Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Lesotho
Lesotho: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 474.47 million current US$ in 2021. ▬ Flat
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Lesotho, 1975–2021
Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for personal remittances and foreign aid received in Lesotho is 474.47 million current US$, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 5.5% on the previous year and down 26.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Lesotho peaked at 1.13 billion current US$ in 1994 and was at its lowest, 121.70 million current US$, in 1975.
Lesotho ranks 114th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 121.70 million current US$ | — |
| 1976 | 138.00 million current US$ | +13.4% |
| 1977 | 165.14 million current US$ | +19.7% |
| 1978 | 177.44 million current US$ | +7.5% |
| 1979 | 212.47 million current US$ | +19.7% |
| 1980 | 263.21 million current US$ | +23.9% |
| 1981 | 290.57 million current US$ | +10.4% |
| 1982 | 809.85 million current US$ | +178.7% |
| 1983 | 883.40 million current US$ | +9.1% |
| 1984 | 766.49 million current US$ | -13.2% |
| 1985 | 581.12 million current US$ | -24.2% |
| 1986 | 616.68 million current US$ | +6.1% |
| 1987 | 950.24 million current US$ | +54.1% |
| 1988 | 869.49 million current US$ | -8.5% |
| 1989 | 879.82 million current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 998.59 million current US$ | +13.5% |
| 1991 | 1.02 billion current US$ | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 1.12 billion current US$ | +9.7% |
| 1993 | 1.04 billion current US$ | -7.5% |
| 1994 | 1.13 billion current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1995 | 1.09 billion current US$ | -4.1% |
| 1996 | 930.88 million current US$ | -14.3% |
| 1997 | 873.84 million current US$ | -6.1% |
| 1998 | 631.20 million current US$ | -27.8% |
| 1999 | 524.89 million current US$ | -16.8% |
| 2000 | 477.60 million current US$ | -9.0% |
| 2001 | 401.26 million current US$ | -16.0% |
| 2002 | 388.68 million current US$ | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 556.87 million current US$ | +43.3% |
| 2004 | 627.15 million current US$ | +12.6% |
| 2005 | 599.36 million current US$ | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 613.86 million current US$ | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 638.15 million current US$ | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 575.86 million current US$ | -9.8% |
| 2009 | 547.93 million current US$ | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 610.13 million current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2011 | 649.34 million current US$ | +6.4% |
| 2012 | 554.56 million current US$ | -14.6% |
| 2013 | 462.92 million current US$ | -16.5% |
| 2014 | 406.19 million current US$ | -12.3% |
| 2015 | 347.82 million current US$ | -14.4% |
| 2016 | 455.33 million current US$ | +30.9% |
| 2017 | 547.03 million current US$ | +20.1% |
| 2018 | 572.52 million current US$ | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 529.05 million current US$ | -7.6% |
| 2020 | 449.89 million current US$ | -15.0% |
| 2021 | 474.47 million current US$ | +5.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 474.47 million current US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 650.39 million current US$, 73% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 474.47 million current US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 318.64 million current US$, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +178.7% | 290.57 million current US$ | 809.85 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 162.95 million current US$ | 121.70 million current US$ | 212.47 million current US$ | 5 |
| 1980s | 691.09 million current US$ | 263.21 million current US$ | 950.24 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 935.90 million current US$ | 524.89 million current US$ | 1.13 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 542.67 million current US$ | 388.68 million current US$ | 638.15 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 513.49 million current US$ | 347.82 million current US$ | 649.34 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 462.18 million current US$ | 449.89 million current US$ | 474.47 million current US$ | 2 |
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 personal remittances and foreign aid received in Lesotho?
- Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Lesotho was 474.47 million current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1.13 billion current US$ in 1994.
- What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 121.70 million current US$ in 1975.
- How does Lesotho rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
- Lesotho ranks 114th out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.