Deposit interest rate (%) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Deposit interest rate (%) was 2.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Deposit interest rate in Lesotho, 1980–2024
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 2.5% for deposit interest rate in 2024.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deposit interest rate in Lesotho peaked at 13.9% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2016.
That places Lesotho 93rd out of 153 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deposit interest rate (%) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 7.5% | — |
| 1984 | 9.9% | +32.0% |
| 1985 | 13.9% | +40.3% |
| 1986 | 10.0% | -27.7% |
| 1987 | 7.0% | -30.3% |
| 1988 | 9.6% | +36.9% |
| 1989 | 12.8% | +33.7% |
| 1990 | 13.0% | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 10.6% | -18.4% |
| 1993 | 8.1% | -24.0% |
| 1994 | 8.4% | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 13.3% | +58.4% |
| 1996 | 12.7% | -4.6% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | -7.2% |
| 1998 | 10.7% | -9.1% |
| 1999 | 7.5% | -30.6% |
| 2000 | 4.9% | -34.0% |
| 2001 | 4.8% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 5.2% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 5.2% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | -17.8% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 4.5% | +7.7% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | +42.1% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | +18.3% |
| 2009 | 4.8% | -36.5% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | -24.1% |
| 2011 | 2.7% | -26.8% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 2.7% | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -14.3% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -52.6% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | +10.0% |
| 2018 | 1.4% | +14.5% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | +18.3% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | +15.9% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -13.1% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 2.4% | +47.5% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | +1.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 2.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.2%, 47% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 2.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.7%, 43% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.1% | 7.0% | 13.9% | 7 |
| 1990s | 10.9% | 7.5% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.2% | 4.2% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 1.1% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 1.7% | 2.5% | 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 deposit interest rate in Lesotho?
- Deposit interest rate in Lesotho was 2.5% in 2024, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest deposit interest rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 13.9% in 1985.
- What is the lowest deposit interest rate recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2016.
- How does Lesotho rank for deposit interest rate?
- Lesotho ranks 93rd out of 153 countries with data for 2024.
- Is deposit interest rate rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.7%. 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 Deposit interest rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Deposit interest rate is the rate paid by commercial or similar banks for demand, time, or savings deposits. The terms and conditions attached to these rates differ by country, however, limiting their comparability. This indicator is expressed as a percentage (a÷b)*100.