Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 99.1% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Lesotho, 21.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Fiji, that number is 0.2% of people as of 2020.

live 14.7 years longer

In Lesotho, the average life expectancy is 60 years (58 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2022. In Fiji, that number is 74 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2022.

be 81.9% more likely to be obese

In Lesotho, 16.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Fiji, that number is 30.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 5.4 times more money

Lesotho has a GDP per capita of $2,500 as of 2023, while in Fiji, the GDP per capita is $13,600 as of 2023.

be 73.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Lesotho, 16.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Fiji, that number is 4.3% as of 2023.

be 39.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Lesotho, 49.7% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Fiji, however, that number is 29.9% as of 2019.

pay a 33.3% lower top tax rate

Lesotho has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Fiji, the top tax rate is 20.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 93.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Lesotho, approximately 566.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Fiji, 38.0 women do as of 2020.

be 22.3% more likely to be literate

In Lesotho, the literacy rate is 81.0% as of 2021. In Fiji, it is 99.1% as of 2018.

be 79.2% 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 Fiji, on the other hand, 10.1 children do as of 2022.

have 30.6% fewer children

In Lesotho, there are approximately 22.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Fiji, there are 15.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 84.0% 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 Fiji, that number is 92% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 87% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 83.3% more likely to have internet access

In Lesotho, approximately 48.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Fiji, about 88.0% do as of 2021.

be 14.2% 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 Fiji, that number is 94% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 89% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 34.5% less on education

Lesotho spends 8.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Fiji spends 5.7% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 67.8% less on healthcare

Lesotho spends 11.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Fiji, that number is 3.8% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Fiji Revenue & Customs Authority.

Fiji: At a glance

Fiji is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 18,274 sq km. Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and initially refused to hold elections. In 2012, he promised to hold elections in 2014.
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How big is Fiji compared to Lesotho? See an in-depth size comparison.

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