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Macro

Lesotho

Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower middle income · IMF WEO April 2026 · World Bank WDI

GDP▲ 13.5%
Current prices2025
3USD bn
GDP per capita▲ 12.2%
Current prices2025
1,206USD
Real GDP growth▼ 3.5 pp
Annual change2025
1.4%
Inflation▼ 0.8 pp
Average consumer prices2025
4.4%
Government debt▼ 3.7 pp
General government, gross2025
49.1% of GDP
Current account▼ 5.4 pp
Balance2025
-3.3% of GDP
Population▲ 1.2%
Total2025
2.37million

Real GDP growth, %

Since 1995 · lighter bars = IMF projection
-8.60.06.31995: 4.1%1996: 4.8%1997: 3.3%1998: 1.3%1999: 1.4%2000: 4.0%2001: 3.3%2002: 2.4%2003: 4.2%2004: 2.1%2005: 3.3%2006: 4.2%2007: 5.0%2008: 2.7%2009: 0.5%2010: 5.1%2011: 6.3%2012: 4.7%2013: 1.2%2014: 1.5%2015: 3.6%2016: 2.3%2017: -3.3%2018: -1.3%2019: -1.8%2020: -8.6%2021: 4.6%2022: 1.6%2023: 2.5%2024: 4.9%2025: 1.4%2026: 1.1% (IMF projection)2027: 0.8% (IMF projection)2028: 1.4% (IMF projection)2029: 1.5% (IMF projection)2030: 1.5% (IMF projection)2031: 1.5% (IMF projection)IMF projection19952000200520102015202020252030

Inflation, %

Average consumer prices · lighter bars = IMF projection
0.012.21995: 9.7%1996: 8.9%1997: 8.4%1998: 8.2%1999: 7.8%2000: 6.1%2001: 8.0%2002: 12.2%2003: 6.3%2004: 4.6%2005: 3.6%2006: 6.3%2007: 9.2%2008: 10.7%2009: 5.8%2010: 3.3%2011: 6.0%2012: 5.5%2013: 5.0%2014: 4.6%2015: 4.3%2016: 6.2%2017: 4.5%2018: 4.7%2019: 4.9%2020: 5.4%2021: 6.5%2022: 8.2%2023: 6.5%2024: 5.2%2025: 4.4%2026: 4.2% (IMF projection)2027: 3.9% (IMF projection)2028: 4.0% (IMF projection)2029: 4.0% (IMF projection)2030: 4.0% (IMF projection)2031: 4.0% (IMF projection)IMF projection19952000200520102015202020252030

IMF outlook

IMF World Economic Outlook April 2026 · italics = IMF projection
Indicator2021202220232024202520262027202820292030
Real GDP growth %4.61.62.54.91.41.10.81.41.51.5
Inflation, average consumer prices %6.58.26.55.24.44.23.94.04.04.0
GDP, current prices USD bn2223333334
GDP per capita, current prices USD1,0809959631,0751,2061,2411,2781,3211,3671,416
GDP per capita, PPP Int. USD2,5902,7902,9333,1183,2123,3013,3603,4223,4933,567
General government gross debt % of GDP58.064.461.152.849.149.048.648.147.948.6
General government net lending/borrowing % of GDP-4.8-6.37.48.22.24.24.54.44.03.7
Current account balance % of GDP-9.1-14.0-0.82.1-3.3-3.4-2.3-1.4-0.20.4
Population million2.262.292.312.342.372.392.422.452.482.51

Government debt, % of GDP

General government gross debt
0.01092000: 88%2001: 109%2002: 80%2003: 53%2004: 49%2005: 41%2006: 44%2007: 50%2008: 47%2009: 36%2010: 34%2011: 36%2012: 40%2013: 41%2014: 42%2015: 46%2016: 41%2017: 41%2018: 48%2019: 58%2020: 55%2021: 58%2022: 64%2023: 61%2024: 53%2025: 49%2026: 49% (IMF projection)2027: 49% (IMF projection)2028: 48% (IMF projection)2029: 48% (IMF projection)2030: 49% (IMF projection)2031: 50% (IMF projection)IMF projection2000200520102015202020252030

Current account, % of GDP

Balance of payments
-18.20.016.42000: -4.5%2001: 6.2%2002: 6.3%2003: -3.0%2004: 5.0%2005: 4.8%2006: 14.0%2007: 16.4%2008: 14.7%2009: -3.8%2010: -13.4%2011: -18.2%2012: -12.6%2013: -9.3%2014: -8.1%2015: -6.8%2016: -10.2%2017: -7.0%2018: -7.0%2019: -6.3%2020: -5.7%2021: -9.1%2022: -14.0%2023: -0.8%2024: 2.1%2025: -3.3%2026: -3.4% (IMF projection)2027: -2.3% (IMF projection)2028: -1.4% (IMF projection)2029: -0.2% (IMF projection)2030: 0.4% (IMF projection)2031: -0.1% (IMF projection)IMF projection2000200520102015202020252030

Economic structure

Value added by sector, % of GDP · World Bank
AgricultureManufacturingOther industryServices
YearStructureAgricultureIndustryManufacturingServices
19958.830.99.053.2
20055.733.820.048.9
20153.833.715.151.5
20256.525.2–55.6

Income, trade and society

World Bank WDI · change over 10 years
IndicatorLatestUnitYear10Y change
GNI per capita, Atlas method1,280USD20250.0%
GNI, Atlas method3USD bn2025+12.1%
Exports of goods and services49.5% of GDP2025+6.6 pp
Imports of goods and services104.5% of GDP2025+17.6 pp
Life expectancy at birth57.8years2024+13.8%
Urban population44.7% of total2025+10.6 pp

Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook (April 2026; 2026 onwards are IMF projections) · World Bank World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)