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Lesotho

Republic of Lesotho
Southern Africa•AU•Low Income
POPULATION
2M
Public Debt / GDP
71.6%
2025
External Debt / GDP
32.2%
2025
Debt Svc / Revenue
24.5%
2025
Debt Svc / Exports
9.8%
2025
Interest / Revenue
13.5%
2025

Debt Composition & Creditor Analysis

External vs Domestic Debt

External
Debt
45%
Domestic
Debt
55%

By Creditor Type

Multilateral35%
Bilateral25%
Paris Club15%
Eurobond15%
Other Priv.10%

By Instrument Type

Bonds37.2%
Loans43.2%
Other12.3%

Average Lending Terms (External)

%
4%
Interest
⏱
8yr
Maturity
⏱
6yr
Grace
No active restructuring

CAP Pillar 2: Debt Management Quality

Data Dissemination
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Debt Strategy (MTDS)
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Borrowing Plan
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Domestic Market Dev.
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Comprehensive Debt Analytics

Explore in-depth macroeconomic vulnerability, fiscal sustainability, and sovereign risk indicators for Lesotho.

Vulnerability Indicator Explorer

Select an indicator to analyze Lesotho's performance against international benchmarks.

71.6%
Current (2025)
-2.6 pp YoY
Above 35% target
Analysis

Lesotho's public debt stands at 71.6% of GDP, exceeding the 35% prudential benchmark. This elevated ratio signals constrained fiscal space and heightened vulnerability to economic shocks. The government may face increasing difficulty financing social programs and infrastructure investment without further borrowing.

The most widely used measure of overall indebtedness relative to economic activity. It reflects the government's solvency capability and long-term fiscal space.

Net Financial Flows

Disbursements (Inflows) vs Principal & Interest Repayments (Outflows).

Net Positive Flows

In 2025, Lesotho received $0.2B in disbursements while repaying $0.1B — a net inflow of $0.1B. The country is receiving more resources than it is repaying, providing additional financing for development.

Profile of Maturing Debts (2025)

Breakdown of short-term (<1 year), medium-term (1-9 years) and long-term (10+ years) debt liabilities.

Short-Term (<1 yr)
$0.2B
11.1% of total
Medium-Term (1-9 yrs)
$0.7B
38.9% of total
Long-Term (10+ yrs)
$0.9B
50.0% of total
Analysis

With only 11.1% of debt maturing within one year, Lesotho maintains a healthy maturity profile. The predominance of medium and long-term instruments ($1.6B) reduces refinancing pressure and provides greater fiscal predictability.