Lesotho vs South Africa
Lesotho vs South Africa: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 6.3 years in Lesotho and 5.6 years in South Africa, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Lesotho, by 0.7 years, or 1.13 times that in South Africa.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- Lesotho has been higher since 2017, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2020, Lesotho ranked 122 and South Africa ranked 138 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Lesotho | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6.3 | 5.6 |
| 2018 | 6.3 | 5.6 |
| 2017 | 5.5 | 5.1 |
| 2010 | 5.4 | 6.2 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
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