Lesotho External Debt
Total external debt stocks DT.DOD.DECT.CD
Lesotho's external debt was $1.8B in 2025, ranked 100th globally. This represents a 0.9% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1970–2025.
Overview
Lesotho's external debt stood at $1.8B in 2025, a rise of +$16.7M from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach $1.8B by 2025. Lesotho ranked 100th globally.
Lesotho’s external debt has risen dramatically from a modest 8,122,200.00 in 1970 to 1,789,849,995.12 in 2025, placing the country at rank 100 globally and just below the Gambia (1,715,593,510.75) and ahead of Haiti (1,582,336,092.43). The debt trajectory peaked in 2021 at 1,833,103,211.30 before a slight decline, suggesting that the steep accumulation of liabilities over the past half‑century has largely stabilized in recent years. The 56‑year coverage shows a long‑term upward trend, with the early low point in 1970 representing less than one percent of the current burden. Compared with peers such as Cabo Verde (2,382,114,822.56) and Sierra Leone (2,414,214,111.83), Lesotho’s debt remains lower but still reflects considerable external financing needs. Continued fiscal consolidation, improved export performance, or debt restructuring would be required to reverse the upward path and bring the debt ratio into a more sustainable range.
Data & projection
| Year | External Debt | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | $1.8B | - | - |
| 2026* trend | $1.8B | - | - |
| 2025* trend | $1.8B | - | - |
| 2025 | $1.8B | +$16.7M | #100 |
| 2024 | $1.8B | −$2.5M | #20 |
| 2023 | $1.8B | −$33.8M | #19 |
| 2022 | $1.8B | −$23.7M | #19 |
| 2021 | $1.8B | +$95.5M | #19 |
| 2020 | $1.7B | +$154.1M | #22 |
| 2019 | $1.6B | +$120.1M | #22 |
| 2018 | $1.5B | −$40.8M | #20 |
| 2017 | $1.5B | +$146.1M | #21 |
| 2016 | $1.4B | +$405.5M | #22 |
| 2015 | $952.6M | +$40.5M | #19 |
| 2014 | $912.1M | −$12.9M | #19 |
| 2013 | $925.0M | +$20.8M | #19 |
| 2012 | $904.2M | +$90.6M | #20 |
| 2011 | $813.6M | +$25.6M | #18 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Lesotho matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw external debt improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Lesotho's external debt was $1.8B in 2025. Ranked 100th globally. This represents a 0.9% increase from the previous year.
Lesotho's external debt peaked at $1.8B in 2021.
The lowest external debt in Lesotho was $8.1M in 1970.
Lesotho ranks 100th globally in external debt as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is DT.DOD.DECT.CD. Data sourced from World Bank.
Lesotho's external debt is projected to reach $1.8B by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
Lesotho's external debt was approximately 1.79 billion ($1.8B) in 2025.
The external debt of Lesotho in 2025 was $1.8B. This ranks 100th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_lesotho_external-debt,
title = {Lesotho External Debt},
url = {https://historysaid.com/lesotho/external-debt/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}