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 20.72 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in Lesotho, 1975–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 20.72 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 235.93 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 14.74, 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 | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 81.37 | — |
| 1976 | 93.46 | +14.8% |
| 1977 | 85.43 | -8.6% |
| 1978 | 66.57 | -22.1% |
| 1979 | 73.23 | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 60.99 | -16.7% |
| 1981 | 66.92 | +9.7% |
| 1982 | 232.22 | +247.0% |
| 1983 | 228.44 | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 230.06 | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 216.32 | -6.0% |
| 1986 | 193.4 | -10.6% |
| 1987 | 235.93 | +22.0% |
| 1988 | 184.84 | -21.7% |
| 1989 | 177.59 | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 167.43 | -5.7% |
| 1991 | 145.15 | -13.3% |
| 1992 | 134.93 | -7.0% |
| 1993 | 124.11 | -8.0% |
| 1994 | 128.98 | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 108.4 | -16.0% |
| 1996 | 98.39 | -9.2% |
| 1997 | 87.56 | -11.0% |
| 1998 | 67.98 | -22.4% |
| 1999 | 57.5 | -15.4% |
| 2000 | 53.83 | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 48.6 | -9.7% |
| 2002 | 50.1 | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 48.1 | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 41.5 | -13.7% |
| 2005 | 35.63 | -14.2% |
| 2006 | 34.1 | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 37.94 | +11.2% |
| 2008 | 32.59 | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 31.47 | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 27.3 | -13.3% |
| 2011 | 25.17 | -7.8% |
| 2012 | 22.38 | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 19.56 | -12.6% |
| 2014 | 16.64 | -14.9% |
| 2015 | 14.74 | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 21.53 | +46.1% |
| 2017 | 23.71 | +10.1% |
| 2018 | 22.4 | -5.6% |
| 2019 | 22.13 | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 21.91 | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 19.67 | -10.2% |
| 2022 | 22.62 | +15.0% |
| 2023 | 22.52 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 19.9 | -11.7% |
| 2025 | 20.72 | +4.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 20.72 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.01, 3.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 20.72 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.52, 8.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp 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 | +247.0% | 66.92 | 232.22 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 80.01 | 66.57 | 93.46 | 5 |
| 1980s | 182.67 | 60.99 | 235.93 | 10 |
| 1990s | 112.05 | 57.5 | 167.43 | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.38 | 31.47 | 53.83 | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.56 | 14.74 | 27.3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.22 | 19.67 | 22.62 | 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)
- Population growth rate -0.201 (2100)
- Population density 107.36 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 190,191 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.201 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 2.27 % 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 20.72 in 2025, according to 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 235.93 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 14.74 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 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
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).