Military spending per military personnel in Lesotho
Lesotho: Military spending per military personnel was 21,533 constant 2022 US$ in 2022. ▲ Rising
Military spending per military personnel in Lesotho, 1974–2022
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
In 2022, military spending per military personnel in Lesotho stood at 21,533 constant 2022 US$.
That represents a change of down 9.5% on the previous year and down 30.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per military personnel in Lesotho peaked at 31,153 constant 2022 US$ in 2012 and was at its lowest, 6,165 constant 2022 US$, in 1978.
That places Lesotho 112th out of 170 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Military spending per military personnel in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 8,249 constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1975 | 7,709 constant 2022 US$ | -6.5% |
| 1976 | 7,124 constant 2022 US$ | -7.6% |
| 1977 | 6,988 constant 2022 US$ | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 6,165 constant 2022 US$ | -11.8% |
| 1979 | 16,601 constant 2022 US$ | +169.3% |
| 1980 | 21,382 constant 2022 US$ | +28.8% |
| 1981 | 12,784 constant 2022 US$ | -40.2% |
| 1982 | 14,968 constant 2022 US$ | +17.1% |
| 1983 | 22,792 constant 2022 US$ | +52.3% |
| 1984 | 28,841 constant 2022 US$ | +26.5% |
| 1985 | 21,185 constant 2022 US$ | -26.5% |
| 1986 | 24,920 constant 2022 US$ | +17.6% |
| 1987 | 19,241 constant 2022 US$ | -22.8% |
| 1988 | 19,421 constant 2022 US$ | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 26,111 constant 2022 US$ | +34.4% |
| 1990 | 27,356 constant 2022 US$ | +4.8% |
| 1991 | 21,409 constant 2022 US$ | -21.7% |
| 1992 | 23,564 constant 2022 US$ | +10.1% |
| 1993 | 20,078 constant 2022 US$ | -14.8% |
| 1994 | 21,299 constant 2022 US$ | +6.1% |
| 1995 | 23,083 constant 2022 US$ | +8.4% |
| 1996 | 22,733 constant 2022 US$ | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 23,011 constant 2022 US$ | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 24,453 constant 2022 US$ | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 23,677 constant 2022 US$ | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 21,697 constant 2022 US$ | -8.4% |
| 2001 | 19,287 constant 2022 US$ | -11.1% |
| 2002 | 16,901 constant 2022 US$ | -12.4% |
| 2003 | 18,924 constant 2022 US$ | +12.0% |
| 2004 | 22,613 constant 2022 US$ | +19.5% |
| 2005 | 21,956 constant 2022 US$ | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 22,297 constant 2022 US$ | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 23,337 constant 2022 US$ | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 22,181 constant 2022 US$ | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 29,259 constant 2022 US$ | +31.9% |
| 2010 | 31,144 constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 31,072 constant 2022 US$ | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 31,153 constant 2022 US$ | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 29,764 constant 2022 US$ | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 28,283 constant 2022 US$ | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 27,177 constant 2022 US$ | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 26,104 constant 2022 US$ | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 29,700 constant 2022 US$ | +13.8% |
| 2018 | 29,773 constant 2022 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 28,317 constant 2022 US$ | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 25,102 constant 2022 US$ | -11.4% |
| 2021 | 23,795 constant 2022 US$ | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 21,533 constant 2022 US$ | -9.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 21,533 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19,992 constant 2022 US$, 1.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 21,533 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18,299 constant 2022 US$, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per military personnel in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +169.3% | 6,165 constant 2022 US$ | 16,601 constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8,806 constant 2022 US$ | 6,165 constant 2022 US$ | 16,601 constant 2022 US$ | 6 |
| 1980s | 21,164 constant 2022 US$ | 12,784 constant 2022 US$ | 28,841 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 23,066 constant 2022 US$ | 20,078 constant 2022 US$ | 27,356 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 21,845 constant 2022 US$ | 16,901 constant 2022 US$ | 29,259 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 29,249 constant 2022 US$ | 26,104 constant 2022 US$ | 31,153 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 23,477 constant 2022 US$ | 21,533 constant 2022 US$ | 25,102 constant 2022 US$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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 military personnel in Lesotho?
- Military spending per military personnel in Lesotho was 21,533 constant 2022 US$ in 2022, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per military personnel recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 31,153 constant 2022 US$ in 2012.
- What is the lowest military spending per military personnel recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,165 constant 2022 US$ in 1978.
- How does Lesotho rank for military spending per military personnel?
- Lesotho ranks 112th out of 170 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military spending per military personnel rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.