World Factbook
Lesotho
Kingdom of Lesotho
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Budget
note
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
revenues
$1.13 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures
$1.256 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
note
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022
$1.07 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$885.789 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$983.027 million (2024 est.)
Imports
note
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022
$2.247 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$2.077 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$2.083 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism
Labor force
884,200 (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt
note
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Public debt 2020
3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Remittances
note
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022
22.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
22.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
22% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
maloti (LSL) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
16.459 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
14.779 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
16.356 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
18.45 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
18.329 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
note
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt - external 2023
$928.019 million (2023 est.)
Economic overview
lower middle-income economy surrounded by South Africa; environmentally fragile and politically unstable; key infrastructure and renewable energy investments; dire poverty; urban job and income losses due to COVID-19; systemic corruption
Unemployment rate
note
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022
16.7% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
16.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
16.2% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
South Africa 31%, Belgium 26%, USA 20%, UAE 8%, India 8% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
South Africa 78%, China 10%, Taiwan 3%, Japan 1%, India 1% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Real GDP per capita
note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022
$2,600 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$2,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$2,600 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
note
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022
2.4% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
2.8% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
milk, potatoes, maize, vegetables, fruits, sorghum, wheat, game meat, beans, wool (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Exports - commodities
diamonds, garments, wool, power equipment, bedding (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, fabric, trucks, garments, cotton fabric (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Current account balance
note
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022
-$268.876 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$151.577 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$84.393 million (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
30.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.272 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use
note
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
household consumption
92.9% (2023 est.)
government consumption
35.6% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
-1.1% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
28.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
42.9% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-98.6% (2023 est.)
Population below poverty line
49.7% (2017 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
note
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
8.3% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
6.3% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
6.1% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
2.6% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$5.893 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$6 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$6.166 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
17.7% (2024 est.)
note
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
total
24.2% (2024 est.)
female
36.2% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
note
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$771.278 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$854.089 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$1.008 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
note
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
industry
31% (2024 est.)
services
48% (2024 est.)
agriculture
6.5% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
note
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
lowest 10%
1.7% (2017 est.)
highest 10%
32.9% (2017 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
note
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
44.9 (2017 est.)