Lesotho Foreign Reserves
Total reserves including gold FI.RES.TOTL.CD
Lesotho's foreign reserves was $1.0B in 2025, ranked 135th globally. This represents a 0.8% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1980–2025.
Overview
Lesotho's foreign reserves stood at $1.0B in 2025, a rise of +$7.8M from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach $1.0B by 2025. Lesotho ranked 135th globally.
Lesotho’s foreign exchange reserves have risen dramatically from a modest 50,268,480.65 in 1980 to 1,015,656,888.62 in 2025, placing the country at rank 135 globally. The accumulation accelerated after the early‑1980s trough of 43,395,441.12, reaching an all‑time high of 1,502,248,532.22 in 2009 before moderating to the current level. Over the 46‑year coverage period, the reserve stock has more than doubled, reflecting improved balance‑of‑payments management and periodic inflows from remittances and export earnings. Compared with peers of similar ranking, Lesotho’s reserves are slightly below San Marino’s 1,016,427,668.47 and above Liberia’s 923,523,809.06, indicating a comparable scale of external liquidity among small economies. The upward trajectory suggests continued resilience, yet future shifts in regional trade dynamics or external debt servicing could alter the growth path, making prudent reserve accumulation essential for macro‑economic stability.
Data & projection
| Year | Foreign Reserves | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | $1.1B | - | - |
| 2026* trend | $1.1B | - | - |
| 2025* trend | $1.0B | - | - |
| 2025 | $1.0B | +$7.8M | #135 |
| 2024 | $1.0B | +$153.8M | #116 |
| 2023 | $854.1M | +$82.8M | #136 |
| 2022 | $771.3M | −$26.9M | #141 |
| 2021 | $798.2M | +$67.9M | #142 |
| 2020 | $730.3M | −$43.8M | #139 |
| 2019 | $774.1M | +$45.6M | #136 |
| 2018 | $728.5M | +$70.9M | #136 |
| 2017 | $657.7M | −$267.5M | #136 |
| 2016 | $925.2M | −$72.2M | #121 |
| 2015 | $997.4M | −$83.8M | #123 |
| 2014 | $1.1B | +$21.1M | #123 |
| 2013 | $1.1B | +$60.7M | #123 |
| 2012 | $999.5M | +$95.6M | #126 |
| 2011 | $903.9M | −$582.1M | #128 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Lesotho matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw foreign reserves improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Lesotho's foreign reserves was $1.0B in 2025. Ranked 135th globally. This represents a 0.8% increase from the previous year.
Lesotho's foreign reserves peaked at $1.5B in 2009.
The lowest foreign reserves in Lesotho was $43.4M in 1981.
Lesotho ranks 135th globally in foreign reserves as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is FI.RES.TOTL.CD. Data sourced from World Bank.
Lesotho's foreign reserves is projected to reach $1.0B by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
Lesotho's foreign reserves was approximately 1.02 billion ($1.0B) in 2025.
The foreign reserves of Lesotho in 2025 was $1.0B. This ranks 135th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_lesotho_reserves,
title = {Lesotho Foreign Reserves},
url = {https://historysaid.com/lesotho/reserves/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}