Trade in services in Lesotho
Lesotho: Trade in services was 18.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Trade in services in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, trade in services in Lesotho stood at 18.8%.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 32.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in services in Lesotho peaked at 99.2% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 14.2%, in 2015.
That places Lesotho 110th out of 199 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Trade in services in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20.8% | — |
| 1976 | 22.3% | +7.1% |
| 1977 | 20.2% | -9.5% |
| 1978 | 17.5% | -13.1% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | +6.1% |
| 1980 | 19.1% | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 20.6% | +7.7% |
| 1982 | 97.8% | +374.6% |
| 1983 | 95.8% | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 97.4% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 91.6% | -5.9% |
| 1986 | 84.1% | -8.2% |
| 1987 | 99.2% | +18.0% |
| 1988 | 81.0% | -18.3% |
| 1989 | 77.5% | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 73.4% | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 63.2% | -14.0% |
| 1992 | 58.0% | -8.1% |
| 1993 | 55.5% | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 55.6% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 49.2% | -11.5% |
| 1996 | 44.5% | -9.6% |
| 1997 | 41.7% | -6.2% |
| 1998 | 34.2% | -17.9% |
| 1999 | 29.7% | -13.1% |
| 2000 | 30.5% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 29.4% | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 30.8% | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 29.9% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 26.5% | -11.4% |
| 2005 | 23.9% | -9.8% |
| 2006 | 23.1% | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 24.8% | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 25.6% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 27.2% | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 22.1% | -18.9% |
| 2011 | 20.7% | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 19.9% | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 17.0% | -14.8% |
| 2014 | 15.4% | -9.3% |
| 2015 | 14.2% | -7.6% |
| 2016 | 20.8% | +46.4% |
| 2017 | 20.7% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 20.4% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 20.3% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 19.6% | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 17.9% | -8.6% |
| 2022 | 19.8% | +10.6% |
| 2023 | 20.2% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 18.0% | -11.0% |
| 2025 | 18.8% | +4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.9% | 17.5% | 22.3% | 5 |
| 1980s | 76.4% | 19.1% | 99.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.5% | 29.7% | 73.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.2% | 23.1% | 30.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.1% | 14.2% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.0% | 17.9% | 20.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 107 Spain 20.1% compare
- 108 New Caledonia 18.9% compare
- 109 Slovakia 18.8% compare
- 111 Philippines 18.4% compare
- 112 Lao People's Democratic Republic 18.2% compare
- 113 Senegal 18.1% compare
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 trade in services in Lesotho?
- Trade in services in Lesotho was 18.8% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest trade in services recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 99.2% in 1987.
- What is the lowest trade in services recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.2% in 2015.
- How does Lesotho rank for trade in services?
- Lesotho ranks 110th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade in services rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Trade in services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total trade in services includes services provided by residents to non-residents plus 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.