as well as business entities. The foreign direct investor most often is aiming to gain access to natural resources, to markets, to labour supply, to technology, to ensure security of supplies or to control the quality of a certain product. FDI can be decomposed into two types of investments: mergers and acquisitions (MA) and greenfield investments. The latter type results in the creation of new entities and the setting up of offices, buildings, plants or factories from scratch in a foreign economy. FDI is the sum of equity capital, reinvested earnings and other FDI capital. Equity capital comprises equity in branches, all shares in subsidiaries and associates (except non-participating, preferred shares that are treated as debt securities and are included under other FDI capital) and other contributions such as the provision of machinery. Reinvested earnings consist of the direct investor's share (in proportion to equity participation) of earnings not distributed by the direct investment enterprise. Other FDI capital (loans) includes the borrowing and lending of funds, including debt securities and trade credits between direct investors and direct investment enterprises. FDI inflows and outflows are important for tracking the direct investment conditions each year. Outward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows record the value of cross-border direct investment transactions from the reporting economy during a year. It represents transactions affecting the investment in enterprises resident abroad. Whereas, Inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows record the value of cross-border direct investment transactions received by the reporting economy during a year. It represents transactions affecting the investment in enterprises of a specific industry resident in the reporting economy.