Government consumption (% of GDP) — all countries

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Lesotho

Government consumption (% of GDP) in Lesotho in 2025 — 36.4%. Ranked 2 in the world out of 132. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 19.8 pp.

2025 36.4% +0.7 pp vs 2024
World rank 2of 132
Period maximum 43.5%2009
Period minimum 8.1%1970

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of GDP

Government consumption (% of GDP) — Lesotho, 1960–2025020406019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 16.6%1961: 21.2%1962: 19.1%1963: 17%1964: 15.4%1965: 17.6%1966: 12.6%1967: 16.1%1968: 14.1%1969: 12.9%1970: 8.1%1971: 11%1972: 12.9%1973: 9.5%1974: 10.7%1975: 14.5%1976: 14.8%1977: 13.1%1978: 13.4%1979: 16.4%1980: 21.8%1981: 20.9%2007: 37%2008: 38.3%2009: 43.5%2010: 39.9%2011: 38.2%2012: 39.5%2013: 40.6%2014: 38.8%2015: 36.9%2016: 39.6%2017: 39.7%2018: 38.1%2019: 37.7%2020: 37.1%2021: 34.7%2022: 35.2%2023: 35.4%2024: 35.7%2025: 36.4%
Change over the period: +19.8 pp Annual average: 0.31 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Lesotho

Lesotho 36.4%
Southern Africa computed 19.6%
Government consumption (% of GDP) — Lesotho, by year Lesotho All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 36.4 +0.7 pp
2024 35.7 +0.4 pp
2023 35.4 +0.2 pp
2022 35.2 +0.5 pp
2021 34.7 −2.4 pp
2020 37.1 −0.6 pp
2019 37.7 −0.4 pp
2018 38.1 −1.6 pp
2017 39.7 +0.1 pp
2016 39.6 +2.7 pp
2015 36.9 −1.9 pp
2014 38.8 −1.7 pp
2013 40.6 +1 pp
2012 39.5 +1.3 pp
2011 38.2 −1.7 pp
2010 39.9 −3.6 pp
2009 43.5 +5.1 pp
2008 38.3 +1.3 pp
2007 37
1981 20.9 −0.9 pp
1980 21.8 +5.4 pp
1979 16.4 +3 pp
1978 13.4 +0.3 pp
1977 13.1 −1.7 pp
1976 14.8 +0.3 pp
1975 14.5 +3.7 pp
1974 10.7 +1.2 pp
1973 9.5 −3.3 pp
1972 12.9 +1.9 pp
1971 11 +2.8 pp
1970 8.1 −4.8 pp
1969 12.9 −1.2 pp
1968 14.1 −1.9 pp
1967 16.1 +3.5 pp
1966 12.6 −5 pp
1965 17.6 +2.2 pp
1964 15.4 −1.6 pp
1963 17 −2.1 pp
1962 19.1 −2.1 pp
1961 21.2 +4.6 pp
1960 16.6

Southern Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

General government final consumption expenditure as a percent of GDP: compensation of public employees, purchases of goods and services for delivering public services, and spending on defense and security. It leaves out public investment and social transfers, so the indicator is lower than the overall size of the budget.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.