Military spending per armed forces personnel in Lesotho
Lesotho: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 22,477 constant 2024 US$ in 2020. ▲ Rising
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Lesotho, 1985–2020
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending per armed forces personnel in Lesotho is 22,477 constant 2024 US$, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 6.5% on the previous year and down 24.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in Lesotho peaked at 29,915 constant 2024 US$ in 2010 and was at its lowest, 4,997 constant 2024 US$, in 1985.
Lesotho ranks 91st of 160 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 4,997 constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1989 | 7,392 constant 2024 US$ | +47.9% |
| 1990 | 6,981 constant 2024 US$ | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 5,845 constant 2024 US$ | -16.3% |
| 1992 | 5,596 constant 2024 US$ | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 5,177 constant 2024 US$ | -7.5% |
| 1994 | 6,070 constant 2024 US$ | +17.3% |
| 1995 | 7,544 constant 2024 US$ | +24.3% |
| 1996 | 6,746 constant 2024 US$ | -10.6% |
| 1997 | 10,959 constant 2024 US$ | +62.5% |
| 1998 | 12,986 constant 2024 US$ | +18.5% |
| 1999 | 18,425 constant 2024 US$ | +41.9% |
| 2000 | 17,682 constant 2024 US$ | -4.0% |
| 2001 | 18,578 constant 2024 US$ | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 14,214 constant 2024 US$ | -23.5% |
| 2003 | 13,384 constant 2024 US$ | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 12,482 constant 2024 US$ | -6.7% |
| 2005 | 12,725 constant 2024 US$ | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 13,384 constant 2024 US$ | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 14,579 constant 2024 US$ | +8.9% |
| 2008 | 10,602 constant 2024 US$ | -27.3% |
| 2009 | 22,667 constant 2024 US$ | +113.8% |
| 2010 | 29,915 constant 2024 US$ | +32.0% |
| 2011 | 23,253 constant 2024 US$ | -22.3% |
| 2012 | 22,691 constant 2024 US$ | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 22,914 constant 2024 US$ | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 24,317 constant 2024 US$ | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 25,567 constant 2024 US$ | +5.1% |
| 2016 | 26,081 constant 2024 US$ | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 28,532 constant 2024 US$ | +9.4% |
| 2018 | 26,397 constant 2024 US$ | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 24,035 constant 2024 US$ | -8.9% |
| 2020 | 22,477 constant 2024 US$ | -6.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 22,477 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 15,998 constant 2024 US$, 1.4× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 22,477 constant 2024 US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13,391 constant 2024 US$, 1.7× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per armed forces personnel in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +113.8% | 10,602 constant 2024 US$ | 22,667 constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6,195 constant 2024 US$ | 4,997 constant 2024 US$ | 7,392 constant 2024 US$ | 2 |
| 1990s | 8,633 constant 2024 US$ | 5,177 constant 2024 US$ | 18,425 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 15,030 constant 2024 US$ | 10,602 constant 2024 US$ | 22,667 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,370 constant 2024 US$ | 22,691 constant 2024 US$ | 29,915 constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 22,477 constant 2024 US$ | 22,477 constant 2024 US$ | 22,477 constant 2024 US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 88 Ukraine 24,352 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 89 Papua New Guinea 23,831 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 90 East Timor 23,610 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 92 Morocco 21,729 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 93 Bangladesh 20,749 constant 2024 US$ compare
- 94 Senegal 20,668 constant 2024 US$ 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 military spending per armed forces personnel in Lesotho?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in Lesotho was 22,477 constant 2024 US$ in 2020, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 29,915 constant 2024 US$ in 2010.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,997 constant 2024 US$ in 1985.
- How does Lesotho rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- Lesotho ranks 91st out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026); The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total military expenditure divided by armed forces personnel. This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.