Lesotho
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Kingdom of Lesotho.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa, a rare country enclosed by just one neighbor.
Matchup file
Lesotho vs South Africa
109 shared metrics.
Turn the comparison into a round
Think you can spot the next winner?
South Africa leads by 43 metrics. Use the same instinct in a quick real-data brawl.
Country briefing
What matters for both sides
Short real-world notes so the comparison reads like more than a stat strip.
South Africa
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Republic of South Africa.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
South Africa splits its capitals three ways: Pretoria runs administration, Cape Town legislates, and Bloemfontein anchors the judiciary.
Analysis
South Africa leads in 76 of 109 shared metrics, while Lesotho leads in 33.
Lesotho's Broadband Access (%) is 66.3x that of South Africa (202 per 100 people vs 3.0 per 100 people).
Lesotho's Firms Making Informal Payments is 5.9x that of South Africa (10.23% of firms vs 1.5% of firms).
Lesotho's GDP Growth Rate is 4.3x that of South Africa (2.9% vs 0.53%).
Lesotho's Firms Asked for Bribes is 3.7x that of South Africa (7.3% of firms vs 1.5% of firms).
Lesotho's Renewable Energy (%) is 2.6x that of South Africa (34.9% vs 9.7%).
Key Comparisons
Broadband Access (%)Lesotho leads
Lesotho
202 per 100 people
South Africa
3.0 per 100 people
Firms Making Informal PaymentsLesotho leads
Lesotho
10.23% of firms
South Africa
1.5% of firms
GDP Growth RateLesotho leads
Lesotho
2.9%
South Africa
0.53%
Firms Asked for BribesLesotho leads
Lesotho
7.3% of firms
South Africa
1.5% of firms
Renewable Energy (%)Lesotho leads
Lesotho
34.9%
South Africa
9.7%
Imports (% GDP)Lesotho leads
Lesotho
98.59% of GDP
South Africa
29.85% of GDP
All Metrics
Broadband Access (%)
LesothoLesotho
202 per 100 people
South Africa
3.0 per 100 people
6633% higher
Firms Making Informal Payments
LesothoLesotho
10.23% of firms
South Africa
1.5% of firms
588% higher
GDP Growth Rate
LesothoLesotho
2.9%
South Africa
0.53%
434% higher
Firms Asked for Bribes
LesothoLesotho
7.3% of firms
South Africa
1.5% of firms
373% higher
Renewable Energy (%)
LesothoLesotho
34.9%
South Africa
9.7%
260% higher
Imports (% GDP)
LesothoLesotho
98.59% of GDP
South Africa
29.85% of GDP
230% higher
Informal Employment Share
LesothoLesotho
89.13% of employed people
South Africa
34.81% of employed people
156% higher
Protected Land (%)
LesothoLesotho
23.4%
South Africa
9.5%
146% higher
Infant Mortality
LesothoLesotho
55.4 per 1k births
South Africa
24.4 per 1k births
127% higher
Military Spending
LesothoLesotho
1.6% of GDP
South Africa
0.70% of GDP
124% higher
Forest Area
South AfricaLesotho
345.2 km²
South Africa
169.4K km²
100% lower
Water Withdrawal
South AfricaLesotho
0.04 B m³
South Africa
21.11 B m³
100% lower
Scientific Publications
South AfricaLesotho
47.96
South Africa
16.7K
100% lower
Irrigated Land
South AfricaLesotho
12 km²
South Africa
16.7K km²
100% lower
Total CO2 Emissions
South AfricaLesotho
1.0 Mt CO2e
South Africa
440.17 Mt CO2e
100% lower
Electric Generating Capacity
South AfricaLesotho
104.0K kW
South Africa
65.99M kW
100% lower
Electricity Generation
South AfricaLesotho
0.48 TWh
South Africa
244.81 TWh
100% lower
GDP (Nominal)
South AfricaLesotho
$2,271,759,454.51
South Africa
$401,144,998,373.59
99% lower
Water Stress (%)
South AfricaLesotho
0.84%
South Africa
47.12%
98% lower
Armed Forces Personnel
South AfricaLesotho
2.0K
South Africa
89.0K
98% lower
High-Tech Exports (%)
South AfricaLesotho
0.09%
South Africa
5.7%
98% lower
Land Area
South AfricaLesotho
30.4K km²
South Africa
1.21M km²
97% lower
Electricity Carbon Intensity
South AfricaLesotho
20.83 gCO2/kWh
South Africa
699.29 gCO2/kWh
97% lower
Population
South AfricaLesotho
2.22M
South Africa
61.09M
96% lower
Government Debt (% GDP)
South AfricaLesotho
3.0% of GDP
South Africa
79.45% of GDP
96% lower
Airports
South AfricaLesotho
34
South Africa
583
94% lower
Forest Coverage (%)
South AfricaLesotho
1.1%
South Africa
13.97%
92% lower
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
South AfricaLesotho
1.0 sites
South Africa
12 sites
92% lower
CO2 Per Capita
South AfricaLesotho
1.1 t/person/yr
South Africa
6.9 t/person/yr
84% lower
Official Languages Count
South AfricaLesotho
2.0
South Africa
12
83% lower
Border Neighbors
South AfricaLesotho
1.0
South Africa
6.0
83% lower
Insufficient Physical Activity
South AfricaLesotho
8.0% of adults
South Africa
44.8% of adults
82% lower
GNI Per Capita
South AfricaLesotho
$1,180
South Africa
$6,110
81% lower
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
South AfricaLesotho
$3,001.16
South Africa
$15,456.2
81% lower
Land Border Length
South AfricaLesotho
1.1K km
South Africa
5.2K km
79% lower
Health Spending Per Capita
South AfricaLesotho
$133.7
South Africa
$569.84
77% lower
Spirits Consumption
South AfricaLesotho
0.27 L/person/yr
South Africa
1.1 L/person/yr
75% lower
ATMs per 100,000 Adults
South AfricaLesotho
13.94 per 100k
South Africa
50.46 per 100k
72% lower
Child Mortality
LesothoLesotho
58.9 per 1k births
South Africa
34.7 per 1k births
70% higher
Doctors (per 1,000)
South AfricaLesotho
0.24 per 1k
South Africa
0.79 per 1k
70% lower
Mobile Money Accounts
LesothoLesotho
53.47% of adults
South Africa
31.62% of adults
69% higher
Meat Consumption per Person
South AfricaLesotho
19.89 kg/person/yr
South Africa
60.03 kg/person/yr
67% lower
Youth Unemployment Rate
South AfricaLesotho
24.67% of youth labor force
South Africa
59.93% of youth labor force
59% lower
Mobile Subscriptions (%)
South AfricaLesotho
70 per 100 people
South Africa
167 per 100 people
58% lower
Seafood Consumption per Person
South AfricaLesotho
2.9 kg/person/yr
South Africa
6.5 kg/person/yr
56% lower
Milk Consumption per Person
South AfricaLesotho
25.35 kg/person/yr
South Africa
55.75 kg/person/yr
55% lower
Death Rate
LesothoLesotho
10.2 per 1k
South Africa
6.6 per 1k
55% higher
Credit Card Ownership
South AfricaLesotho
4.4% of adults
South Africa
9.7% of adults
55% lower
Safe Drinking Water (%)
South AfricaLesotho
31.32%
South Africa
68.01%
54% lower
Unemployment Rate
South AfricaLesotho
16.15%
South Africa
33.17%
51% lower
Tax Revenue (% GDP)
LesothoLesotho
37.28% of GDP
South Africa
25.4% of GDP
47% higher
Population Density
LesothoLesotho
76.14 /km²
South Africa
52.11 /km²
46% higher
Beer Consumption
South AfricaLesotho
1.7 L/person/yr
South Africa
3.1 L/person/yr
45% lower
Women in Parliament (%)
South AfricaLesotho
25%
South Africa
44.7%
44% lower
Health Spending (% GDP)
LesothoLesotho
12.65% of GDP
South Africa
8.8% of GDP
44% higher
Elderly Population (%)
South AfricaLesotho
3.9%
South Africa
6.7%
42% lower
Alcohol Consumption
South AfricaLesotho
4.3 L/adult/yr
South Africa
7.1 L/adult/yr
40% lower
Inflation Rate
LesothoLesotho
6.1%
South Africa
4.4%
39% higher
Food Waste per Person
LesothoLesotho
130.18 kg/person/yr
South Africa
93.36 kg/person/yr
39% higher
Sanitation Access (%)
South AfricaLesotho
47.89%
South Africa
77.38%
38% lower
Teen Birth Rate
LesothoLesotho
70.64 per 1k
South Africa
51.56 per 1k
37% higher
Internet Users (%)
South AfricaLesotho
48%
South Africa
76%
37% lower
Obesity Rate
South AfricaLesotho
19.29%
South Africa
30.03%
36% lower
Electricity Access (%)
South AfricaLesotho
57.3%
South Africa
87.7%
35% lower
Exports (% GDP)
LesothoLesotho
42.92% of GDP
South Africa
31.79% of GDP
35% higher
Time Zones Count
South AfricaLesotho
2.0 time zones
South Africa
3.0 time zones
33% lower
Youth Population (%)
LesothoLesotho
34.52%
South Africa
25.88%
33% higher
Urban Population (%)
South AfricaLesotho
43.68%
South Africa
63.69%
31% lower
Firms Hit by Power Outages
South AfricaLesotho
64.55% of firms
South Africa
92.02% of firms
30% lower
Dependency Ratio
LesothoLesotho
62.27% of working-age pop.
South Africa
48.31% of working-age pop.
29% higher
Suicide Rate
LesothoLesotho
28.66 per 100k
South Africa
22.3 per 100k
29% higher
Human Development Index
South AfricaLesotho
0.55
South Africa
0.74
26% lower
Birth Rate
LesothoLesotho
21.68 per 1k
South Africa
17.21 per 1k
26% higher
Median Age
South AfricaLesotho
21.4 years
South Africa
28.2 years
24% lower
Firms with Female Top Manager
South AfricaLesotho
30.04% of firms
South Africa
38.51% of firms
22% lower
Minimum Paid Vacation Days
South AfricaLesotho
12 days/yr
South Africa
15 days/yr
20% lower
Liberal Democracy Index
South AfricaLesotho
0.51
South Africa
0.63
19% lower
Smoking Rate
LesothoLesotho
24.3%
South Africa
20.7%
17% higher
Average Weekly Work Hours
LesothoLesotho
49.26 hrs/week
South Africa
42.39 hrs/week
16% higher
Women in Senior Management
South AfricaLesotho
32.92% of managers
South Africa
39.27% of managers
16% lower
Capital Elevation
LesothoLesotho
1.6K m
South Africa
1.4K m
15% higher
Tobacco Use Prevalence
LesothoLesotho
26.6% of adults
South Africa
23.6% of adults
13% higher
Life Expectancy
South AfricaLesotho
57.4 years
South Africa
66.1 years
13% lower
Life Evaluation Score
South AfricaLesotho
4.4 pts
South Africa
5.0 pts
13% lower
Can Raise Emergency Money
LesothoLesotho
77.4% of adults
South Africa
68.2% of adults
13% higher
Freedom of Expression Index
South AfricaLesotho
0.73
South Africa
0.84
13% lower
Digital Payments Used
South AfricaLesotho
58.35% of adults
South Africa
67.17% of adults
13% lower
Political Corruption Index
South AfricaLesotho
0.47
South Africa
0.54
12% lower
Fertility Rate
LesothoLesotho
2.5 children/woman
South Africa
2.2 children/woman
12% higher
Road Traffic Death Rate
South AfricaLesotho
21.6 per 100k
South Africa
24.5 per 100k
12% lower
Electoral Democracy Index
South AfricaLesotho
0.66
South Africa
0.74
11% lower
Corruption Perceptions Index
South AfricaLesotho
37 pts
South Africa
41 pts
10% lower
Education Spending (% GDP)
LesothoLesotho
6.6% of GDP
South Africa
6.0% of GDP
10% higher
Hypertension Prevalence
South AfricaLesotho
40.6% of adults
South Africa
44.4% of adults
9% lower
Women's Political Empowerment
South AfricaLesotho
0.81
South Africa
0.83
3% lower
Agricultural Land (%)
South AfricaLesotho
77.76%
South Africa
79.42%
2% lower
Adult Literacy Rate
South AfricaLesotho
90.45%
South Africa
91.15%
1% lower
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
South AfricaLesotho
23.44 µg/m³
South Africa
23.75 µg/m³
1% lower
Highest Elevation
LesothoLesotho
3.5K m
South Africa
3.5K m
1% higher
Coastline Length
South AfricaLesotho
0 km
South Africa
2.8K km
ranked lower
Coal Electricity Share
South AfricaLesotho
0%
South Africa
81.36%
ranked lower
Wind Electricity Share
South AfricaLesotho
0%
South Africa
4.7%
ranked lower
Solar Electricity Share
South AfricaLesotho
0%
South Africa
8.0%
ranked lower
Nobel Laureates Born per Million People
South AfricaLesotho
0 per 1M people
South Africa
0.15 per 1M people
ranked lower
Lowest Elevation
LesothoLesotho
1.4K m
South Africa
0 m
ranked higher
Current Account Balance (% of GDP)
South AfricaLesotho
-3.3% of GDP
South Africa
-0.5% of GDP
ranked lower
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
South AfricaLesotho
-0.55% of GDP
South Africa
0.58% of GDP
ranked lower
EV Chargers per 100,000 People
South AfricaLesotho
0 per 100k people
South Africa
0.01 per 100k people
ranked lower
McDonald's Outlets per Million People
South AfricaLesotho
0 per 1M people
South Africa
3.5 per 1M people
ranked lower
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