Trade & investment · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income
Lesotho: trade and investment
Exports is 49.5% (2025), 54th of 184 in the world and 5th of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Imports is 104.5% (2025), 6th of 184 in the world and 1st of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Trade openness is 154.0% (2025), 19th of 184 in the world and 2nd of 43 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
12 indicators
Trade & investment: Lesotho in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExportsExports of goods and services, % of GDP | 49.5%2025 | 54/184 | 5/43 | · | 42.1% | 44.4% | +6.6 ppsince 2015 | 27.9% | 23.2% | 29.5% | |
| ImportsImports of goods and services, % of GDP | 104.5%2025 | 6/184 | 1/43 | · | 108.0% | 96.6% | +17.6 ppsince 2015 | 27.9% | 26.3% | 28.5% | |
| Trade opennessTrade, % of GDP | 154.0%2025 | 19/184 | 2/43 | · | 150.1% | 141.1% | +24.3 ppsince 2015 | 55.7% | 46.6% | 68.5% | |
| Current accountCurrent account balance, % of GDP | 0.1%2025 | 72/185 | 11/42 | -8.7% | -11.0% | -4.3% | +5.8 ppsince 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Merchandise exportsMerchandise exports, current US$ | $773m2025 | 160/206 | 39/48 | $220m | $878m | $845m | −17%since 2015 | $487bn | $1.1tn | $26.4tn | |
| High-tech exportsHigh-technology exports, % of manufactured exports | 0.1%2024 | 163/170 | 39/39 | · | · | 0.0% | — | 6.0% | 14.7% | 24.7% | |
| Fuel exportsFuel exports, % of merchandise exports | 0.0%2024 | 148/172 | 31/39 | 0.0%2001 | 0.1% | 0.0% | ±0.0 ppsince 2014 | 40.9% | 24.8% | 9.5% | |
| Food exportsFood exports, % of merchandise exports | 23.3%2024 | 63/172 | 22/39 | 2.2% | 16.4% | 10.0% | +14.2 ppsince 2014 | 14.6% | 13.8% | 9.0% | |
| Average tariffApplied tariff rate, weighted mean, all products | 3.4%2022 | 105/184 | 40/45 | 1.4%2001 | 10.6% | 3.3% | −9.7 ppsince 2012 | — | — | — | |
| FDI inflowsForeign direct investment, net inflows, % of GDP | 1.3%2025 | 130/197 | 34/46 | 3.7% | 0.4% | 0.6% | −3.5 ppsince 2015 | 2.1% | 1.5% | 1.4% | |
| RemittancesPersonal remittances received, % of GDP | 20.8%2025 | 15/178 | 4/41 | 53.8% | 27.3% | 21.9% | +6.0 ppsince 2015 | 3.1% | 5.8% | 0.8% | |
| Tourist arrivalsInternational tourist arrivals | 1.1m2019 | 91/196 | 9/42 | 302,000 | 426,000 | 1.1m2019 | +232%since 2009 | 56.0m | 208m | 2.4bn |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
neighbours
Lesotho and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Lesotho. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Lesotho | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Exports | 49.5%2025 | 31.4%2025 |
| Imports | 104.5%2025 | 29.5%2025 |
| Trade openness | 154.0%2025 | 60.9%2025 |
| Current account | 0.1%2025 | -0.4%2025 |
| Merchandise exports | $773m2025 | $116bn2025 |
| High-tech exports | 0.1%2024 | 5.7%2024 |
| Fuel exports | 0.0%2024 | 8.2%2025 |
| Food exports | 23.3%2024 | 12.8%2025 |
| Average tariff | 3.4%2022 | 4.7%2022 |