Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average in Lesotho
Lesotho: Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average was 16.39 in 2026. ◆ Volatile
Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average in Lesotho, 1987–2026
Source: World Bank staff calculations based on Datastream and IMF International Finance Statistics data.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 16.39 for official exchange rate, lcu per usd, period average in 2026.
The figure is down 8.4% on the previous year and up 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, official exchange rate, lcu per usd, period average in Lesotho peaked at 18.43 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.04, in 1987.
Lesotho ranks 110th of 195 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 2.04 | — |
| 1988 | 2.28 | +11.6% |
| 1989 | 2.62 | +15.2% |
| 1990 | 2.59 | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 2.76 | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 2.85 | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 3.27 | +14.6% |
| 1994 | 3.55 | +8.5% |
| 1995 | 3.63 | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 4.3 | +18.5% |
| 1997 | 4.61 | +7.2% |
| 1998 | 5.53 | +20.0% |
| 1999 | 6.11 | +10.6% |
| 2000 | 6.94 | +13.6% |
| 2001 | 8.62 | +24.1% |
| 2002 | 10.5 | +21.9% |
| 2003 | 7.55 | -28.1% |
| 2004 | 6.44 | -14.7% |
| 2005 | 6.36 | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 6.77 | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 7.05 | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 8.27 | +17.3% |
| 2009 | 8.42 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 7.32 | -13.0% |
| 2011 | 7.26 | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 8.21 | +13.0% |
| 2013 | 9.65 | +17.6% |
| 2014 | 10.85 | +12.4% |
| 2015 | 12.77 | +17.7% |
| 2016 | 14.71 | +15.2% |
| 2017 | 13.31 | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 13.25 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 14.45 | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 16.48 | +14.0% |
| 2021 | 14.78 | -10.3% |
| 2022 | 16.37 | +10.8% |
| 2023 | 18.43 | +12.6% |
| 2024 | 18.33 | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 17.89 | -2.4% |
| 2026 | 16.39 | -8.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 16.39 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 129.28, 13% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 16.39 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 563.92, 3% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.31 | 2.04 | 2.62 | 3 |
| 1990s | 3.92 | 2.59 | 6.11 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.69 | 6.36 | 10.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.18 | 7.26 | 14.71 | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.95 | 14.78 | 18.43 | 7 |
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 official exchange rate, lcu per usd, period average in Lesotho?
- Official exchange rate, lcu per usd, period average in Lesotho was 16.39 in 2026, according to World Bank staff calculations based on Datastream and IMF International Finance Statistics data.
- What is the highest official exchange rate, lcu per usd, period average recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 18.43 in 2023.
- What is the lowest official exchange rate, lcu per usd, period average recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.04 in 1987.
- How does Lesotho rank for official exchange rate, lcu per usd, period average?
- Lesotho ranks 110th out of 195 countries with data for 2026.
- Is official exchange rate, lcu per usd, period average rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank staff calculations based on Datastream and IMF International Finance Statistics data, published as part of Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Official exchange rate refers to the exchange rate determined by national authorities or to the rate determined in the legally sanctioned exchange market. It is calculated as an annual average based on monthly averages (local currency units relative to the U.S. dollar).