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

Health

be 98.8% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Lesotho, 17.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Switzerland, that number is 0.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 26.6 years longer

In Lesotho, the average life expectancy is 58 years (55 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024. In Switzerland, that number is 84 years (83 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 49.2% less likely to be obese

In Lesotho, 22.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Switzerland, that number is 11.3% of people as of 2024.

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see 27.5 times more spent on your healthcare

Lesotho spends $386 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Switzerland spends $10,602 as of 2023.

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have 19.1 times more doctors per person

Lesotho has 2.4 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Switzerland has 44.8 as of 2022.

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have 62.3% more access to essential health services

Lesotho scores 53 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Switzerland scores 86 as of 2021.

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be 51.1% less likely to die by suicide

Lesotho has a suicide rate of 28.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Switzerland, it is 14.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 70.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Lesotho, 16.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Switzerland, that number is 4.9% as of 2025.

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make 105.4 times more money

Lesotho has a GDP per capita of $1,089 as of 2025, while in Switzerland, the GDP per capita is $114,769 as of 2025.

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Life

be 99.0% 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 Switzerland, 5.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 94.0% 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 Switzerland, on the other hand, 3.4 children do as of 2024.

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have 63.4% fewer children

In Lesotho, there are approximately 23.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Switzerland, there are 8.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 74.5% more 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 Switzerland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 87.9% more likely to have internet access

In Lesotho, approximately 51.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Switzerland, about 97.3% do as of 2025.

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be 28.1% more 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 Switzerland, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 26.6% less on education

Lesotho spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Switzerland spends 4.9% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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Safety

be 88.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Lesotho, road accidents kill 21.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Switzerland, they kill 2.4 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 123.7 times more home broadband

Lesotho has 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Switzerland has 47.0 as of 2024.

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live with 2.5 times more strain on fresh water

Lesotho withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Switzerland withdraws 6% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 90.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Lesotho, air pollution causes 100.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Switzerland, it causes 10.0 as of 2019.

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emit 8.7 times more CO2

Lesotho emits 0.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Switzerland emits 3.8 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Switzerland: At a glance

Switzerland is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 39,997 sq km. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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