Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 21.6 years less

In Taiwan, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022. In Lesotho, that number is 60 years (58 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

pay a 33.3% lower top tax rate

Taiwan has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2016. In Lesotho, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 94.8% less money

Taiwan has a GDP per capita of $47,800 as of 2019, while in Lesotho, the GDP per capita is $2,500 as of 2023.

be 4.4 times more likely to be unemployed

In Taiwan, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2019. In Lesotho, that number is 16.5% as of 2023.

be 33.1 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Taiwan, 1.5% live below the poverty line as of 2012. In Lesotho, however, that number is 49.7% as of 2017.

Life

have 3.1 times more children

In Taiwan, there are approximately 7.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Lesotho, there are 22.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 17.8% less likely to be literate

In Taiwan, the literacy rate is 98.5% as of 2014. In Lesotho, it is 81.0% as of 2021.

be 12.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In Taiwan, approximately 4.0 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Lesotho, on the other hand, 48.4 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 46.7% less likely to have internet access

In Taiwan, approximately 90.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Lesotho, about 48.0% do as of 2021.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C..

Lesotho: At a glance

Lesotho is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 30,355 sq km. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995 and subsequently succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties disputed how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly. In May 2012, competitive elections involving 18 parties saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government - the first in the country's history - that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month.
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How big is Lesotho compared to Taiwan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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