Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho
Lesotho: Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate was 1.19 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in Lesotho is 1.19 % change on previous year, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 84.1% on the previous year and up 112.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in Lesotho peaked at 57.14 % change on previous year in 1973 and was at its lowest, -22.22 % change on previous year, in 1985.
Lesotho ranks 164th of 206 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 17.65 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1963 | 10 % change on previous year | — |
| 1964 | 9.09 % change on previous year | -9.1% |
| 1965 | 4.17 % change on previous year | -54.2% |
| 1966 | 28 % change on previous year | +572.0% |
| 1967 | 3.12 % change on previous year | -88.8% |
| 1968 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1969 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1970 | -3.03 % change on previous year | — |
| 1971 | 21.88 % change on previous year | -821.9% |
| 1972 | 43.59 % change on previous year | +99.3% |
| 1973 | 57.14 % change on previous year | +31.1% |
| 1974 | 36.36 % change on previous year | -36.4% |
| 1975 | 36.67 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 29.27 % change on previous year | -20.2% |
| 1977 | 10.38 % change on previous year | -64.5% |
| 1978 | 20.09 % change on previous year | +93.6% |
| 1979 | 16.73 % change on previous year | -16.7% |
| 1980 | 41.46 % change on previous year | +147.9% |
| 1981 | 11.21 % change on previous year | -73.0% |
| 1982 | 1.55 % change on previous year | -86.2% |
| 1983 | -7.44 % change on previous year | -580.1% |
| 1984 | -9.07 % change on previous year | +21.9% |
| 1985 | -22.22 % change on previous year | +144.9% |
| 1986 | 3.21 % change on previous year | -114.4% |
| 1987 | 32.49 % change on previous year | +913.0% |
| 1988 | 25.16 % change on previous year | -22.6% |
| 1989 | 5.11 % change on previous year | -79.7% |
| 1990 | 8.91 % change on previous year | +74.4% |
| 1991 | 20.98 % change on previous year | +135.4% |
| 1992 | 10.58 % change on previous year | -49.6% |
| 1993 | -3.23 % change on previous year | -130.5% |
| 1994 | 1.03 % change on previous year | -132.1% |
| 1995 | 25.94 % change on previous year | +2407.4% |
| 1996 | 1.72 % change on previous year | -93.4% |
| 1997 | 1.24 % change on previous year | -27.6% |
| 1998 | -17.46 % change on previous year | -1504.0% |
| 1999 | -7.97 % change on previous year | -54.3% |
| 2000 | -6.58 % change on previous year | -17.4% |
| 2001 | -8.16 % change on previous year | +23.9% |
| 2002 | 9.69 % change on previous year | -218.8% |
| 2003 | 37.55 % change on previous year | +287.5% |
| 2004 | 28.46 % change on previous year | -24.2% |
| 2005 | -2.08 % change on previous year | -107.3% |
| 2006 | 6.38 % change on previous year | -406.4% |
| 2007 | 15.87 % change on previous year | +148.6% |
| 2008 | 3.57 % change on previous year | -77.5% |
| 2009 | 2.78 % change on previous year | -22.1% |
| 2010 | 24.32 % change on previous year | +775.7% |
| 2011 | 8.7 % change on previous year | -64.3% |
| 2012 | 4.08 % change on previous year | -53.1% |
| 2013 | -16.41 % change on previous year | -502.2% |
| 2014 | 1.47 % change on previous year | -109.0% |
| 2015 | -9.52 % change on previous year | -746.7% |
| 2016 | -6.81 % change on previous year | -28.4% |
| 2017 | 11.02 % change on previous year | -261.8% |
| 2018 | 5.76 % change on previous year | -47.7% |
| 2019 | -20.64 % change on previous year | -458.4% |
| 2020 | -20.42 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 32.17 % change on previous year | -257.6% |
| 2022 | 1.75 % change on previous year | -94.5% |
| 2023 | -7.11 % change on previous year | -505.4% |
| 2024 | 7.48 % change on previous year | -205.2% |
| 2025 | 1.19 % change on previous year | -84.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1.19 % change on previous year is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9.33 % change on previous year, 13% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1.19 % change on previous year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.05 % change on previous year, 20% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +2407.4% | 1.03 % change on previous year | 25.94 % change on previous year |
| 1998 | -1504.0% | 1.24 % change on previous year | -17.46 % change on previous year |
| 1987 | +913.0% | 3.21 % change on previous year | 32.49 % change on previous year |
| 1971 | +821.9% | -3.03 % change on previous year | 21.88 % change on previous year |
| 2010 | +775.7% | 2.78 % change on previous year | 24.32 % change on previous year |
| 2015 | -746.7% | 1.47 % change on previous year | -9.52 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 28 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 26.91 % change on previous year | -3.03 % change on previous year | 57.14 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.14 % change on previous year | -22.22 % change on previous year | 41.46 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.18 % change on previous year | -17.46 % change on previous year | 25.94 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.75 % change on previous year | -8.16 % change on previous year | 37.55 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.197 % change on previous year | -20.64 % change on previous year | 24.32 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.51 % change on previous year | -20.42 % change on previous year | 32.17 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 161 New Zealand 1.47 % change on previous year compare
- 162 Mauritius 1.36 % change on previous year compare
- 163 Bolivia 1.26 % change on previous year compare
- 165 Eswatini 0.8687 % change on previous year compare
- 166 Canada 0.7578 % change on previous year compare
- 167 Guinea-Bissau 0.6173 % change on previous year 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$), annual growth rate -22 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in Lesotho?
- Merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in Lesotho was 1.19 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 57.14 % change on previous year in 1973.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -22.22 % change on previous year in 1985.
- How does Lesotho rank for merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate?
- Lesotho ranks 164th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 112.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Merchandise imports (current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Merchandise imports World Trade Organization (WTO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Merchandise imports (current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.