Lesotho

Sub-Saharan Africa·Lower middle income

Population: 2.31M; 146th of 217
GDP: $2.27B; 186th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $972; 197th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 57.4; 215th of 217
Human development: 0.514; 166th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Lesotho

Guinea-Bissau

Burkina Faso

Sudan

Rwanda

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

lower middle-income economy surrounded by South Africa; environmentally fragile and politically unstable; key infrastructure and renewable energy investments; dire poverty; urban job and income losses due to COVID-19; systemic corruption

Area: 30,355 km²
Languages: Sesotho (official), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu
Resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Borders: South Africa 1,106 km

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian97.3%
Unaffiliated1.7%
Other0.7%

Religious diversity: 0.612 / 10 · very low · 166th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

LSO

GNB

BFA

SDN

GDP

current US$

$2.27B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

-$12.5M–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

127.8%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

6.5%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

31%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

2.31M–––

Population density

people per km²

75.3–––

Urban population

% of total

30.4%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2.7–––

Net migration

people

-5,107–––

Population under 15

% of total

34.5%–––

Population 65+

% of total

3.9%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

12.7%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

6.7%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

2,378.8–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

210–––

Electricity generation

TWh

0.5–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

0.612–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

1.7%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1.5%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#186/214

$2.27B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#197/214

$9722024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#188/203

$2,881latest

GDP growth

annual %

#126/214

2.8%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#182/207

$1,1702024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#102/213

3.7%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#182/201

-$12.5M2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#14/205

127.8%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#99/206

6.5%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#50/208

31%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#174/187

16.5%latest

Gini index

0–100

#150/168

44.9latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#150/168

41.9%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#146/217

2.31Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#128/216

75.3latest

Urban population

% of total

#189/215

30.4%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#215/217

57.4latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#71/217

2.7latest

Net migration

people

#140/217

-5,1072024

Population under 15

% of total

#54/217

34.5%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#167/217

3.9%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#187/196

55.4latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#176/196

58.9latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#8/192

12.7%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#172/195

0.2latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#114/160

82%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#20/199

6.7%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#164/194

9.7%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#122/139

28.2%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#161/210

48%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#182/214

69.42023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#179/208

0.42023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#172/215

862024

Access to electricity

% of population

#187/215

57.3%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#161/198

2,378.82023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#172/202

2102022

Electricity generation

TWh

#174/202

0.52022

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#5/202

100%2022

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#6/202

0%2022

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#54/204

2.62024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#57/204

1.12024

Share of global CO₂

#151/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#48/193

2.72023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#63/172

0.6412022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#59/172

0.5042022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#98/178

372022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#105/193

-0.3572022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#157/193

-0.8912022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#124/193

-0.4872022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#106/193

-0.1352022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#67/172

0.8252022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#166/193

0.6122020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#113/193

1.7%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#166/189

0.5142021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#144/170

0.5572021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#134/164

4.382025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#108/158

2.192023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#87/161

1.5%latest

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