Lesotho

Government debt in Lesotho

Government debt in Lesotho: 23.3% of GDP in 1988 and 49.4% of GDP in 2025, by IMF estimates.

Latest, 2025
49.4% of GDP
Since 1988
+26 percentage points
Rank, 2025
83 of 149
counting from the highest
Projected, 2031
52.2% of GDP
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

% of GDP · IMF

Government debt in LesothoGovernment debt in Lesotho: 23.3% of GDP in 1988 and 49.4% of GDP in 2025, by IMF estimates. The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts it at 52.2% of GDP in 2031.
Estimates, IMFIMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

What the numbers say

  • The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts it at 52.2% of GDP in 2031.
  • The highest was 108.7% of GDP in 2001, the lowest 11.9% of GDP in 1991.

Every year

% of GDP · IMF

YearLesotho
202549.4
202452.5
202361
202264.6
202158
202054.7
201958.2
201848.2
201741
201641.5
201545.8
201441.5
201341.2
201239.9
201136.2
201033.8
200935.9
200847
200749.6
200643.7
200541
200449.4
200352.6
200279.6
2001108.7
200088.5
199983
199879.4
199765.7
199671.6
199562.8
199467
199371.2
199264.4
199111.9
199018
198925.5
198823.3
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
YearLesotho
202647.5
202748
202848.5
202949.2
203050.7
203152.2

Good to know

  • What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
  • 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 149 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

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