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

Health

be 96.5% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Lesotho, 17.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Venezuela, that number is 0.6% of people as of 2024.

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live 14.9 years longer

In Lesotho, the average life expectancy is 58 years (55 years for men, 60 years for women) as of 2024. In Venezuela, that number is 73 years (69 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2024.

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have 41.5% more access to essential health services

Lesotho scores 53 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Venezuela scores 75 as of 2021.

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be 69.9% less likely to die by suicide

Lesotho has a suicide rate of 28.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Venezuela, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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see 51.8% less spent on your healthcare

Lesotho spends $386 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Venezuela spends $186 as of 2023.

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Economy

be 67.5% less likely to be unemployed

In Lesotho, 16.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Venezuela, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.

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be 33.4% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Lesotho, 49.7% live below the poverty line as of 2017. In Venezuela, however, that number is 33.1% as of 2015.

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make 3.2 times more money

Lesotho has a GDP per capita of $1,089 as of 2025, while in Venezuela, the GDP per capita is $3,495 as of 2025.

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Life

be 52.5% 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 Venezuela, 227.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 62.3% 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 Venezuela, on the other hand, 21.2 children do as of 2024.

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have 35.9% fewer children

In Lesotho, there are approximately 23.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Venezuela, there are 15.2 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 Venezuela, 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 48.0% more likely to have internet access

In Lesotho, approximately 51.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Venezuela, about 76.7% do as of 2024.

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be 19.5% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Lesotho, approximately 78% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Venezuela, 93% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 70.0% less on healthcare

Lesotho spends 12.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Venezuela, that number is 3.8% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 38.9% less likely to die in a road accident

In Lesotho, road accidents kill 21.6 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Venezuela, they kill 13.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 34.1 times more home broadband

Lesotho has 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Venezuela has 12.9 as of 2024.

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live with 2.9 times more strain on fresh water

Lesotho withdraws 3% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Venezuela withdraws 8% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 68.0% less likely to die from air pollution

In Lesotho, air pollution causes 100.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Venezuela, it causes 32.0 as of 2019.

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emit 7.9 times more CO2

Lesotho emits 0.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Venezuela emits 3.4 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021). How we calculate this

Venezuela: At a glance

Venezuela is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 882,050 sq km. Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected governments have held sway since 1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president from 1999 to 2013, sought to implement his "21st Century Socialism," which purported to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking capitalist globalization and existing democratic institutions. His hand-picked successor, President Nicolas MADURO, continues CHAVEZ's socialist programs. Current concerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, rampant violent crime, overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, foreign exchange controls that discourage private-sector investment, high inflation, a decline in the quality of fundamental houman rights, and widespread scarcity of consumer goods.
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