New businesses registered (number) in Lesotho
Lesotho: New businesses registered (number) was 1,981 number in 2020. ▲ Rising
New businesses registered in Lesotho, 2006–2020
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in number.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 1,981 number for new businesses registered in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 31.0% on the previous year and up 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new businesses registered in Lesotho peaked at 3,725 number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 875 number, in 2006.
That places Lesotho 138th out of 177 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
New businesses registered (number) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 875 number | — |
| 2007 | 1,042 number | +19.1% |
| 2008 | 1,397 number | +34.1% |
| 2009 | 1,501 number | +7.4% |
| 2010 | 1,720 number | +14.6% |
| 2011 | 1,575 number | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 1,795 number | +14.0% |
| 2013 | 2,032 number | +13.2% |
| 2014 | 1,933 number | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 2,572 number | +33.1% |
| 2016 | 2,301 number | -10.5% |
| 2017 | 2,443 number | +6.2% |
| 2018 | 3,725 number | +52.5% |
| 2019 | 2,872 number | -22.9% |
| 2020 | 1,981 number | -31.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1,981 number is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5,646 number, 35% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1,981 number is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5,522 number, 36% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,204 number | 875 number | 1,501 number | 4 |
| 2010s | 2,297 number | 1,575 number | 3,725 number | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,981 number | 1,981 number | 1,981 number | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 135 Mauritania 2,329 number compare
- 136 Madagascar 2,206 number compare
- 137 Gambia 2,196 number compare
- 139 Maldives 1,928 number compare
- 140 East Timor 1,911 number compare
- 141 Isle of Man 1,770 number 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 new businesses registered in Lesotho?
- New businesses registered in Lesotho was 1,981 number in 2020, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new businesses registered recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 3,725 number in 2018.
- What is the lowest new businesses registered recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 875 number in 2006.
- How does Lesotho rank for new businesses registered?
- Lesotho ranks 138th out of 177 countries with data for 2020.
- Is new businesses registered rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New businesses registered (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
New businesses registered are the number of new limited liability corporations (or its equivalent) registered in the calendar year.