Lesotho vs South Africa
Lesotho vs South Africa: Depression
Depression in 2017: 5.64% in Lesotho and 3.75% in South Africa, by IHME estimates. In 2017 the value was higher in Lesotho, by 1.89 percentage points, or 1.5 times that in South Africa.
% of people · IHME
What the numbers say
- Lesotho has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- The world as a whole: 3.44% in 2017.
Every year
% of people · IHME
| Year | Lesotho | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5.64 | 3.75 | 3.44 |
| 2016 | 5.64 | 3.73 | 3.44 |
| 2015 | 5.63 | 3.72 | 3.44 |
| 2014 | 5.63 | 3.71 | 3.44 |
| 2013 | 5.62 | 3.7 | 3.44 |
| 2012 | 5.62 | 3.7 | 3.44 |
| 2011 | 5.61 | 3.7 | 3.44 |
| 2010 | 5.61 | 3.7 | 3.44 |
| 2009 | 5.59 | 3.71 | 3.45 |
| 2008 | 5.57 | 3.73 | 3.48 |
| 2007 | 5.54 | 3.75 | 3.5 |
| 2006 | 5.5 | 3.76 | 3.52 |
| 2005 | 5.47 | 3.77 | 3.53 |
| 2004 | 5.44 | 3.76 | 3.53 |
| 2003 | 5.41 | 3.75 | 3.53 |
| 2002 | 5.38 | 3.73 | 3.53 |
| 2001 | 5.35 | 3.71 | 3.53 |
| 2000 | 5.33 | 3.7 | 3.53 |
| 1999 | 5.3 | 3.69 | 3.54 |
| 1998 | 5.27 | 3.7 | 3.54 |
| 1997 | 5.23 | 3.7 | 3.54 |
| 1996 | 5.21 | 3.71 | 3.55 |
| 1995 | 5.19 | 3.71 | 3.55 |
| 1994 | 5.19 | 3.72 | 3.55 |
| 1993 | 5.19 | 3.73 | 3.55 |
| 1992 | 5.21 | 3.74 | 3.55 |
| 1991 | 5.24 | 3.75 | 3.55 |
| 1990 | 5.27 | 3.76 | 3.54 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living with a depressive disorder, as the Global Burden of Disease study estimates it.
- Source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 195 countries with a value in 2017, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Lesotho vs South Africa
Health
- Life expectancyLesotho: 57.4 years in 2023South Africa: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityLesotho: 6 per 100 live births in 2024South Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityLesotho: 56.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Suicide rateLesotho: 31.7 per 100,000 people in 2017South Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationLesotho: 2.31 million people in 2023South Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023
- Population growthLesotho: 1.12% a year in 2023South Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateLesotho: 2.69 births per woman in 2023South Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationLesotho: 44.7% in 2025South Africa: 63.8% in 2025
- Median ageLesotho: 21.4 years in 2023South Africa: 28.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overLesotho: 3.8% in 2023South Africa: 6.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateLesotho: -2.2 per 1,000 people in 2023South Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingLesotho: 1.63% of GDP in 2025South Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsLesotho: $37.3M in 2025South Africa: $3B in 2025
- Military spending per personLesotho: $17 in 2025South Africa: $49 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingLesotho: 2.7% of government spending in 2025South Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelLesotho: 2,000 people in 2020South Africa: 89,000 people in 2020
- National powerLesotho: 0.01% of world capability in 2022South Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersLesotho: 0.24% of the labour force in 2020South Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsLesotho: 1 million TIV in 2019South Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025