Lesotho — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Lesotho, 1961–2025.
GDP growth for Lesotho was 1.98% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 26.40% in 1973. The lowest was -13.51% in 1975 (about -6.8× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.10% per year.
Lesotho ranks 146 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 69%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.61%, so Lesotho sits below it. It peaked in 1973 and has fallen 92% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 37%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 40 of 47 economies; Malawi (1.89%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 13126% in 1973. That is 258% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1962; grown tenfold by 1973.
World ranking. Slipped: 84th of 107 in 1961 → 99th of 119 in 1970 → 130th of 152 in 1980 → 41st of 176 in 1990 → 111th of 199 in 2000 → 80th of 209 in 2010 → 154th of 209 in 2020 → 135th of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.98% | -3.2 pp |
| 2024 | 5.23% | +3.5 pp |
| 2023 | 1.69% | -0.7 pp |
| 2022 | 2.39% | +0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 2.27% | +10.4 pp |
| 2020 | -8.16% | -6.7 pp |
| 2019 | -1.42% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | -1.48% | +1.7 pp |
| 2017 | -3.14% | -6.7 pp |
| 2016 | 3.61% | +0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 3.12% | +1.4 pp |
| 2014 | 1.71% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 1.79% | -4.5 pp |
| 2012 | 6.33% | +1.7 pp |
| 2011 | 4.62% | -0.7 pp |
| 2010 | 5.27% | +6.5 pp |
| 2009 | -1.25% | -6.8 pp |
| 2008 | 5.52% | +1.3 pp |
| 2007 | 4.19% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 4.23% | +0.8 pp |
| 2005 | 3.47% | +1.8 pp |
| 2004 | 1.69% | -2.9 pp |
| 2003 | 4.56% | +3.8 pp |
| 2002 | 0.72% | -2.8 pp |
| 2001 | 3.56% | -0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 3.88% | +3.4 pp |
| 1999 | 0.48% | -1.1 pp |
| 1998 | 1.54% | -2.2 pp |
| 1997 | 3.7% | -1.9 pp |
| 1996 | 5.6% | +2.3 pp |
| 1995 | 3.29% | -2.7 pp |
| 1994 | 5.98% | +2.5 pp |
| 1993 | 3.51% | -3.4 pp |
| 1992 | 6.96% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 6.97% | +0.9 pp |
| 1990 | 6.05% | +0.3 pp |
| 1989 | 5.8% | -2.8 pp |
| 1988 | 8.6% | +7.9 pp |
| 1987 | 0.73% | -4.0 pp |
| 1986 | 4.68% | +2.1 pp |
| 1985 | 2.61% | -2.9 pp |
| 1984 | 5.53% | +3.5 pp |
| 1983 | 1.99% | -2.5 pp |
| 1982 | 4.46% | +3.8 pp |
| 1981 | 0.69% | +3.4 pp |
| 1980 | -2.74% | -5.6 pp |
| 1979 | 2.89% | -15.4 pp |
| 1978 | 18.32% | -3.5 pp |
| 1977 | 21.81% | +10.8 pp |
| 1976 | 11.05% | +24.6 pp |
| 1975 | -13.51% | -24.5 pp |
| 1974 | 10.98% | -15.4 pp |
| 1973 | 26.4% | +26.6 pp |
| 1972 | -0.2% | -5.3 pp |
| 1971 | 5.11% | +2.9 pp |
| 1970 | 2.18% | +0.6 pp |
| 1969 | 1.55% | +1.9 pp |
| 1968 | -0.37% | -11.3 pp |
| 1967 | 10.91% | +11.3 pp |
| 1966 | -0.41% | -2.6 pp |
| 1965 | 2.15% | -6.1 pp |
| 1964 | 8.25% | -2.4 pp |
| 1963 | 10.62% | -4.7 pp |
| 1962 | 15.33% | +13.5 pp |
| 1961 | 1.86% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lesotho’s GDP growth in 1962?
15.33% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Lesotho’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +6.3% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.98%; 2024: 5.23%; 2023: 1.69%; 2022: 2.39%; 2021: 2.27%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.