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.
LesothoSouth Africa
Watch it change on the mapLatest figures
% of people · ITU
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lesotho | 51.8 2024 | 22 | 144 of 182 |
| South Africa | 78.4 2024 | 49 | 102 of 182 |
| World | 73.6 2025 | 39.9 |
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