Merchandise exports in Lesotho
Lesotho: Merchandise exports was 773.00 million current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
773.00 million current US$
Change on year
down 22.0%
World rank
160th
of 206 countries
All-time high
1.22 billion current US$
in 2018
All-time low
4.00 million current US$
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Merchandise exports in Lesotho, 1960–2025
Source: World Trade Organization (WTO). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise exports in Lesotho is 773.00 million current US$, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 22.0% on the previous year and down 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports in Lesotho peaked at 1.22 billion current US$ in 2018 and was at its lowest, 4.00 million current US$, in 1960.
That places Lesotho 160th out of 206 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.00 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 4.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 5.00 million current US$ | +25.0% |
| 1963 | 5.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 6.00 million current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1965 | 7.00 million current US$ | +16.7% |
| 1966 | 6.00 million current US$ | -14.3% |
| 1967 | 6.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 5.00 million current US$ | -16.7% |
| 1969 | 7.00 million current US$ | +40.0% |
| 1970 | 6.00 million current US$ | -14.3% |
| 1971 | 4.00 million current US$ | -33.3% |
| 1972 | 8.00 million current US$ | +100.0% |
| 1973 | 13.00 million current US$ | +62.5% |
| 1974 | 14.00 million current US$ | +7.7% |
| 1975 | 12.00 million current US$ | -14.3% |
| 1976 | 17.00 million current US$ | +41.7% |
| 1977 | 14.00 million current US$ | -17.6% |
| 1978 | 32.00 million current US$ | +128.6% |
| 1979 | 45.00 million current US$ | +40.6% |
| 1980 | 58.00 million current US$ | +28.9% |
| 1981 | 50.00 million current US$ | -13.8% |
| 1982 | 37.00 million current US$ | -26.0% |
| 1983 | 31.00 million current US$ | -16.2% |
| 1984 | 29.00 million current US$ | -6.5% |
| 1985 | 23.00 million current US$ | -20.7% |
| 1986 | 26.00 million current US$ | +13.0% |
| 1987 | 47.00 million current US$ | +80.8% |
| 1988 | 64.00 million current US$ | +36.2% |
| 1989 | 66.00 million current US$ | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 62.00 million current US$ | -6.1% |
| 1991 | 67.00 million current US$ | +8.1% |
| 1992 | 109.00 million current US$ | +62.7% |
| 1993 | 133.00 million current US$ | +22.0% |
| 1994 | 143.00 million current US$ | +7.5% |
| 1995 | 160.00 million current US$ | +11.9% |
| 1996 | 187.00 million current US$ | +16.9% |
| 1997 | 196.00 million current US$ | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 194.00 million current US$ | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 172.00 million current US$ | -11.3% |
| 2000 | 220.00 million current US$ | +27.9% |
| 2001 | 280.00 million current US$ | +27.3% |
| 2002 | 358.00 million current US$ | +27.9% |
| 2003 | 476.00 million current US$ | +33.0% |
| 2004 | 708.00 million current US$ | +48.7% |
| 2005 | 651.00 million current US$ | -8.1% |
| 2006 | 718.00 million current US$ | +10.3% |
| 2007 | 830.00 million current US$ | +15.6% |
| 2008 | 884.00 million current US$ | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 734.00 million current US$ | -17.0% |
| 2010 | 878.00 million current US$ | +19.6% |
| 2011 | 1.17 billion current US$ | +33.5% |
| 2012 | 972.00 million current US$ | -17.1% |
| 2013 | 847.00 million current US$ | -12.9% |
| 2014 | 826.00 million current US$ | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 929.00 million current US$ | +12.5% |
| 2016 | 881.00 million current US$ | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 1.03 billion current US$ | +16.7% |
| 2018 | 1.22 billion current US$ | +18.8% |
| 2019 | 919.00 million current US$ | -24.7% |
| 2020 | 845.00 million current US$ | -8.1% |
| 2021 | 935.00 million current US$ | +10.7% |
| 2022 | 894.00 million current US$ | -4.4% |
| 2023 | 825.00 million current US$ | -7.7% |
| 2024 | 991.00 million current US$ | +20.1% |
| 2025 | 773.00 million current US$ | -22.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 773.00 million current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.75 billion current US$, 9% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 773.00 million current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.99 billion current US$, 19% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.50 million current US$ | 4.00 million current US$ | 7.00 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.50 million current US$ | 4.00 million current US$ | 45.00 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 43.10 million current US$ | 23.00 million current US$ | 66.00 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 142.30 million current US$ | 62.00 million current US$ | 196.00 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 585.90 million current US$ | 220.00 million current US$ | 884.00 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 967.30 million current US$ | 826.00 million current US$ | 1.22 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 877.17 million current US$ | 773.00 million current US$ | 991.00 million current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 157 Malawi 947.00 million current US$ compare
- 158 Afghanistan 926.00 million current US$ compare
- 159 Bhutan 800.00 million current US$ compare
- 161 Bahamas 711.00 million current US$ compare
- 162 Solomon Islands 677.00 million current US$ compare
- 163 Montenegro 646.00 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 (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$), annual growth rate -22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 793.38 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports in Lesotho?
- Merchandise exports in Lesotho was 773.00 million current US$ in 2025, according to World Trade Organization (WTO).
- What is the highest merchandise exports recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1.22 billion current US$ in 2018.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.00 million current US$ in 1960.
- How does Lesotho rank for merchandise exports?
- Lesotho ranks 160th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise exports rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from World Trade Organization (WTO), published as part of Merchandise exports (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise exports includes goods whose economic ownership is changed from a resident to a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e. 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.