Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 15.1 years longer

In Lesotho, the average life expectancy is 60 years (58 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2022. In Palau, that number is 75 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.3 times more likely to be obese

In Lesotho, 16.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Palau, that number is 55.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 6.3 times more money

Lesotho has a GDP per capita of $2,500 as of 2023, while in Palau, the GDP per capita is $15,800 as of 2023.

be 89.7% less likely to be unemployed

In Lesotho, 16.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Palau, that number is 1.7% as of 2015.

be 49.9% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Lesotho, 49.7% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Palau, however, that number is 24.9% as of 2006.

Life

be 19.3% more likely to be literate

In Lesotho, the literacy rate is 81.0% as of 2021. In Palau, it is 96.6% as of 2015.

be 76.7% 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 Palau, on the other hand, 11.3 children do as of 2022.

have 49.3% fewer children

In Lesotho, there are approximately 22.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Palau, there are 11.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 100.0% 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 Palau, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 97% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 20.7% 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 Palau, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

be 22.5% less likely to have internet access

In Lesotho, approximately 48.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Palau, about 37.2% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 21.8% less on education

Lesotho spends 8.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Palau spends 6.8% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 55.9% more on healthcare

Lesotho spends 11.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Palau, that number is 18.4% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Palau: At a glance

Palau is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 459 sq km. After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986 but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year when the islands gained independence.
Read more

How big is Palau compared to Lesotho? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Palau.or Lesotho It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.