Lesotho — GDP per capita
GDP per Capita (Nominal) for Lesotho, 1960–2025.
GDP per capita for Lesotho was 1,089 in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 1,281 in 2011. The lowest was 47 in 1960 (about 23.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 4.96% per year.
Lesotho ranks 195 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 92%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 1,319, so Lesotho sits below it. It peaked in 2011 and has fallen 15% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 3%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 33 of 47 economies; Chad (1,022) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 50% in 2003. That is 4% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1973; grown tenfold by 1995. Doubling roughly every 14 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 109th of 111 in 1960 → 143rd of 146 in 1970 → 143rd of 163 in 1980 → 170th of 192 in 1990 → 169th of 204 in 2000 → 178th of 212 in 2010 → 189th of 210 in 2020 → 173rd of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,088.96 | +6.4% |
| 2024 | 1,023.04 | +11.0% |
| 2023 | 921.44 | -10.6% |
| 2022 | 1,030.13 | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 1,066.59 | +16.1% |
| 2020 | 918.58 | -15.1% |
| 2019 | 1,082.06 | -7.6% |
| 2018 | 1,170.66 | +9.5% |
| 2017 | 1,069.37 | +7.7% |
| 2016 | 992.49 | -11.5% |
| 2015 | 1,121.2 | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 1,173.54 | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 1,151.04 | -5.5% |
| 2012 | 1,217.93 | -4.9% |
| 2011 | 1,280.73 | +14.4% |
| 2010 | 1,119.48 | +27.4% |
| 2009 | 878.85 | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 898.48 | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 861.19 | -6.9% |
| 2006 | 925.47 | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 861.38 | +12.4% |
| 2004 | 766.69 | +31.4% |
| 2003 | 583.27 | +50.0% |
| 2002 | 388.92 | -5.8% |
| 2001 | 412.68 | -6.8% |
| 2000 | 442.78 | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 455.65 | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 464.68 | -7.4% |
| 1997 | 501.98 | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 479.67 | -6.6% |
| 1995 | 513.41 | +12.7% |
| 1994 | 455.59 | +3.7% |
| 1993 | 439.37 | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 443.62 | +16.0% |
| 1991 | 382.29 | +16.0% |
| 1990 | 329.56 | +18.1% |
| 1989 | 279.04 | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 270.37 | +14.3% |
| 1987 | 236.45 | +23.6% |
| 1986 | 191.38 | +15.7% |
| 1985 | 165.37 | -21.6% |
| 1984 | 211 | -16.3% |
| 1983 | 252.02 | +7.7% |
| 1982 | 233.94 | -22.0% |
| 1981 | 299.84 | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 306.82 | +44.5% |
| 1979 | 212.37 | +5.7% |
| 1978 | 200.85 | +34.0% |
| 1977 | 149.86 | +27.2% |
| 1976 | 117.83 | -4.4% |
| 1975 | 123.23 | -4.2% |
| 1974 | 128.67 | +20.3% |
| 1973 | 106.99 | +44.7% |
| 1972 | 73.96 | +2.1% |
| 1971 | 72.41 | +7.4% |
| 1970 | 67.44 | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 67.1 | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 64.81 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 64.84 | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 64.3 | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 64.26 | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 62.62 | +7.2% |
| 1963 | 58.41 | +9.1% |
| 1962 | 53.54 | +13.8% |
| 1961 | 47.05 | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 46.95 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lesotho’s GDP per capita in 1961?
47.05 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Lesotho’s GDP per capita figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — current US$ — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Lesotho’s GDP per capita growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +2219.3% in total — about 5.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.PCAP.CD. 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: 1,088.96; 2024: 1,023.04; 2023: 921.44; 2022: 1,030.13; 2021: 1,066.59. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.PCAP.CD — GDP per Capita (Nominal). 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.