Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Transport services (% of commercial service exports) was 3.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Transport services in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for transport services in Lesotho is 3.2%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 31.7% on the previous year and up 26.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Lesotho peaked at 24.2% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1982.
Lesotho ranks 181st of 198 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 2.9% | — |
| 1976 | 3.7% | +28.0% |
| 1977 | 3.0% | -17.2% |
| 1978 | 3.4% | +10.9% |
| 1979 | 3.2% | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 3.0% | -7.5% |
| 1981 | 2.4% | -17.6% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | -90.3% |
| 1983 | 0.6% | +141.7% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | +299.0% |
| 1985 | 2.1% | -7.2% |
| 1986 | 1.7% | -17.8% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | -43.9% |
| 1988 | 24.2% | +2386.0% |
| 1989 | 23.7% | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 22.9% | -3.6% |
| 1991 | 13.4% | -41.6% |
| 1992 | 12.3% | -7.7% |
| 1993 | 11.3% | -8.5% |
| 1994 | 14.5% | +28.3% |
| 1995 | 10.4% | -28.2% |
| 1996 | 10.0% | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 14.4% | +44.5% |
| 1998 | 9.0% | -37.9% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | -63.7% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | -18.0% |
| 2001 | 2.5% | -7.9% |
| 2002 | 2.6% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 2.2% | -14.4% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | +20.1% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | -20.4% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | +43.4% |
| 2008 | 2.3% | -18.9% |
| 2009 | 2.4% | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | +259.7% |
| 2011 | 10.8% | +25.0% |
| 2012 | 9.5% | -11.6% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | -36.7% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | +14.1% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | -63.7% |
| 2016 | 1.4% | -43.1% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | +45.5% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | +8.2% |
| 2020 | 4.5% | +102.4% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | -38.0% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | +13.5% |
| 2023 | 3.2% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 2.4% | -24.9% |
| 2025 | 3.2% | +31.7% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.2%, 17% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.1%, 22% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Transport services (% of commercial service exports) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +2386.0% | 1.0% | 24.2% |
| 1984 | +299.0% | 0.6% | 2.3% |
| 2010 | +259.7% | 2.4% | 8.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.7% | 5 |
| 1980s | 6.1% | 0.2% | 24.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.1% | 3.3% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.2% | 1.4% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 2.4% | 4.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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)
- Commercial service imports 460.39 million current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 23.3% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 70.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 773.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 18.67 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 327.08 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Lesotho?
- Transport services in Lesotho was 3.2% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 24.2% in 1988.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1982.
- How does Lesotho rank for transport services?
- Lesotho ranks 181st out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Transport services (% of commercial service exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service exports which are commercial services provided by residents to non-residents.