Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Lesotho instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 54.1% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Lesotho, that number is 16.6% of people as of 2016.

live 21.0 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 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 24.2% lower top tax rate

United States has a top tax rate of 39.6% as of 2016. In Lesotho, the top tax rate is 30.0% as of 2016.

make 96.6% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $73,600 as of 2023, while in Lesotho, the GDP per capita is $2,500 as of 2023.

be 4.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Lesotho, that number is 16.5% as of 2023.

be 3.3 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Lesotho, however, that number is 49.7% as of 2017.

Life

have 87.7% more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Lesotho, there are 22.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 27.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Lesotho, 566.0 women do as of 2020.

be 9.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 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 50.0% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Lesotho, 50% of the population do as of 2022.

be 47.8% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 92.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Lesotho, about 48.0% do as of 2021.

be 17.3% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In United States, approximately 100% of people have improved drinking water access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Lesotho, that number is 83% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 77% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 37.2% less on healthcare

United States spends 18.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Lesotho, that number is 11.8% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 42.6% more on education

United States spends 6.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Lesotho spends 8.7% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

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

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 United States? See an in-depth size comparison.

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