Lesotho vs South Africa
Lesotho vs South Africa: Internet users
Internet users in 2024: 51.8% in Lesotho and 78.4% in South Africa, by ITU estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in South Africa, by 26.6 percentage points, or 1.51 times that in Lesotho.
% of people · ITU
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 1996.
- In 2024, Lesotho ranked 144 and South Africa ranked 102 of 182 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 71.2% in 2024.
Every year
% of people · ITU
| Year | Lesotho | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | – | – | 73.6 |
| 2024 | 51.8 | 78.4 | 71.2 |
| 2023 | 49 | 78.3 | 69.2 |
| 2022 | 48.1 | 78.3 | 67 |
| 2021 | 45.1 | 75 | 63.8 |
| 2020 | 43.7 | 72.1 | 60.1 |
| 2019 | 42.3 | 69.7 | 53.9 |
| 2018 | 40.8 | 62.4 | 49.4 |
| 2017 | 39 | 56.2 | 46.3 |
| 2016 | 32.5 | 54 | 43.6 |
| 2015 | 25 | 51.9 | 39.9 |
| 2014 | 22 | 49 | 37.4 |
| 2013 | 15 | 46.5 | 35.3 |
| 2012 | 10 | 41 | 33.3 |
| 2011 | 7 | 34 | 30.9 |
| 2010 | 3.9 | 24 | 28.4 |
| 2009 | 3.7 | 10 | 25.3 |
| 2008 | 3.6 | 8.4 | 22.8 |
| 2007 | 3.4 | 8.1 | 20.2 |
| 2006 | 3 | 7.6 | 17.2 |
| 2005 | 2.6 | 7.5 | 15.6 |
| 2004 | 2.2 | 8.4 | – |
| 2003 | 1.5 | 7 | – |
| 2002 | 1.1 | 6.7 | – |
| 2001 | 0.3 | 6.3 | – |
| 2000 | 0.2 | 5.3 | – |
| 1999 | 0.1 | 4.1 | – |
| 1998 | 0 | 2.9 | – |
| 1997 | 0 | 1.6 | – |
| 1996 | 0 | 0.8 | – |
| 1995 | – | 0.7 | – |
| 1994 | – | 0.2 | – |
| 1993 | – | 0.1 | – |
| 1992 | – | 0 | – |
| 1991 | – | 0 | – |
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people who used the internet in the last three months, from anywhere.
- Source: ITU, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 182 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