Lesotho vs South Africa
Lesotho vs South Africa: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 1.1% in Lesotho and 18.8% in South Africa, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in South Africa, by 17.7 percentage points, or 17 times that in Lesotho.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, Lesotho ranked 194 and South Africa ranked 133 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Lesotho | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1.1 | 18.8 | – |
| 2023 | 1.1 | 18.7 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 1.1 | 18.7 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 1.1 | 18.6 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 1.1 | 18.5 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 1.1 | 18.4 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 1.1 | 18.4 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 1.1 | 18.3 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 1.1 | 18.2 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 1.1 | 18.1 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 1.1 | 18.1 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 1.1 | 18 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 1.1 | 17.9 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 1.1 | 17.9 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 1.1 | 17.8 | 32 |
| 2009 | 1.1 | 17.7 | 32 |
| 2008 | 1.1 | 17.6 | 32 |
| 2007 | 1.1 | 17.6 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 1.1 | 17.5 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 1.1 | 17.4 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 1.1 | 17.4 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 1.1 | 17.3 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 1.1 | 17.2 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 1.1 | 17.1 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 1.1 | 17.1 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 1.1 | 17 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 1.1 | 16.9 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 1.1 | 16.8 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 1.1 | 16.8 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 1.1 | 16.7 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 1.1 | 16.6 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 1.1 | 16.6 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 1.1 | 16.5 | 33 |
| 1991 | 1.1 | 16.4 | – |
| 1990 | 1.1 | 16.3 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, 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
- DepressionLesotho: 5.64% in 2017South Africa: 3.75% in 2017
- 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