Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) was -18.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Claims on central government, etc. in Lesotho, 1980–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % GDP.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded -18.2% for claims on central government, etc. in 2024.
The figure is down 70.8% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, claims on central government, etc. in Lesotho peaked at 23.1% in 1989 and was at its lowest, -40.6%, in 1997.
Lesotho ranks 180th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 6.6% | — |
| 1981 | 13.1% | +97.9% |
| 1982 | 17.1% | +30.7% |
| 1983 | 14.9% | -13.3% |
| 1984 | 10.6% | -28.9% |
| 1985 | 12.5% | +18.7% |
| 1986 | 17.9% | +42.6% |
| 1987 | 21.0% | +17.3% |
| 1988 | 22.7% | +8.2% |
| 1989 | 23.1% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 13.3% | -42.5% |
| 1991 | 5.3% | -60.4% |
| 1992 | -6.1% | -216.2% |
| 1993 | -17.6% | +188.0% |
| 1994 | -26.7% | +51.7% |
| 1995 | -28.2% | +5.8% |
| 1996 | -32.2% | +14.1% |
| 1997 | -40.6% | +26.1% |
| 1998 | -39.1% | -3.7% |
| 1999 | -17.6% | -54.9% |
| 2000 | -11.9% | -32.4% |
| 2001 | -8.8% | -25.9% |
| 2002 | -3.9% | -56.0% |
| 2003 | -1.9% | -50.9% |
| 2004 | -7.3% | +282.5% |
| 2005 | -8.5% | +16.6% |
| 2006 | -12.3% | +44.5% |
| 2007 | -28.1% | +128.1% |
| 2008 | -27.2% | -3.0% |
| 2009 | -27.1% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | -19.5% | -27.8% |
| 2011 | -13.7% | -29.7% |
| 2012 | -15.5% | +12.7% |
| 2013 | -18.3% | +18.2% |
| 2014 | -18.7% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | -15.9% | -15.1% |
| 2016 | -8.3% | -47.8% |
| 2017 | -2.5% | -69.8% |
| 2018 | -2.0% | -21.5% |
| 2019 | -6.1% | +211.6% |
| 2020 | -7.3% | +18.5% |
| 2021 | -8.3% | +14.1% |
| 2022 | -5.3% | -35.6% |
| 2023 | -10.6% | +99.3% |
| 2024 | -18.2% | +70.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's -18.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.6%. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's -18.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.5%. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | -282.5% | -1.9% | -7.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.9% | 6.6% | 23.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | -18.9% | -40.6% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | -13.7% | -28.1% | -1.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | -12.1% | -19.5% | -2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -9.9% | -18.2% | -5.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More financial sector data for Lesotho
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0069 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 7.46 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0.548 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 5.45 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0069 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 7.46 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0.548 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is claims on central government, etc. in Lesotho?
- Claims on central government, etc. in Lesotho was -18.2% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest claims on central government, etc. recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1% in 1989.
- What is the lowest claims on central government, etc. recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -40.6% in 1997.
- How does Lesotho rank for claims on central government, etc.?
- Lesotho ranks 180th out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is claims on central government, etc. rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Claims on central government include loans to central government institutions net of deposits. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.