Lesotho GDP Trends from 1980 to 2024: A overall increase with some decline Flow

  • April 18, 2025

Lesotho's GDP changed from approximately $428M in 1980 to $2B 395M in 2024, showing an overall 459.6% sharply increased during the period.
The lowest GDP was recorded in 1985 at $288M, and the highest in 2011 at $2B 571M.
Over the 44-year span, the GDP showed a overall increase with some decline trend, with an average annual growth rate of 4.0%. For comparison, the average annual growth rate of South Africa was 3.3%, and that of Eswatini was 4.4%.

Overview of Lesotho's GDP (1980–2024)

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Lesotho recorded a 459.6% sharply increased from 1980 to 2024.
The average GDP during this period was $1B 389M, and the median was $1B 32M.
GDP fluctuated within a range of $2B 283M, with a standard deviation of $800M 782K.
The average annual change was $57M 811K.


Beautiful Chart

Lesotho GDP from 1980 to 2024

The total market value of goods and services produced annually in Lesotho.

Parsing Data

Highest and Lowest GDP Records

  • Lowest GDP: 1985, $288M
  • Highest GDP: 2011, $2B 571M
  • Most Recent GDP: 2024, $2B 395M

Notable Annual GDP Changes

  • 2010: Significant increase in GDP
  • 2015: Noticeable drop in GDP

Overall pattern: overall increase with some decline


Global Economic Events and Lesotho's GDP

COVID-19 Pandemic (2020)

  • Period: From 2019 to 2020
  • GDP Change: $2B 323M → $2B 92M
  • Outcome: declined

2008 Global Financial Crisis

  • Period: From 2007 to 2009
  • GDP Change: $1B 759M → $1B 937M
  • Outcome: sharply increased

2001 Dot-com Bubble Burst

  • Period: From 2000 to 2001
  • GDP Change: $922M → $774M
  • Outcome: sharply declined

1998 Asian Financial Crisis

  • Period: From 1997 to 1998
  • GDP Change: $1B 26M → $949M
  • Outcome: declined

Key Economic Indicators of Lesotho (1980–2024)

yearNominal GDPGDP per CapitaPPP per CapitaPPP GDPGDP GrowthCurrent AccountSavingsFiscal BalancePopulation
1980
$ 428M
$ 334.43
$ 460.82
$ 590M
-0.825 %
-9.02 %
44.90 %
0 %
1M 281K people
1981
$ 435M
$ 330.81
$ 506.56
$ 666M
3.079 %
-12.028 %
41.96 %
0 %
1M 315K people
1982
$ 362M
$ 268.42
$ 553.50
$ 747M
5.556 %
36.731 %
46.98 %
0.96 %
1M 349K people
1983
$ 401M
$ 289.89
$ 577.80
$ 799M
3.049 %
42.504 %
40.58 %
5.16 %
1M 384K people
1984
$ 360M
$ 265.39
$ 638.93
$ 868M
4.769 %
48.246 %
46.78 %
7.392 %
1M 358K people
1985
$ 288M
$ 207.23
$ 663.01
$ 922M
2.956 %
51.17 %
53.43 %
3.912 %
1M 390K people
1986
$ 331M
$ 232.53
$ 684.71
$ 976M
3.769 %
48.794 %
31.10 %
3.342 %
1M 425K people
1987
$ 434M
$ 290.68
$ 688.27
$ 1B 26M
2.686 %
50.199 %
28 %
-0.043 %
1M 492K people
1988
$ 496M
$ 323.52
$ 748.22
$ 1B 146M
7.854 %
16.616 %
21.68 %
0.789 %
1M 532K people
1989
$ 519M
$ 329.02
$ 801.04
$ 1B 263M
5.992 %
16.697 %
17.96 %
8.538 %
1M 576K people
1990
$ 635M
$ 391.98
$ 860.32
$ 1B 394M
6.429 %
28.843 %
41.46 %
12.994 %
1M 621K people
1991
$ 743M
$ 452.08
$ 943.43
$ 1B 550M
7.55 %
-31.965 %
25.52 %
10.89 %
1M 643K people
1992
$ 863M
$ 505.04
$ 984.50
$ 1B 682M
6.058 %
-19.312 %
29.25 %
6.418 %
1M 708K people
1993
$ 865M
$ 494.61
$ 1,023.17
$ 1B 790M
3.982 %
-9.163 %
19.72 %
8.195 %
1M 749K people
1994
$ 915M
$ 512.04
$ 1,076.81
$ 1B 923M
5.202 %
-7.358 %
28.82 %
5.528 %
1M 786K people
1995
$ 1B 32M
$ 549.61
$ 1,088.49
$ 2B 43M
4.067 %
-18.895 %
30.62 %
4.087 %
1M 877K people
1996
$ 977M
$ 524.62
$ 1,170.65
$ 2B 180M
4.767 %
-25.881 %
24.19 %
-1.162 %
1M 862K people
1997
$ 1B 26M
$ 551.04
$ 1,228.82
$ 2B 290M
3.269 %
-30.429 %
21.73 %
-2.358 %
1M 864K people
1998
$ 949M
$ 508.56
$ 1,258.23
$ 2B 347M
1.333 %
-19.333 %
11.62 %
-13.48 %
1M 865K people
1999
$ 937M
$ 501.75
$ 1,293.39
$ 2B 414M
1.438 %
-26.007 %
15.99 %
-15.29 %
1M 867K people