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Country comparison

South Africa vs Lesotho

177 indicators have a value for South Africa, Lesotho, or both. Open an indicator to see the available country ranking and source details.

GDP$479.96B vs $2.97BSouth Africa vs Lesotho
GDP per Capita$7,503 vs $1,241South Africa vs Lesotho
Population64.75M vs 2.36MSouth Africa vs Lesotho

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177 indicators

Values can describe different reporting periods. When two years are shown, they follow the country order in the table.

Indicator South Africa LesothoPeriod
GDPEconomy$479.96B$2.97B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$7,503$1,2412026
Inflation RateEconomy5%2.9%2026-07
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy7%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy16.05 LCU/USD16.05 LCU/USD2026-09
Budget BalanceEconomy-4.9%4.2%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy32.4%16.3%2025
Public DebtEconomy78.9%49%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$8.16B$-1.41B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy1%1.1%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$6,270$1,2802025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$15,600$3,9002025
GDP (PPP)Economy$1.03T$7.53B2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy2.8%6.5%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy24.1%25.2%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy12.3%12.1%2025/2024
Services (% of GDP)Economy63.1%55.6%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy13.9%31.2%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$1B$533.13M2025
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy0.2%20.7%2025
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy44.8%65.4%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$76.02B$1.01B2025/2024
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy89.4%24.3%2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy25.9%35.4%2024
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy55.6%57.1%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy49.9%48.1%2025
Account OwnershipEconomy81.1%61.6%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy34.6%38%2024
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy0.7%1.6%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy60.9%154%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy2.8%3%2025
Current Account BalanceEconomy-0.9%-3.4%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$-2.31B$-5.77M2025
FDI (% of GDP)Economy-0.5%-0.2%2025
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy27.2%62.5%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy33%53.5%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy60.1%31.1%2024
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy51.739.12024
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy0.4%6.6%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$24$752023
Lending Interest RateEconomy10.7%11.2%2025/2024
Real Interest RateEconomy7.7%4.9%2025/2024
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy12.9%13.6%2025
Employment in AgricultureEconomy5.4%30.9%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy20.8%33%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy73.8%36.1%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy11.7%32.6%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy65.8%96.8%2025
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy83.52024
ATMs per 100,000Economy4613.82024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy-0%0.9%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy5.7%3.8%2024
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$134.18B$1.27B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$126.02B$2.69B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.5570.8162025
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.1530.3392025
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade8.2%0%2025/2024
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade38.3%70.1%2025/2024
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade12.8%23.3%2025/2024
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade5.7%0.1%2024
Exports (% of GDP)Trade31.4%49.5%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade29.5%104.5%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.7410.552023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.3880.5342023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.4760.3572023
PopulationDemographics64.75M2.36M2025
Population GrowthDemographics1.1%1.1%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics66.3 years57.8 years2024
Median AgeDemographics28.9 years22.1 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics2.212.662024
Rural PopulationDemographics36.2%55.3%2025
Population Under 15Demographics25.7%34.1%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics63.8%44.7%2025
Population DensityDemographics53.6/km²78.7/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics17.823.12026
Death RateDemographics9.3110.22026
Net Migration RateDemographics2.01-2.042026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics69.8 years60.4 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics62.8 years55 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics1.3%3.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth24.256.32024
HIV PrevalenceHealth17.2%17.1%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health8.9%12.6%2023
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth74552023
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth6.7%13.2%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth73.8%43.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth117.64782023
Under-Five MortalityHealth35.1602024
Neonatal MortalityHealth12.428.52024
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth3895482024
Measles ImmunizationHealth66%80%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth65%88%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth22.2%46.8%2024
Basic SanitationHealth3.6%4.1%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth7.2%6.2%2024
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth67.4%2024
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth51.869.62024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$537$1232023
Smoking PrevalenceHealth23.7%28%2024
Child StuntingChild Welfare24.4%35%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare1.6%2024
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare80.1%2024
Child MarriageChild Welfare13.4%2024
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare7.7%2024
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education6%6.6%2024
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation23.5%2023
Adult Literacy RateEducation91.2%90.4%2024
Youth Literacy RateEducation97.2%96.5%2024
Primary Completion RateEducation97.6%87.9%2024
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation92.5%56%2024
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation93.9%67.8%2023/2024
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation90.4%67.7%2023/2024
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation86.9%41.6%2023/2024
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation62.2%40.2%2024
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation99.5%2023
Secondary EnrollmentEducation104.1%2023
UndernourishmentFood Security10%2023
Acute Food InsecurityFood Security175K2026-08
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture79.4%77.8%2023
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture98K t6.26K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture6.33K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture12.85M t56.44K t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture3.08K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture1.92M t4.18K t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture4,874 kg/ha633 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture2,912 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture3,809 kg/ha720 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture12.1M head517.5K head2024
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance41372024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.7430.6612025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.6330.5122025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.5380.4722025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-0.19-0.32024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-0.23-0.652024
Rule of LawGovernance0.02-0.412024
Political StabilityGovernance-0.62-0.262024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-0.06-0.482024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance0.61-0.162024
Organized Violence DeathsGovernance17 deaths0 deaths2025
State-Based Conflict DyadsGovernance002025
Non-State Conflict DyadsGovernance202025
One-Sided Violence DyadsGovernance002025
Refugees HostedHumanitarian55.18K4782025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian002025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian82.36K2022025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian002025
Internet UsersTechnology78.4%51.8%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology179.370.32024
4G CoverageTechnology99.5%85.1%2025/2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology5.30.42024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology1.3%8.4%2025
3G CoverageTechnology99.9%95.8%2025/2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology3.4%5.6%2025
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology1.1%8.9%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology0.1%2023
Electricity AccessInfrastructure90.2%60.6%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure15.45M2023
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy16.6K MW104 MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy11.3K MW28.8 MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy4.3K MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy751.7 MW75.2 MW2025
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy89.8%53.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy3,247 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy10.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy14.1 MW0.7 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy86.3%41.4%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy8%2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy4.7%2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy0.8%2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy82.2%2025
Electricity DemandEnergy237 TWh0.6 TWh2025/2024
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy699 gCO₂/kWh2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy21,287 kWh2,379 kWh2024/2023
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate6.88 t0.43 t2024
Forest AreaClimate14%1.1%2023
Protected AreasClimate12.9%23.4%2025
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate27.7 µg/m³26.4 µg/m³2023

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GET /v1/data

Request both countries' latest available GDP values as JSON, including source metadata.

curl "https://api.africa-api.com/v1/data?metric_key=gdp_current_usd&latest=true&country_codes=ZA,LS" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"

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