Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in Lesotho
Lesotho: Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP was 20.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 20.7% for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in 2025.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 40.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in Lesotho peaked at 235.9% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 14.7%, in 2015.
That places Lesotho 14th out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 81.4% | — |
| 1976 | 93.5% | +14.8% |
| 1977 | 85.4% | -8.6% |
| 1978 | 66.6% | -22.1% |
| 1979 | 73.2% | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 61.0% | -16.7% |
| 1981 | 66.9% | +9.7% |
| 1982 | 232.2% | +247.0% |
| 1983 | 228.4% | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 230.1% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 216.3% | -6.0% |
| 1986 | 193.4% | -10.6% |
| 1987 | 235.9% | +22.0% |
| 1988 | 184.8% | -21.7% |
| 1989 | 177.6% | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 167.4% | -5.7% |
| 1991 | 145.2% | -13.3% |
| 1992 | 134.9% | -7.0% |
| 1993 | 124.1% | -8.0% |
| 1994 | 129.0% | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 108.4% | -16.0% |
| 1996 | 98.4% | -9.2% |
| 1997 | 87.6% | -11.0% |
| 1998 | 68.0% | -22.4% |
| 1999 | 57.5% | -15.4% |
| 2000 | 53.8% | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 48.6% | -9.7% |
| 2002 | 50.1% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 48.1% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 41.5% | -13.7% |
| 2005 | 35.6% | -14.2% |
| 2006 | 34.1% | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 37.9% | +11.2% |
| 2008 | 32.6% | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 31.5% | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 27.3% | -13.3% |
| 2011 | 25.2% | -7.8% |
| 2012 | 22.4% | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 19.6% | -12.6% |
| 2014 | 16.6% | -14.9% |
| 2015 | 14.7% | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 21.5% | +46.1% |
| 2017 | 23.7% | +10.1% |
| 2018 | 22.4% | -5.6% |
| 2019 | 22.1% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 21.9% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 19.7% | -10.2% |
| 2022 | 22.6% | +15.0% |
| 2023 | 22.5% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 19.9% | -11.7% |
| 2025 | 20.7% | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 80.0% | 66.6% | 93.5% | 5 |
| 1980s | 182.7% | 61.0% | 235.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 112.0% | 57.5% | 167.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.4% | 31.5% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.6% | 14.7% | 27.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.2% | 19.7% | 22.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More population data for Lesotho
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.14 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3315 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6353 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 107.36 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 190,191 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 3.4 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in Lesotho?
- Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in Lesotho was 20.7% in 2025, according to World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 235.9% in 1987.
- What is the lowest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.7% in 2015.
- How does Lesotho rank for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp?
- Lesotho ranks 14th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank staff estimates based on IMF and OECD data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Money sent or brought back by migrants refers to remittances a country has received in this year.