Commercial service imports in Lesotho
Lesotho: Commercial service imports was 459.85 million current US$ in 2025. ▲ Rising
Commercial service imports in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2025, commercial service imports in Lesotho stood at 459.85 million current US$.
That represents a change of up 12.7% on the previous year and up 71.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, commercial service imports in Lesotho peaked at 479.35 million current US$ in 2018 and was at its lowest, 13.93 million current US$, in 1975.
That places Lesotho 167th out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Commercial service imports in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 13.93 million current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 15.18 million current US$ | +9.0% |
| 1977 | 16.68 million current US$ | +9.8% |
| 1978 | 19.20 million current US$ | +15.2% |
| 1979 | 22.68 million current US$ | +18.1% |
| 1980 | 26.71 million current US$ | +17.7% |
| 1981 | 30.99 million current US$ | +16.1% |
| 1982 | 324.81 million current US$ | +948.0% |
| 1983 | 354.00 million current US$ | +9.0% |
| 1984 | 309.18 million current US$ | -12.7% |
| 1985 | 234.86 million current US$ | -24.0% |
| 1986 | 251.77 million current US$ | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 380.87 million current US$ | +51.3% |
| 1988 | 357.21 million current US$ | -6.2% |
| 1989 | 360.37 million current US$ | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 407.87 million current US$ | +13.2% |
| 1991 | 417.21 million current US$ | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 453.37 million current US$ | +8.7% |
| 1993 | 436.74 million current US$ | -3.7% |
| 1994 | 460.36 million current US$ | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 466.10 million current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 397.37 million current US$ | -14.7% |
| 1997 | 386.32 million current US$ | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 297.48 million current US$ | -23.0% |
| 1999 | 245.66 million current US$ | -17.4% |
| 2000 | 245.51 million current US$ | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 211.67 million current US$ | -13.8% |
| 2002 | 210.40 million current US$ | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 304.37 million current US$ | +44.7% |
| 2004 | 355.69 million current US$ | +16.9% |
| 2005 | 351.50 million current US$ | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 356.64 million current US$ | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 352.92 million current US$ | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 378.35 million current US$ | +7.2% |
| 2009 | 398.48 million current US$ | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 409.79 million current US$ | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 461.71 million current US$ | +12.7% |
| 2012 | 420.91 million current US$ | -8.8% |
| 2013 | 348.39 million current US$ | -17.2% |
| 2014 | 324.24 million current US$ | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 267.89 million current US$ | -17.4% |
| 2016 | 369.97 million current US$ | +38.1% |
| 2017 | 434.66 million current US$ | +17.5% |
| 2018 | 479.35 million current US$ | +10.3% |
| 2019 | 446.61 million current US$ | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 381.66 million current US$ | -14.5% |
| 2021 | 401.84 million current US$ | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 439.78 million current US$ | +9.4% |
| 2023 | 406.70 million current US$ | -7.5% |
| 2024 | 407.95 million current US$ | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 459.85 million current US$ | +12.7% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 459.85 million current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.37 billion current US$, 19% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 459.85 million current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.39 billion current US$, 33% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Commercial service imports in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +948.0% | 30.99 million current US$ | 324.81 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.53 million current US$ | 13.93 million current US$ | 22.68 million current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | 263.08 million current US$ | 26.71 million current US$ | 380.87 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 396.85 million current US$ | 245.66 million current US$ | 466.10 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 316.55 million current US$ | 210.40 million current US$ | 398.48 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 396.35 million current US$ | 267.89 million current US$ | 479.35 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 416.30 million current US$ | 381.66 million current US$ | 459.85 million current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 164 Eswatini 531.00 million current US$ compare
- 165 Haiti 517.50 million current US$ compare
- 166 Sierra Leone 481.67 million current US$ compare
- 168 East Timor 453.40 million current US$ compare
- 169 Togo 435.35 million current US$ compare
- 170 Faroe Islands 394.20 million current US$ compare
More private sector data for Lesotho
- Merchandise trade 102.9% (2025)
- Food imports 23.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 59.2% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 1.88 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 23.3% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 70.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 773.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 327.08 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3004 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -22 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is commercial service imports in Lesotho?
- Commercial service imports in Lesotho was 459.85 million current US$ in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest commercial service imports recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 479.35 million current US$ in 2018.
- What is the lowest commercial service imports recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.93 million current US$ in 1975.
- How does Lesotho rank for commercial service imports?
- Lesotho ranks 167th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is commercial service imports rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 71.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Commercial service imports (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Commercial service imports are total service imports minus imports of government services not included elsewhere. Imports of services are services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.