Clientelism Index in Lesotho

Lesotho: Clientelism Index was 0.372 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
0.372
Change on year
up 8.1%
World rank
116th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.757
in 1987
All-time low
0.326
in 1950
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Clientelism Index in Lesotho, 1900–2025

00.20.40.60.8190019622025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Lesotho recorded 0.372 for clientelism index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.1% on the previous year and up 4.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, clientelism index in Lesotho peaked at 0.757 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 0.326, in 1950.

Lesotho ranks 116th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0.413 0.413 0.413 10
1910s 0.413 0.413 0.413 10
1920s 0.413 0.413 0.413 10
1930s 0.413 0.413 0.413 10
1940s 0.413 0.413 0.413 10
1950s 0.326 0.326 0.326 10
1960s 0.4045 0.326 0.495 10
1970s 0.7363 0.736 0.739 10
1980s 0.7423 0.736 0.757 10
1990s 0.4224 0.382 0.475 10
2000s 0.4125 0.398 0.454 10
2010s 0.3675 0.351 0.411 10
2020s 0.3575 0.344 0.372 6

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 113 Iran 0.382 compare
  2. 114 Maldives 0.38 compare
  3. 115 Gambia 0.373 compare
  4. 117 Libya 0.366 compare
  5. 117 Niger 0.366 compare
  6. 119 Romania 0.356 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is clientelism index in Lesotho?
Clientelism index in Lesotho was 0.372 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest clientelism index recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 0.757 in 1987.
What is the lowest clientelism index recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 0.326 in 1950.
How does Lesotho rank for clientelism index?
Lesotho ranks 116th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is clientelism index rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Lesotho data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Clientelism Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Clientelism Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 24,366 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Composite index measuring the extent to which politics hinge on clientelistic exchanges of targeted goods, jobs, or cash for electoral support; higher values denote more pervasive clientelism.