Gross national income (GNI) per capita in Lesotho
Lesotho: Gross national income (GNI) per capita was 3,029 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3,029 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
167th
of 193 countries
All-time high
3,394 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2016
All-time low
2,349 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1994
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Gross national income (GNI) per capita in Lesotho, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 3,029 international-$ in 2021 prices for gross national income (gni) per capita in 2023.
That represents a change of up 2.0% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross national income (gni) per capita in Lesotho peaked at 3,394 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2016 and was at its lowest, 2,349 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1994.
Lesotho ranks 167th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Gross national income (GNI) per capita in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2,455 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1991 | 2,360 international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 2,359 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 2,372 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 2,349 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 2,362 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 2,452 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 2,581 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 2,994 international-$ in 2021 prices | +16.0% |
| 1999 | 3,019 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 2,962 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 2,936 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 2,975 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 3,096 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 3,087 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 2,975 international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 2,996 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 3,300 international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.2% |
| 2008 | 3,390 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 3,198 international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.7% |
| 2010 | 3,281 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 3,197 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 3,261 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 3,246 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 3,187 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 3,277 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 3,394 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 3,233 international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 3,326 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 3,222 international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 2,997 international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 2,868 international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 2,969 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 3,029 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 3,029 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5,747 international-$ in 2021 prices, 53% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 3,029 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,464 international-$ in 2021 prices, 87% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,530 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2,349 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3,019 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,091 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2,936 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3,390 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,263 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3,187 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3,394 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,966 international-$ in 2021 prices | 2,868 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3,029 international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 164 Comoros 3,481 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 165 Zambia 3,447 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 166 Vanuatu 3,404 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 168 Rwanda 2,971 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 169 Haiti 2,935 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 170 Togo 2,856 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross national income (gni) per capita in Lesotho?
- Gross national income (gni) per capita in Lesotho was 3,029 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gross national income (gni) per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 3,394 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2016.
- What is the lowest gross national income (gni) per capita recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,349 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1994.
- How does Lesotho rank for gross national income (gni) per capita?
- Lesotho ranks 167th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross national income (gni) per capita rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gross national income (GNI) per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average income per person earned by residents of a country or region, including income earned abroad. This data is adjusted for inflation and for differences in living costs between countries.