If you lived in Mozambique instead of Lesotho, you would:

Health

be 32.7% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Lesotho, 17.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Mozambique, that number is 11.5% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live 6.0 years longer

In Lesotho, the average life expectancy is 58 years (55 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024. In Mozambique, that number is 64 years (60 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 52.1% less likely to be obese

In Lesotho, 22.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Mozambique, that number is 10.7% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 63.0% less likely to die by suicide

Lesotho has a suicide rate of 28.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Mozambique, it is 10.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

see 63.0% less spent on your healthcare

Lesotho spends $386 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Mozambique spends $143 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 25.5% fewer doctors per person

Lesotho has 2.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Mozambique has 1.8 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

have 17.0% less access to essential health services

Lesotho scores 53 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Mozambique scores 44 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 59.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Lesotho, 16.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Mozambique, that number is 6.6% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

make 42.4% less money

Lesotho has a GDP per capita of $1,089 as of 2025, while in Mozambique, the GDP per capita is $627 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 79.3% less likely to die during childbirth

In Lesotho, approximately 478.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Mozambique, 99.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 22.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Lesotho, approximately 56.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Mozambique, on the other hand, 43.7 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 55.9% more children

In Lesotho, there are approximately 23.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Mozambique, there are 37.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 31.8% less likely to be literate

In Lesotho, the literacy rate is 90.5% as of 2024. In Mozambique, it is 61.7% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 37.2% less likely to have access to electricity

In Lesotho, approximately 57% of people have electricity access (85% in urban areas, and 45% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Mozambique, that number is 36% of people on average (79% in urban areas, and 9% in rural areas) as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 60.4% less likely to have internet access

In Lesotho, approximately 51.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Mozambique, about 20.5% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 14.7% less likely to have access to drinking water

In Lesotho, approximately 78% of people have access to drinking water (95% in urban areas, and 71% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Mozambique, that number is 67% of people on average (89% in urban areas, and 52% in rural areas) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 32.6% less on healthcare

Lesotho spends 12.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Mozambique, that number is 8.5% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 90.5% less likely to be murdered

Lesotho has a homicide rate of 37.7 per 100,000 people as of 2008. In Mozambique, that number is 3.6 per 100,000 as of 2011.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

live with 31.9% less strain on fresh water

Lesotho withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Mozambique withdraws 2% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

find 63.2% less home broadband

Lesotho has 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Mozambique has 0.1 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 36.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Lesotho, air pollution causes 100.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Mozambique, it causes 64.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 32.6% less CO2

Lesotho emits 0.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Mozambique emits 0.3 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2008–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Mozambique: At a glance

Mozambique is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 786,380 sq km. Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid 1990s. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between Frelimo and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (Renamo) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment. President GUEBUZA was reelected to a second term in October 2009. However, the elections were flawed by voter fraud, questionable disqualification of candidates, and Frelimo use of government resources during the campaign. As a result, Freedom House removed Mozambique from its list of electoral democracies.
Read more

How big is Mozambique compared to Lesotho? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Mozambique or Lesotho. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.