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.

Clientelism Index in Lesotho

Name: Clientelism Index in Lesotho
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

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

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.

Clientelism Index in Lesotho, year by year

Annual values for Clientelism Index in Lesotho, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.413	—
1901	0.413	+0.0%
1902	0.413	+0.0%
1903	0.413	+0.0%
1904	0.413	+0.0%
1905	0.413	+0.0%
1906	0.413	+0.0%
1907	0.413	+0.0%
1908	0.413	+0.0%
1909	0.413	+0.0%
1910	0.413	+0.0%
1911	0.413	+0.0%
1912	0.413	+0.0%
1913	0.413	+0.0%
1914	0.413	+0.0%
1915	0.413	+0.0%
1916	0.413	+0.0%
1917	0.413	+0.0%
1918	0.413	+0.0%
1919	0.413	+0.0%
1920	0.413	+0.0%
1921	0.413	+0.0%
1922	0.413	+0.0%
1923	0.413	+0.0%
1924	0.413	+0.0%
1925	0.413	+0.0%
1926	0.413	+0.0%
1927	0.413	+0.0%
1928	0.413	+0.0%
1929	0.413	+0.0%
1930	0.413	+0.0%
1931	0.413	+0.0%
1932	0.413	+0.0%
1933	0.413	+0.0%
1934	0.413	+0.0%
1935	0.413	+0.0%
1936	0.413	+0.0%
1937	0.413	+0.0%
1938	0.413	+0.0%
1939	0.413	+0.0%
1940	0.413	+0.0%
1941	0.413	+0.0%
1942	0.413	+0.0%
1943	0.413	+0.0%
1944	0.413	+0.0%
1945	0.413	+0.0%
1946	0.413	+0.0%
1947	0.413	+0.0%
1948	0.413	+0.0%
1949	0.413	+0.0%
1950	0.326	-21.1%
1951	0.326	+0.0%
1952	0.326	+0.0%
1953	0.326	+0.0%
1954	0.326	+0.0%
1955	0.326	+0.0%
1956	0.326	+0.0%
1957	0.326	+0.0%
1958	0.326	+0.0%
1959	0.326	+0.0%
1960	0.326	+0.0%
1961	0.326	+0.0%
1962	0.326	+0.0%
1963	0.326	+0.0%
1964	0.326	+0.0%
1965	0.495	+51.8%
1966	0.48	-3.0%
1967	0.48	+0.0%
1968	0.48	+0.0%
1969	0.48	+0.0%
1970	0.739	+54.0%
1971	0.736	-0.4%
1972	0.736	+0.0%
1973	0.736	+0.0%
1974	0.736	+0.0%
1975	0.736	+0.0%
1976	0.736	+0.0%
1977	0.736	+0.0%
1978	0.736	+0.0%
1979	0.736	+0.0%
1980	0.736	+0.0%
1981	0.736	+0.0%
1982	0.736	+0.0%
1983	0.736	+0.0%
1984	0.736	+0.0%
1985	0.736	+0.0%
1986	0.736	+0.0%
1987	0.757	+2.9%
1988	0.757	+0.0%
1989	0.757	+0.0%
1990	0.475	-37.3%
1991	0.475	+0.0%
1992	0.475	+0.0%
1993	0.391	-17.7%
1994	0.382	-2.3%
1995	0.382	+0.0%
1996	0.382	+0.0%
1997	0.382	+0.0%
1998	0.426	+11.5%
1999	0.454	+6.6%
2000	0.454	+0.0%
2001	0.454	+0.0%
2002	0.42	-7.5%
2003	0.398	-5.2%
2004	0.398	+0.0%
2005	0.398	+0.0%
2006	0.398	+0.0%
2007	0.401	+0.8%
2008	0.402	+0.2%
2009	0.402	+0.0%
2010	0.384	-4.5%
2011	0.384	+0.0%
2012	0.355	-7.6%
2013	0.351	-1.1%
2014	0.351	+0.0%
2015	0.355	+1.1%
2016	0.355	+0.0%
2017	0.355	+0.0%
2018	0.411	+15.8%
2019	0.374	-9.0%
2020	0.355	-5.1%
2021	0.367	+3.4%
2022	0.363	-1.1%
2023	0.344	-5.2%
2024	0.344	+0.0%
2025	0.372	+8.1%

Lesotho compared with similar countries

Lesotho's 0.372 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.6325, 59% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Lesotho's 0.372 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.6135, 61% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	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

113 Iran 0.382 compare
114 Maldives 0.38 compare
115 Gambia 0.373 compare
117 Libya 0.366 compare
117 Niger 0.366 compare
119 Romania 0.356 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Lesotho

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0331 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5388 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.582 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0101 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.582 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.111 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1115 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.48 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.77 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0549 (2050)

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.

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Clientelism Index in Lesotho. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/clientelism-index/lesotho/

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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: 18 September 2026

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.