Annual change in GDP, population and CO₂ emissions in Lesotho
Lesotho: Annual change in GDP, population and CO₂ emissions was 1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual change in GDP, population and CO₂ emissions in Lesotho, 1961–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, Eurostat, and United Nations Statistical Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, annual change in gdp, population and co₂ emissions in Lesotho stood at 1.1%.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in gdp, population and co₂ emissions in Lesotho peaked at 3.7% in 1968 and was at its lowest, -0.9%, in 2005.
That places Lesotho 96th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in GDP, population and CO₂ emissions in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.0% | — |
| 1962 | 3.0% | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 2.9% | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 2.9% | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 3.2% | +9.3% |
| 1967 | 3.6% | +11.7% |
| 1968 | 3.7% | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 3.6% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 3.6% | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 3.6% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 3.5% | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 3.4% | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 3.5% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 3.2% | -7.2% |
| 1977 | 2.9% | -9.9% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 2.9% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2.9% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 2.9% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 2.9% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.5% | -10.4% |
| 1987 | 2.2% | -12.9% |
| 1988 | 2.1% | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 2.0% | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | -6.4% |
| 1992 | 1.7% | -7.1% |
| 1993 | 1.5% | -9.1% |
| 1994 | 1.4% | -10.4% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | -9.6% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | -12.6% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -25.8% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -37.3% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -47.9% |
| 2000 | 0.0% | -86.9% |
| 2001 | -0.2% | -550.9% |
| 2002 | -0.3% | +102.2% |
| 2003 | -0.5% | +56.4% |
| 2004 | -0.7% | +45.7% |
| 2005 | -0.9% | +30.7% |
| 2006 | -0.4% | -55.3% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -202.4% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | +60.9% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | +14.6% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | +13.5% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | -1.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.7%, 63% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 49% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in GDP, population and CO₂ emissions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | -550.9% | 0.0% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | +202.4% | -0.4% | 0.4% |
| 2002 | -102.2% | -0.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | -86.9% | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| 2008 | +60.9% | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| 2006 | +55.3% | -0.9% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.3% | 2.8% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.6% | 2.0% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.2% | 0.3% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.1% | -0.9% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More climate change data for Lesotho
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 6.55 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,116 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 715.74 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,401 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.7 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 50.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 61.29 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 51.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 9.3 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1962 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in gdp, population and co₂ emissions in Lesotho?
- Annual change in gdp, population and co₂ emissions in Lesotho was 1.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, Eurostat, and United Nations Statistical Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in gdp, population and co₂ emissions recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 3.7% in 1968.
- What is the lowest annual change in gdp, population and co₂ emissions recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.9% in 2005.
- How does Lesotho rank for annual change in gdp, population and co₂ emissions?
- Lesotho ranks 96th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in gdp, population and co₂ emissions rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, Eurostat, and United Nations Statistical Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in GDP, population and CO₂ emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage change in gross domestic product (GDP), population, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.