If you lived in Switzerland 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 Switzerland, that number is 0.2% of people as of 2020.

live 23.7 years longer

In Lesotho, the average life expectancy is 60 years (58 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2022. In Switzerland, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2022.

be 17.5% more likely to be obese

In Lesotho, 16.6% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Switzerland, that number is 19.5% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 33.2 times more money

Lesotho has a GDP per capita of $2,500 as of 2023, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $82,900 as of 2023.

be 75.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Lesotho, 16.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Switzerland, that number is 4.0% as of 2023.

be 70.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Lesotho, 49.7% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Switzerland, however, that number is 14.7% as of 2020.

pay a 33.3% higher top tax rate

Lesotho has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Switzerland, the top tax rate is 40.0% as of 2016.

Life

be 98.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Lesotho, approximately 566.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Switzerland, 7.0 women do as of 2020.

be 92.6% 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 Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.6 children do as of 2022.

have 55.9% fewer children

In Lesotho, there are approximately 22.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 10.1 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 the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Switzerland, 100% of the population do as of 2022.

be 100.0% more likely to have internet access

In Lesotho, approximately 48.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Switzerland, about 96.0% do as of 2021.

be 21.1% 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 Switzerland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 40.2% less on education

Lesotho spends 8.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Switzerland spends 5.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.


The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Swiss Federal Tax Administration.

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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How big is Switzerland compared to Lesotho? See an in-depth size comparison.

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