Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) was 18.33 LCU per US$, period average in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
18.33 LCU per US$, period average
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
96th
of 209 countries
All-time high
18.45 LCU per US$, period average
in 2023
All-time low
0.6795 LCU per US$, period average
in 1974
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Official exchange rate in Lesotho, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in LCU per US$, period average.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 18.33 LCU per US$, period average for official exchange rate in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and up 68.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, official exchange rate in Lesotho peaked at 18.45 LCU per US$, period average in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.6795 LCU per US$, period average, in 1974.
Lesotho ranks 96th of 209 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) (UNESCO) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | LCU per US$, period average | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.7143 LCU per US$, period average | — |
| 1971 | 0.7152 LCU per US$, period average | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 0.7687 LCU per US$, period average | +7.5% |
| 1973 | 0.694 LCU per US$, period average | -9.7% |
| 1974 | 0.6795 LCU per US$, period average | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 0.7395 LCU per US$, period average | +8.8% |
| 1976 | 0.8696 LCU per US$, period average | +17.6% |
| 1977 | 0.8696 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.8696 LCU per US$, period average | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.842 LCU per US$, period average | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 0.7788 LCU per US$, period average | -7.5% |
| 1981 | 0.8776 LCU per US$, period average | +12.7% |
| 1982 | 1.09 LCU per US$, period average | +23.7% |
| 1983 | 1.11 LCU per US$, period average | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 1.48 LCU per US$, period average | +32.4% |
| 1985 | 2.23 LCU per US$, period average | +51.1% |
| 1986 | 2.29 LCU per US$, period average | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 2.04 LCU per US$, period average | -10.9% |
| 1988 | 2.27 LCU per US$, period average | +11.7% |
| 1989 | 2.62 LCU per US$, period average | +15.4% |
| 1990 | 2.59 LCU per US$, period average | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 2.76 LCU per US$, period average | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 2.85 LCU per US$, period average | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 3.27 LCU per US$, period average | +14.6% |
| 1994 | 3.55 LCU per US$, period average | +8.7% |
| 1995 | 3.63 LCU per US$, period average | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 4.3 LCU per US$, period average | +18.5% |
| 1997 | 4.61 LCU per US$, period average | +7.2% |
| 1998 | 5.53 LCU per US$, period average | +20.0% |
| 1999 | 6.11 LCU per US$, period average | +10.5% |
| 2000 | 6.94 LCU per US$, period average | +13.6% |
| 2001 | 8.61 LCU per US$, period average | +24.1% |
| 2002 | 10.54 LCU per US$, period average | +22.4% |
| 2003 | 7.56 LCU per US$, period average | -28.2% |
| 2004 | 6.46 LCU per US$, period average | -14.6% |
| 2005 | 6.36 LCU per US$, period average | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 6.77 LCU per US$, period average | +6.5% |
| 2007 | 7.05 LCU per US$, period average | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 8.26 LCU per US$, period average | +17.3% |
| 2009 | 8.47 LCU per US$, period average | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 7.32 LCU per US$, period average | -13.6% |
| 2011 | 7.26 LCU per US$, period average | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 8.21 LCU per US$, period average | +13.1% |
| 2013 | 9.66 LCU per US$, period average | +17.6% |
| 2014 | 10.85 LCU per US$, period average | +12.4% |
| 2015 | 12.76 LCU per US$, period average | +17.6% |
| 2016 | 14.71 LCU per US$, period average | +15.3% |
| 2017 | 13.32 LCU per US$, period average | -9.4% |
| 2018 | 13.23 LCU per US$, period average | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 14.45 LCU per US$, period average | +9.2% |
| 2020 | 16.46 LCU per US$, period average | +13.9% |
| 2021 | 14.78 LCU per US$, period average | -10.2% |
| 2022 | 16.36 LCU per US$, period average | +10.7% |
| 2023 | 18.45 LCU per US$, period average | +12.8% |
| 2024 | 18.33 LCU per US$, period average | -0.7% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 18.33 LCU per US$, period average is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 117.39 LCU per US$, period average, 16% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 18.33 LCU per US$, period average is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 606.35 LCU per US$, period average, 3% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.7762 LCU per US$, period average | 0.6795 LCU per US$, period average | 0.8696 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.68 LCU per US$, period average | 0.7788 LCU per US$, period average | 2.62 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.92 LCU per US$, period average | 2.59 LCU per US$, period average | 6.11 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.7 LCU per US$, period average | 6.36 LCU per US$, period average | 10.54 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.18 LCU per US$, period average | 7.26 LCU per US$, period average | 14.71 LCU per US$, period average | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.87 LCU per US$, period average | 14.78 LCU per US$, period average | 18.45 LCU per US$, period average | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 93 Czechia 23.22 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 94 Sao Tome and Principe 22.66 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 95 Sierra Leone 21.3 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 96 Namibia 18.33 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 96 South Africa 18.33 LCU per US$, period average compare
- 99 Eswatini 18.32 LCU per US$, period average compare
More population data for Lesotho
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.14 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3315 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6353 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.201 (2100)
- Population density 107.36 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 190,191 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -0.201 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 2.27 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is official exchange rate in Lesotho?
- Official exchange rate in Lesotho was 18.33 LCU per US$, period average in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest official exchange rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 18.45 LCU per US$, period average in 2023.
- What is the lowest official exchange rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6795 LCU per US$, period average in 1974.
- How does Lesotho rank for official exchange rate?
- Lesotho ranks 96th out of 209 countries with data for 2024.
- Is official exchange rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release