Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Botswana instead of Lesotho, you would:

Health

live 6.1 years longer

In Lesotho, the average life expectancy is 60 years (58 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022.

be 13.9% more likely to be obese

In Lesotho, 16.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Botswana, that number is 18.9% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 7.0 times more money

Lesotho has a GDP per capita of $2,500 as of 2023, while in Botswana, the GDP per capita is $17,500 as of 2023.

be 67.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Lesotho, 49.7% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Botswana, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2015.

pay a 16.7% lower top tax rate

Lesotho has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Botswana, the top tax rate is 25.0% as of 2016.

be 42.0% more likely to be unemployed

In Lesotho, 16.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Botswana, that number is 23.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 67.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Lesotho, approximately 566.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Botswana, 186.0 women do as of 2020.

be 48.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Lesotho, approximately 48.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Botswana, on the other hand, 25.2 children do as of 2022.

have 14.4% fewer children

In Lesotho, there are approximately 22.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Botswana, there are 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 51.8% more likely to have access to electricity

In Lesotho, approximately 50% of people have electricity access (81% in urban areas, and 38% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Botswana, that number is 76% of people on average (93% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 54.2% more likely to have internet access

In Lesotho, approximately 48.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Botswana, about 74.0% do as of 2021.

be 20.3% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Lesotho, approximately 83% of people have improved drinking water access (96% in urban areas, and 77% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 99% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 47.5% less on healthcare

Lesotho spends 11.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Botswana, that number is 6.2% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Botswana Unified Revenue Service.

Botswana: At a glance

Botswana is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 566,730 sq km. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
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How big is Botswana compared to Lesotho? See an in-depth size comparison.

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