Summary
- Lesotho → South Africa
- $394million
- South Africa → Lesotho
- $1.5billion
- Lesotho’s balance
- -$1.1billion
Balance
Lesotho’s trade balance with South Africa
Trade between Lesotho and South Africa grew 7.2-fold since 2000
USD billions (current). Lesotho’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).
- Exports 0.4
- Imports 1.5
- Balance -1.1
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Exports | Imports | Trade balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 1996 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 1997 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 1998 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 1999 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 2000 | $8 thousand | $259 million | -$259 million |
| 2001 | $119 million | $466 million | -$347 million |
| 2002 | $125 million | $484 million | -$359 million |
| 2003 | $85 million | $746 million | -$662 million |
| 2004 | $453 million | $600 million | -$147 million |
| 2005 | $152 million | $587 million | -$436 million |
| 2006 | $138 million | $694 million | -$556 million |
| 2007 | $242 million | $782 million | -$540 million |
| 2008 | $268 million | $658 million | -$390 million |
| 2009 | $277 million | $756 million | -$479 million |
| 2010 | $296 million | $911 million | -$615 million |
| 2011 | $304 million | $1.2 billion | -$939 million |
| 2012 | $281 million | $1.3 billion | -$997 million |
| 2013 | $250 million | $1.2 billion | -$936 million |
| 2014 | $250 million | $1.2 billion | -$942 million |
| 2015 | $277 million | $1.1 billion | -$813 million |
| 2016 | $325 million | $1 billion | -$721 million |
| 2017 | $388 million | $1.1 billion | -$749 million |
| 2018 | $302 million | $1.1 billion | -$842 million |
| 2019 | $296 million | $1.2 billion | -$888 million |
| 2020 | $255 million | $915 million | -$660 million |
| 2021 | $351 million | $1.2 billion | -$883 million |
| 2022 | $366 million | $1.4 billion | -$1.1 billion |
| 2023 | $354 million | $1.3 billion | -$990 million |
| 2024 | $394 million | $1.5 billion | -$1.1 billion |
What they sell each other
What Lesotho sells to South Africa
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
What South Africa sells to Lesotho
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
How it travels
Lesotho and South Africa traded $1.9 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly over land: 100% of the value travels by truck, rail or pipeline.
Split by transport mode
Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.
How much each matters to the other
South Africa was Lesotho’s largest trading partner (63% of its trade), and Lesotho was South Africa’s 32nd (0.7%).
- South Africa in Lesotho’s trade
- 63%
- South Africa’s rank among Lesotho’s partners
- 1st
- Lesotho in South Africa’s trade
- 0.7%
- Lesotho’s rank among South Africa’s partners
- 32nd
Compare with
Other partners of South Africa
Sources and methodology
Sources and licenses
- CEPII BACI · Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0
- World Bank, Global Shipping Traffic Density · CC BY 4.0 (route network derived by this site)
- World Port Index (NGA) · Public domain (US Government work)
- Natural Earth · Public domain
Methodology
Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.