Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Lesotho instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

live 12.2 years less

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Lesotho, that number is 60 years (58 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2022.

be 2.4 times more likely to be obese

In North Korea, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Lesotho, that number is 16.6% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 35.3% more money

North Korea has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2015, while in Lesotho, the GDP per capita is $2,300 as of 2020.

Life

have 62.9% more children

In North Korea, there are approximately 14.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Lesotho, there are 23.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022.

be 6.1 times more likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 89.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2017. In Lesotho, 544.0 women do as of 2017.

be 20.6% less likely to be literate

In North Korea, the literacy rate is 100.0% as of 2015. In Lesotho, it is 79.4% as of 2015.

be 2.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In North Korea, approximately 22.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Lesotho, on the other hand, 48.4 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 38.5% more likely to have access to electricity

In North Korea, approximately 26% of people have electricity access (36% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2019. In Lesotho, that number is 36% of people on average (63% in urban areas, and 26% in rural areas) as of 2019.

be 12.6% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In North Korea, approximately 94% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 89% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Lesotho, that number is 83% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 77% in rural areas) as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Lesotho: At a glance

Lesotho is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 30,355 sq km. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995 and subsequently succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties disputed how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly. In May 2012, competitive elections involving 18 parties saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government - the first in the country's history - that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month.
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How big is Lesotho compared to North Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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