Lesotho: Discrepancy in expenditure estimate of GDP (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Lesotho's discrepancy in expenditure estimate of GDP (current LCU) fell 2.4 billion on 2024 (from -1.98 billion to -4.38 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1969 to 2024), the average change was −65.97 million and a typical year strayed about 404.71 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 5.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 219.33 million in 2023 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.4 billion in 2025. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 316 million a year. A straight line explains 43% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Lesotho had the 121st highest value of the 130 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Lesotho in the 2025 ranking

• Botswana — 118th of 130: -2.52 billion
• United Kingdom — 119th of 130: -2.69 billion
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 120th of 130: -2.99 billion
• Puerto Rico (US) — 122nd of 130: -5.12 billion
• Tunisia — 123rd of 130: -11.38 billion
• South Africa — 124th of 130: -38.57 billion

What this measures

Although the SNA ensures there is perfect consistency between the three measures of GDP, this is a conceptual consistency that in general does not emerge naturally from data compilations. This is because of the wide disparity of data sources that must be called on and the fact that any error in any source will lead to a difference between at least two of the GDP measures. In practice it is inevitable that many such data errors will exist and will become apparent in exercises such as the balancing of supply and use tables. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

All 41 values

Discrepancy in expenditure estimate of GDP (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Angola — 0 (2024)
• Benin — 0 (2025)
• Botswana — -2.52 billion (2025)
• Burkina Faso — 0 (2025)
• Cabo Verde — -100 (2025)
• Cameroon — 309.25 billion (2025)
• Central African Republic — 495,800 (2025)
• Chad — -1.05 million (2025)
• Comoros — 0 (2025)

More economic policy & debt data for Lesotho

• General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) — US$805.47 million (2025)
• General government final consumption expenditure (constant LCU) — 7.4 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) — US$1.99 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (constant LCU) — 21.89 billion (2025)
• Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure per capita (constant 2015 US$) — US$840.08 (2025)
• Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) — US$2.81 billion (2025)
• Final consumption expenditure (constant LCU) — 29.29 billion (2025)
• Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Lesotho's discrepancy in expenditure estimate of GDP (current LCU)?

-4.38 billion in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How does Lesotho rank?

121st highest of 130 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in discrepancy in expenditure estimate of GDP (current LCU) unusual for Lesotho?

In 2025, Lesotho's discrepancy in expenditure estimate of GDP (current LCU) fell 2.4 billion on 2024 (from -1.98 billion to -4.38 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1969 to 2024), the average change was −65.97 million and a typical year strayed about 404.71 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 5.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator NY.GDP.DISC.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks; National Accounts data files, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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