Lesotho Military Spending
Lesotho spends an estimated 1.6% of GDP on its military in 2026; its most recent reported expenditure in US dollars is $37 million (2025).
Defense budget and military expenditure data (1976–2027)
Data updated: July 7, 2026
Key Facts (2026 estimate)
Military Expenditure
$38 million
Ranked #146 of 153 countries worldwide
Percent of GDP
1.6%
Ranked #94 of 163 countries by % of GDP
Year-over-Year Change
+2.7%
From $37M in 2025
Historical Peak Spending
$60 million
Reached in 2010
How the 2026 figures are produced. Neither figure is a researched budget estimate. The share-of-GDP figure is the arithmetic mean of Lesotho’s last 3 reported years (2023–2025), carried across both estimate years unchanged. The dollar figure is not a per-country forecast — it is the actual SIPRI figure for 2025 raised by a flat 3%, the same rate applied to every country in this group, so it can rise even where the share-of-GDP path falls. Actual SIPRI figures for Lesotho run to 2025.
Lesotho Defense Budget Summary
In 2026, Lesotho is estimated to have spent $38 million on military and defense, representing 1.6% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This budget covers the armed forces including army, navy, and air force expenditures. Lesotho is the #146 highest military spender in the world by absolute spending.
Compared to the previous year (2025), defense spending increased by 2.7%, from $37 million to $38 million. This change in the military budget reflects growing defense priorities.
The highest percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending was 4.8% in 1986. The historical average military budget is 2.6% of GDP.
Data source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Values are in constant 2024 US dollars. Data for 2026 is an estimate based on government budget announcements.
Historical Military Spending
Military Spending (% of GDP)
Military Spending (USD Billions, 2024 prices)
Historical Data
| Year | Percent of GDP | USD (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 2027(estimate) | 1.62% | $39M |
| 2026(estimate) | 1.62% | $38M |
| 2025 | 1.63% | $37M |
| 2024 | 1.61% | $37M |
| 2023 | 1.63% | $37M |
| 2022 | 1.47% | $35M |
| 2021 | 1.54% | $36M |
| 2020 | 1.88% | $45M |
| 2019 | 1.88% | $48M |
| 2018 | 2.00% | $53M |
| 2017 | 2.27% | $57M |
| 2016 | 1.96% | $52M |
| 2015 | 1.87% | $51M |
| 2014 | 1.95% | $49M |
| 2013 | 2.03% | $46M |
| 2012 | 2.15% | $45M |
| 2011 | 2.26% | $47M |
| 2010 | 3.16% | $60M |
| 2009 | 2.72% | $45M |
| 2008 | 1.55% | $21M |
| 2007 | 2.37% | $29M |
| 2006 | 2.07% | $27M |
| 2005 | 2.05% | $25M |
| 2004 | 2.13% | $25M |
| 2003 | 2.37% | $27M |
| 2002 | 2.52% | $28M |
| 2001 | 2.74% | $37M |
| 2000 | 3.28% | $35M |
| 1999 | 3.56% | $37M |
| 1998 | 2.85% | $26M |
| 1997 | 2.71% | $22M |
| 1996 | 2.82% | $13M |
| 1995 | 3.24% | $15M |
| 1994 | 2.74% | $12M |
| 1993 | 2.48% | $10M |
| 1992 | 2.71% | $11M |
| 1991 | 2.89% | $12M |
| 1990 | 3.55% | $14M |
| 1989 | 4.31% | $15M |
| 1988 | 3.37% | $11M |
| 1987 | 4.18% | $12M |
| 1986 | 4.84% | $11M |
| 1985 | 4.31% | $10M |
| 1984 | 3.98% | $9M |
| 1983 | 4.01% | $8M |
| 1982 | 4.36% | $10M |
| 1981 | 3.31% | $8M |
| 1980 | 3.16% | $7M |
| 1979 | 1.85% | $4M |
| 1978 | 1.51% | $4M |
| 1977 | 1.44% | $3M |
| 1976 | 1.55% | $3M |