Country field notes / Sub-Saharan Africa

Lesotho

Life expectancy 57.8 years (2024); GDP per person $2,698 in constant-2021 PPP dollars (2024). These are captured source observations, not a measure of household wealth. Dates can differ across indicators.

A first view of health, purchasing power, and essential services. These are observed source indicators; The experimental rankings provide a separate, explicitly weighted comparison where all inputs are available.

Ranking summary · 2023

Equal-domain rank 144 / 170 · Overall 22.5 · Rank across three weightings 144–147

Health: 1.2 · Essential services: 20.1 · Material resources: 8.3 · Civic voice: 52.1 · Air quality: 30.8

Experimental cohort percentile scores. Compare this economy and inspect the method.

Latest available observations in the captured 2000–2025 data. Periods vary; no gap-filling.
IndicatorValueUnitObservation periodProvider
Life expectancy57.80years2024World Bank
GDP per person$2,6982021 international $2024World Bank
Electricity access60.60% of population2024World Bank
Basic drinking water78.08% of population2024World Bank
Basic sanitation47.89% of population2024World Bank
Clean cooking access58.00% of population2024World Bank
Food insecurity61.60% of population2024World Bank
Poverty at $3/day41.90% of population2017World Bank
Income / consumption Gini44.90index, 0–1002017World Bank
Bottom 20% resource share4.60% of income or consumption2017World Bank
Under-five mortality60.00deaths per 1,000 live births2024World Bank
Maternal mortality478.00deaths per 100,000 live births2023World Bank
Child stunting35.60% of children under five2024World Bank
Out-of-pocket health spending13.20% of current health expenditure2023World Bank
Unemployment16.32% of labor force2025World Bank
Youth outside work and education37.98% of youth2024World Bank
Internet use51.80% of population2024World Bank
PM2.5 exposure26.44micrograms per cubic meter2023World Bank
Forest area1.14% of land area2024World Bank
Freshwater stress2.57% of available freshwater resources2022World Bank
Adjusted net savings5.78% of GNI2020World Bank
Voice and accountability59.58absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Rule of law50.97absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Government effectiveness39.25absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Control of corruption42.51absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Political stability65.42absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Regulatory quality47.09absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Tax revenue35.42% of GDP2024World Bank
Income, profit and capital-gains tax share20.39% of revenue2024World Bank
Goods and services tax share32.71% of revenue2024World Bank
International trade tax share12.95% of revenue2024World Bank
Government health spending5.84% of GDP2023World Bank
Government education spending6.62% of GDP2024World Bank
Intentional homicide38.24deaths per 100,000 people2008World Bank
Consumer price inflation4.27annual %2025World Bank
Tax wedge: Single, no children · 67% average wageUnavailable% of employer labour cost—OECD
Tax wedge: Single, no children · average wageUnavailable% of employer labour cost—OECD
Tax wedge: Single, no children · 167% average wageUnavailable% of employer labour cost—OECD
Tax wedge: Single parent, 2 children · 67% average wageUnavailable% of employer labour cost—OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · one average-wage earnerUnavailable% of employer labour cost—OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · 100% + 67% average wagesUnavailable% of employer labour cost—OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · two average-wage earnersUnavailable% of employer labour cost—OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, no children · 100% + 67% average wagesUnavailable% of employer labour cost—OECD
Weekly work hours: All employed people49.98hours per employed person2025ILO
Weekly work hours: Women in employment48.08hours per employed person2025ILO
Weekly work hours: Men in employment51.39hours per employed person2025ILO
Life evaluation (3-year mean)4.38Cantril ladder, 0–102023–2025World Happiness Report

How to read this profile

GDP per person is measured in constant 2021 international dollars using purchasing power parity. It measures economic output, not household income or wealth. Life expectancy is period life expectancy at birth, not healthy life expectancy. Service access percentages are national averages and do not establish service reliability or equal access.

Missing values remain unavailable. Comparable years may have different underlying survey dates; source estimates can be revised.

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Households · Money and time · Ranking robustness · Within countries · Passport opportunities · Change over time · Similar resources · Hidden hardship · Evidence and uncertainty

Open Lesotho in the interactive atlas ↗

Cite this profile

Pluraterra. “Lesotho: country field notes.” Atlas prototype, snapshot retrieved November 1–2, 2026; observation periods shown per row. Underlying data: World Bank World Development Indicators. This page is a mutable preview; use the accompanying CSV for the captured data.

Download the captured data · Source and release notes