Lesotho — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Lesotho, 2000–2023.
Health spending for Lesotho was 12.61% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 21.92% in 2019. The lowest was 4.67% in 2005 (about 2.7× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 3.97% per year.
Lesotho ranks 8 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 4%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.48%, so Lesotho sits above it. It peaked in 2019 and has fallen 42% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved up 15%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 2 of 46 economies; Central African Republic (10.66%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 97% in 2019. That is 7% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 2000 level: doubled by 2013. Doubling roughly every 18 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 85th of 184 in 2000 → 61st of 188 in 2010 → 32nd of 189 in 2020 → 8th of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 12.61% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 12.9% | +2.2 pp |
| 2021 | 10.66% | +0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 10.41% | -11.5 pp |
| 2019 | 21.92% | +10.8 pp |
| 2018 | 11.13% | +0.6 pp |
| 2017 | 10.53% | +1.3 pp |
| 2016 | 9.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 9.25% | -0.7 pp |
| 2014 | 9.99% | -1.0 pp |
| 2013 | 10.98% | +1.0 pp |
| 2012 | 9.99% | +1.0 pp |
| 2011 | 8.99% | +1.6 pp |
| 2010 | 7.4% | -1.5 pp |
| 2009 | 8.95% | +1.3 pp |
| 2008 | 7.67% | +0.4 pp |
| 2007 | 7.22% | +1.8 pp |
| 2006 | 5.41% | +0.7 pp |
| 2005 | 4.67% | -0.6 pp |
| 2004 | 5.25% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 5.34% | -0.5 pp |
| 2002 | 5.86% | -0.7 pp |
| 2001 | 6.59% | +1.4 pp |
| 2000 | 5.16% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Lesotho’s Health spending in 2001?
6.59% (2001). 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 % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Lesotho’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +144.6% in total — about 4.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. 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: 2023: 12.61%; 2022: 12.9%; 2021: 10.66%; 2020: 10.41%; 2019: 21.92%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). 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.