Lesotho vs South Africa: GDP growth
GDP growth: 4.9% a year in Lesotho in 2024 and 1.1% a year in South Africa in 2025, by IMF estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Lesotho, by 4.4 percentage points, or 9.16 times that in South Africa.
LesothoSouth Africa
Watch it change on the map% a year · IMF
Latest figures
% a year · IMF
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lesotho | 4.9 2024 | 1.5 | — | 1.5 2031 |
| South Africa | 1.1 2025 | 1.3 | 120 of 143 | 1.8 2031 |
What the numbers say
- Lesotho has been higher since 2023, when it overtook South Africa.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Lesotho at 1.5% a year and South Africa at 1.8% a year in 2031.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | Lesotho | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| 2024 | 4.9 | 0.5 |
| 2023 | 2.5 | 0.8 |
| 2022 | 1.6 | 2.1 |
| 2021 | 4.6 | 4.9 |
| 2020 | -8.6 | -6.2 |
| 2019 | -1.8 | 0.3 |
| 2018 | -1.3 | 1.6 |
| 2017 | -3.3 | 1.2 |
| 2016 | 2.3 | 0.7 |
| 2015 | 3.6 | 1.3 |
| 2014 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| 2013 | 1.2 | 2.5 |
| 2012 | 4.7 | 2.4 |
| 2011 | 6.3 | 3.2 |
| 2010 | 5.1 | 3 |
| 2009 | 0.5 | -1.5 |
| 2008 | 2.7 | 3.2 |
| 2007 | 5 | 5.4 |
| 2006 | 4.2 | 5.6 |
| 2005 | 3.3 | 5.3 |
| 2004 | 2.1 | 4.6 |
| 2003 | 4.2 | 2.9 |
| 2002 | 2.4 | 3.7 |
| 2001 | 3.3 | 2.7 |
| 2000 | 4 | 4.2 |
| 1999 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| 1998 | 1.3 | 0.5 |
| 1997 | 3.3 | 2.6 |
| 1996 | 4.8 | 4.3 |
| 1995 | 4.1 | 3.1 |
| 1994 | 5.2 | 3.2 |
| 1993 | 4 | 1.2 |
| 1992 | 6.1 | -2.1 |
| 1991 | 7.6 | -1 |
| 1990 | 6.4 | -0.3 |
| 1989 | 6 | 2.4 |
| 1988 | 7.9 | 4.2 |
| 1987 | 2.7 | 2.1 |
| 1986 | 3.8 | 0 |
| 1985 | 3 | -1.2 |
| 1984 | 4.8 | 5.1 |
| 1983 | 3 | -1.8 |
| 1982 | 5.6 | -0.4 |
| 1981 | 3.1 | 5.4 |
| 1980 | -0.8 | 6.6 |
- 12.3Projected
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Lesotho | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1.1 | 1 |
| 2027 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| 2028 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| 2029 | 1.5 | 1.7 |
| 2030 | 1.5 | 1.8 |
| 2031 | 1.5 | 1.8 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How much the economy grew or shrank in a year, after inflation.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 143 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time