Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Transport services (% of commercial service imports) was 11.3% 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 imports.
Analysis
In 2025, transport services in Lesotho stood at 11.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.0% on the previous year and down 46.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Lesotho peaked at 65.6% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1983.
That places Lesotho 188th out of 197 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.
Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 51.8% | — |
| 1976 | 57.0% | +9.9% |
| 1977 | 57.6% | +1.1% |
| 1978 | 58.7% | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 60.5% | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 59.6% | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 65.6% | +10.1% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | -96.0% |
| 1983 | 2.6% | -2.9% |
| 1984 | 3.0% | +14.9% |
| 1985 | 3.0% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 3.2% | +6.0% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | +36.0% |
| 1989 | 4.2% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 3.9% | -9.2% |
| 1991 | 4.1% | +7.3% |
| 1992 | 3.8% | -7.6% |
| 1993 | 3.5% | -7.9% |
| 1994 | 2.8% | -19.7% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | +15.1% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 4.0% | +28.3% |
| 1998 | 4.7% | +18.9% |
| 1999 | 4.8% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 7.2% | +49.9% |
| 2001 | 8.3% | +15.0% |
| 2002 | 10.8% | +30.5% |
| 2003 | 10.2% | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 10.8% | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 11.5% | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 10.4% | -9.8% |
| 2007 | 12.4% | +19.0% |
| 2008 | 12.7% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | -8.4% |
| 2010 | 16.3% | +40.1% |
| 2011 | 16.0% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 17.6% | +9.9% |
| 2013 | 17.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 18.6% | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 21.2% | +13.6% |
| 2016 | 13.8% | -34.6% |
| 2017 | 13.3% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 12.8% | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 12.4% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 12.6% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 13.2% | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 12.4% | -6.7% |
| 2023 | 12.3% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 12.5% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 11.3% | -10.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 11.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.9%, 28% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 11.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 41.1%, 27% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Transport services (% of 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 | -96.0% | 65.6% | 2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 57.1% | 51.8% | 60.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | 15.1% | 2.6% | 65.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.8% | 2.8% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.6% | 7.2% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.0% | 12.4% | 21.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.4% | 11.3% | 13.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 185 Switzerland 12.3% compare
- 186 Curacao 12.2% compare
- 187 Sweden 11.8% compare
- 189 Albania 10.5% compare
- 190 United Kingdom 10.0% compare
- 191 Sao Tome and Principe 9.4% 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)
- 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 11.3% 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 65.6% in 1981.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1983.
- How does Lesotho rank for transport services?
- Lesotho ranks 188th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.7%. 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 imports). 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 imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.