Lesotho (Kingdom of Lesotho)

Lesotho Kingdom of Lesotho
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	143rd best
Capital	Maseru
Land Area	30 360km21
Location	Africa
Population	2.1m2
Life Expectancy	53.06yrs (2017)3
GNI	$2 700 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	LS, LSO, 4265
Internet Domain	.ls6
Currency	Loti (LSL)7
Telephone	+2668

1. Overview
2. Lesotho National and Social Development
3. Lesotho's Demographics and Migration
4. Lesotho's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Lesotho's Health
6. Lesotho's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Lesotho's Modernity and Learning
8. National Culture
9. Peace Versus Instability
10. Economic Inequality and Poverty
11. Religion and Beliefs
12. Links

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1. Overview

“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 parites 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.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Tiny Lesotho is Africa´s `Kingdom in the Sky´, home to traditional Basotho culture where herdboys tend their sheep on steep hillsides and horsemen wrapped in blankets ride mountain passes. Lesotho (Le- soo -too) is a vastly underrated travel destination. It´s beautiful, culturally rich, safe, cheap and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg. The hiking and trekking is world class and the national parks´ infrastructure continues to improve.

The 1000m-high `lowlands´ are the scene of low-key Lesotho life, with good craft shopping around Teyateyaneng and Maseru. But be sure to head to the valleys and mountains, where streams traverse an ancient dinosaur playground.

South Africa is just a mountain pass or two away, but Lesotho´s towering peaks and isolated valleys, and the pride of the Basotho in their identity, have served to insulate Lesotho´s culture from that of its larger neighbour. For anyone seeking adventure, wilderness, a laid-back pace and the chance to get acquainted with people living traditional lifestyles, Lesotho is a magical destination.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Lesotho National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
165	Rwanda	0.534
166=	Benin	0.525
166=	Uganda	0.525
168	Lesotho	0.514
169	Malawi	0.512
170	Senegal	0.511
171	Djibouti	0.509
172	Sudan	0.508
	Africa Avg	0.56
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
164	Vanuatu	$3 085
165	Congo, (Brazzaville)	$2 889
166	Haiti	$2 848
167	Lesotho	$2 700
168	Tanzania	$2 664
169	Solomon Islands	$2 482
170	Guinea	$2 481
171	Ethiopia	$2 361
	Africa Avg	$5 339
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Norway	28.6
2	Denmark	30.0
3	Sweden	30.7
	...
140	Samoa	105.2
141	Turkmenistan	105.8
142	Sao Tome & Principe	105.8
143	Lesotho	107.2
144	Tanzania	107.8
145	Malawi	108.3
146	Togo	109.3
147	Cambodia	109.6
	Africa Avg	110.5
	World Avg	86.8
q=195.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

Progress is always going to be difficult in a country where the richest 10% hold 41% of the country's entire income₁₃.

3. Lesotho's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

Lesotho's population is predicted to rise to 2.566 million by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 3.08. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
142	Gambia	2.3m
143	Botswana	2.3m
144	Gabon	2.1m
145	Lesotho	2.1m
146	Macedonia	2.1m
147	Slovenia	2.1m
148	Latvia	1.9m
149	Guinea-Bissau	1.9m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
188	Ivory Coast	58.6
189	Swaziland	57.1
190	Somalia	55.3
191	S. Sudan	55.0
192	Central African Rep.	53.9
193	Lesotho	53.1
194	Nigeria	52.7
195	Chad	52.5
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		201314
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
120	Jordan	2.93
121	Honduras	3.02
122	Philippines	3.06
123	Lesotho	3.08
124	Namibia	3.08
125	Zimbabwe	3.15
126	Tajikistan	3.19
127	Haiti	3.19
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15
Pos.		2016 Per 10015
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
26	Iraq	06.0
27=	Guinea	06.1
27=	Guinea-Bissau	06.1
27=	Lesotho	06.1
27=	Kenya	06.1
31	S. Sudan	06.2
32=	Tanzania	06.2
32=	Sao Tome & Principe	06.2
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants16
Pos.		2017 %16
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
180	Brazil	0.4%
181	Eritrea	0.3%
182	Somalia	0.3%
183	Lesotho	0.3%
184	Peru	0.3%
185	Colombia	0.3%
186	Morocco	0.3%
187	Philippines	0.2%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants17
Pos.		2010 %17
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
26	Moldova	21.5%
27	Fiji	21.3%
28	Portugal	20.8%
29	Lesotho	20.5%
30	El Salvador	20.5%
31	Micronesia	19.7%
32	Belarus	18.4%
33	Eritrea	18.0%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Lesotho's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #slavery #tolerance #women

Compared to Africa (2020)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	S. Africa	56.1
2	Seychelles	66.7
3	Namibia	69.4
	...
12	Kenya	92.4
13	Niger	93.8
14	Uganda	94.2
15	Lesotho	94.8
16=	Botswana	94.8
17	Mozambique	94.9
18	Gabon	95.2
19	Benin	95.7
20	Tanzania	95.7
	Africa Avg	108.2
q=54.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Sweden	9.0
2	Norway	14.5
3	Denmark	14.5
	...
103	Monaco	93.8
104	Belize	93.9
105	Uganda	94.2
106	Lesotho	94.8
107=	Sri Lanka	94.8
107=	Botswana	94.8
109	Mozambique	94.9
110	Gabon	95.2
	World Avg	87.9
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Norway and Denmark₁₉. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are The Solomon Islands, Somalia and Tuvalu₁₉.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are statistics on commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₉, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Micronesia and Australasia₁₉.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better20
Pos.		2009 Treaties20
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
53	Switzerland	19
54=	UK	19
54=	Venezuela	19
54=	Lesotho	19
54=	Rwanda	19
54=	Finland	19
54=	Netherlands	19
54=	Nicaragua	19
	Africa Avg	14.8
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better21
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty21
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
79	Bangladesh	9.18
80	Sierra Leone	9.33
81	China	9.36
82	Lesotho	9.44
83	Gabon	9.47
84	Turkey	9.48
85	Malta	9.60
86	Luxembourg	9.67
	Africa Avg	9.88
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom Lower is better22
Pos.		2014 Rank22
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
92	Cape Verde	92
93	Botswana	93
94=	Liberia	94
94=	Lesotho	94
96	Kazakhstan	96
97	Ecuador	97
98	Kyrgyzstan	98
99	Tanzania	99
	Africa Avg	114.2
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom Lower is better23
Pos.		201323
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
77	Nicaragua	2831
78	Benin	2833
79	Dominican Rep.	2834
80	Lesotho	2836
81	Bhutan	2842
82	Togo	2845
83	Greece	2846
84	Kosovo	2847
	Africa Avg	3511
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

Slavery Lower is better24
Pos.		2018 % Victims24
1	Japan	0.03
2=	Canada	0.05
2=	Taiwan	0.05
	...
83	Kyrgyzstan	0.41
84	Cyprus	0.42
85=	Kazakhstan	0.42
85=	Lesotho	0.42
87	Georgia	0.43
88=	Romania	0.43
89	Vietnam	0.45
90=	Azerbaijan	0.45
	Africa Avg	0.96
	World Avg	0.65
q=167.

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Lesotho stated:

“The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped murder charges against the former prime minister and first lady. [...] Police brutality, including allegations of torture and other ill-treatment and an unlawful killing, remained a serious concern. Gender-based violence continued to rise while women were marginalized in the economic and political spheres. Access to healthcare was limited, particularly for women and girls in rural areas.”

"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₂₅

Gender Equality:

Lesotho is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree
• "Christianity and Women: Biblical Misogyny and Male Dominance" by Vexen Crabtree

Gender Inequality Lower is better26
Pos.		201526
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
129	Tanzania	0.54
130	Pakistan	0.55
131	Ghana	0.55
132	Lesotho	0.55
133	Syria	0.55
134	Togo	0.56
135	Kenya	0.56
136	Egypt	0.57
	Africa Avg	0.54
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		0 Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
146=	Sudan	1964
146=	Libya	1964
146=	Papua New Guinea	1964
149	Lesotho	1965
150=	Botswana	1965
151	Tuvalu	1967
152=	Kiribati	1967
152=	Ecuador	1967
	Africa Avg	1961
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality Higher is better27
Pos.		2017 Score27
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
98=	Cambodia	15
98=	Vanuatu	15
98=	Congo, DR	15
98=	Lesotho	15
98=	Belize	15
98=	Belarus	15
98=	Kyrgyzstan	15
105	Jordan	12
	Africa Avg	-10.4
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better28
Pos.		202128
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
	...
87	Canada	2.8
88	Switzerland	3.0
89=	Belize	3.0
89=	Lesotho	3.0
89=	Laos	3.0
89=	Grenada	3.0
89=	Finland	3.0
89=	Panama	3.0
	Africa Avg	3.1
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Lesotho's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #Lesotho #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Africa (2020)29
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank29
1	Mauritius	64.5
2	Morocco	73.1
3=	Eritrea	77.0
	...
18	Comoros	102.1
19=	Guinea	104.5
19=	Malawi	104.5
21	Lesotho	106.3
22	Botswana	106.5
23	Tanzania	107.5
24	Mauritania	107.6
25	Kenya	107.9
26	Senegal	108.0
	Africa Avg	108.2
q=54.

Health (2020)29
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank29
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Hong Kong	18.3
3	Maldives	41.0
	...
139=	Malawi	104.5
140	Bulgaria	105.5
141	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	105.6
142	Lesotho	106.3
143	Botswana	106.5
144	Jamaica	106.6
145=	Belize	107.1
145=	Belarus	107.1
	World Avg	93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives₃₀. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau₃₀.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₃₀, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa₃₀.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Lesotho is a pretty unhealthy country. Lesotho comes in the best 20 in its smoking rate₃₁. It does better than average in terms of its alcohol consumption rate₃₂ (but bad for Africa). When it comes to most other metrics, Lesotho does not do well. It does worse than average in terms of its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₃ (still low for Africa), its immunizations take-up₃₄ (still high for Africa), its fertility rate₁₄ (still good for Africa) and in its adolescent birth rate₂₆. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 when it comes to its average life expectancy₁₁ (amongst the worst in Africa). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% between 1976 and 2016. Life expectancy in Lesotho in 2006-2012 was the worst in the world, hovering at 43-47yrs before improving in the 2010s. Life expectancy in Lesotho has declined by 5.2 years over 30 years from 1990 - the worst overall trend in the world, and one of only two countries with such a long-term reduction in longevity (the other is Eswatini at -2.5yrs).

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
188	Ivory Coast	58.6
189	Swaziland	57.1
190	Somalia	55.3
191	S. Sudan	55.0
192	Central African Rep.	53.9
193	Lesotho	53.1
194	Nigeria	52.7
195	Chad	52.5
	Africa Avg	62.79
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better32
Pos.		2016 Per Capita32
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
77=	Myanmar (Burma)	4.8
77=	Zambia	4.8
77=	Zimbabwe	4.8
80	Lesotho	5.0
81	Suriname	5.1
82	Nicaragua	5.2
83	Turkmenistan	5.4
84	Armenia	5.5
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		201314
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
120	Jordan	2.93
121	Honduras	3.02
122	Philippines	3.06
123	Lesotho	3.08
124	Namibia	3.08
125	Zimbabwe	3.15
126	Tajikistan	3.19
127	Haiti	3.19
	Africa Avg	4.31
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Smoking Rates Lower is better31
Pos.		201431
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
14	Mozambique	82
15	Nepal	83
16	Afghanistan	84
17	Lesotho	88
18	Trinidad & Tobago	97
19	Burundi	98
20	Tanzania	101
21	Liberia	104
	Africa Avg	340
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
97	Guyana	97
98	Colombia	98
99	Vietnam	99
100	Lesotho	100
101	Tanzania	101
102	Equatorial Guinea	102
103	Barbados	103
104	Venezuela	104
	Africa Avg	117.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better35
Pos.		2016 %35
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
62	Zimbabwe	38.2
63	Swaziland	38.4
64	Djibouti	38.6
65	Lesotho	38.7
66	Gabon	40.2
67	Namibia	40.6
68	Brunei	41.2
69	Malaysia	42.5
	Africa Avg	33.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better26
Pos.		2015 Per 100026
1	N. Korea	0.5
2	S. Korea	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
158	Kenya	90.9
159	Central African Rep.	91.9
160	Togo	92.0
161	Lesotho	92.7
162	Dominican Rep.	97.9
163	Gabon	99.9
164	Somalia	103.9
165	Cameroon	104.6
	Africa Avg	87.5
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better34
Pos.		2015 Avg %34
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
108=	Australia	92.1
108=	Barbados	92.1
110	Ghana	91.7
111=	Lesotho	91.7
112	Malawi	91.7
113	Mexico	91.6
114	Moldova	91.5
115	Iceland	91.5
	Africa Avg	81.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Lesotho's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #food #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Africa (2023)36
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank36
1	Seychelles	55.3
2	Kenya	57.4
3=	Zambia	57.6
	...
41	Swaziland	102.3
42	Botswana	106.8
43	S. Africa	106.8
44	Lesotho	109.7
45	Sao Tome & Principe	110.3
46	Congo, (Brazzaville)	111.8
47	Mauritania	114.5
48=	S. Sudan	118.0
49	Zimbabwe	119.0
	Africa Avg	90.1
q=53.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)36
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank36
1	Japan	33.2
2	Philippines	45.0
3	Uruguay	48.0
	...
155=	Nauru	108.0
155=	Samoa	108.0
157	Latvia	109.0
158	Lesotho	109.7
159	Sao Tome & Principe	110.3
160	Turkmenistan	110.8
161	USA	111.0
162	Grenada	111.3
	World Avg	85.7
q=188.

In terms of its responsibility towards the environment, Lesotho is 158th in the world. This rank is calculated from 4 data sets. Lesotho does better than average in its forested percent change 1990-2015₃₇ and in annual meat consumption per person₃₈. Lesotho does worse than average in how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 for its environmental performance₃₉ (amongst the lowest in Africa).

Forest Area Change 1990-2015 Higher is better37
Pos.		2015 %37
1	Iceland	+205.6
2	Bahrain	+144.4
3	Uruguay	+131.3
	...
23	Swaziland	+24.2
24	Greece	+22.9
25	Philippines	+22.7
26	Lesotho	+22.5
27	Italy	+22.5
28	Turkey	+21.8
29	Iran	+17.8
30	France	+17.7
	Africa Avg	-08.0
	World Avg	+02.8
q=184.

Environmental Performance Higher is better39
Pos.		201839
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
170	Angola	37.4
171	Central African Rep.	36.4
172	Niger	35.7
173	Lesotho	33.8
174	Haiti	33.7
175	Madagascar	33.7
176	Nepal	31.4
177	India	30.6
	Africa Avg	46.4
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better
Pos.		0 Signed
1=	China	1993 Dec 29
1=	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
	...
107	Sierra Leone	1995 Mar 12
108	Lebanon	1995 Mar 15
109	Jamaica	1995 Apr 06
110	Lesotho	1995 Apr 10
111	Panama	1995 Apr 17
112	Ukraine	1995 May 08
113	Oman	1995 May 09
114	Cambodia	1995 May 10
	Africa Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Meat Consumption Lower is better38
Pos.		2021 kg38
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
44	Liberia	20.3
45	Ghana	20.9
46	Haiti	21.6
47	Lesotho	21.7
48	Thailand	26.0
49	Swaziland	27.1
50	Malawi	27.4
51	Tunisia	27.8
	Africa Avg	24.9
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

7. Lesotho's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #research #science #technology #the_internet

Compared to Africa (2020)40
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank40
1	S. Africa	52.8
2	Egypt	70.4
3	Tunisia	73.4
	...
36	Mozambique	133.8
37=	Congo, DR	134.7
37=	Mauritania	134.7
39	Lesotho	137.2
40	Congo, (Brazzaville)	137.4
41	Burundi	139.0
42	Madagascar	142.5
43	Benin	143.3
44	Gambia	144.0
	Africa Avg	120.7
q=53.

Modernity & Learning (2020)40
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank40
1	Finland	8.4
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	15.1
	...
182=	Mauritania	134.7
182=	Congo, DR	134.7
184	Afghanistan	136.7
185	Lesotho	137.2
186	Congo, (Brazzaville)	137.4
187	Burundi	139.0
188	Madagascar	142.5
189	Kiribati	143.0
	World Avg	83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2941
2	Israel	4.1141
3	Japan	3.5841
	...
119=	Honduras	0.0442
119=	Guatemala	0.0443
119=	Bahrain	0.0444
119=	Colombia	0.0444
123	Iraq	0.0345
124=	El Salvador	0.0343
124=	China	0.0344
126	Lesotho	0.0145
	Africa Avg	0.36
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education Higher is better46
Pos.		201846
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
140	Morocco	32.2%
141	Uganda	32.1%
142	Angola	30.2%
143	Lesotho	30.0%
144	Cape Verde	29.9%
145	Liberia	29.0%
146	Yemen	28.0%
147	Benin	26.5%
	Africa Avg	34.4%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better47
Pos.		2021 Years47
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
135	Zimbabwe	12.1
136	Iraq	12.1
137	Ghana	12.0
138	Lesotho	12.0
139	Namibia	11.9
140	Comoros	11.9
141	India	11.9
142	Kiribati	11.8
	Africa Avg	11.0
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
145	Qatar	145
146	Philippines	146
147	Mozambique	147
148	Lesotho	148
149	Venezuela	149
150	Libya	150
151	Gabon	151
152	Sierra Leone	152
	Africa Avg	106.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better48
Pos.		201648
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
147	Libya	21%
148	Zimbabwe	21%
149	Equatorial Guinea	21%
150	Lesotho	21%
151	Indonesia	20%
152	Marshall Islands	20%
153	Algeria	20%
154	Nicaragua	19%
	Africa Avg	18.4%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better49
Pos.		2017 Ratio49
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
146=	Papua New Guinea	0.0
146=	French Polynesia	0.0
146=	Palestine	0.0
146=	Lesotho	0.0
146=	Monaco	0.0
146=	Bermuda	0.0
146=	Isle of Man	0.0
146=	San Marino	0.0
	Africa Avg	0.04
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

8. National Culture

#corruption #happiness #politics

Corruption Higher is better50
Pos.		2022 Points50
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
97	Tanzania	38.0
98=	Morocco	38.0
99	Ivory Coast	37.0
100=	Lesotho	37.0
101	Serbia	36.0
102=	Peru	36.0
102=	Turkey	36.0
102=	Sri Lanka	36.0
	Africa Avg	32.31
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness Higher is better51
Pos.		2018 Score51
1	Finland	7.6
2	Norway	7.6
3	Denmark	7.6
	...
138	Ukraine	4.1
139	Togo	4.0
140	Guinea	4.0
141	Lesotho	3.8
142	Angola	3.8
143	Madagascar	3.8
144	Zimbabwe	3.7
145	Afghanistan	3.6
	Africa Avg	4.29
	World Avg	5.38
q=156.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
105	Bahrain	105
106	Ecuador	106
107	Uganda	107
108	Lesotho	108
109	Georgia	109
110	Kuwait	110
111	China	111
112	Swaziland	112
	Africa Avg	117.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
64	Honduras	64
65	S. Korea	65
66	Benin	66
67	Lesotho	67
68	Panama	68
69	New Zealand	69
70	Tunisia	70
71	Montenegro	71
	Africa Avg	96.7
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

9. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better52
Pos.		2023 Score52
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
108	Bahrain	2.15
109	Swaziland	2.17
110	Benin	2.18
111	Lesotho	2.19
112	Djibouti	2.20
113	Congo, (Brazzaville)	2.21
114	Mauritania	2.23
115	Philippines	2.23
	Africa Avg	2.29
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
99	Lithuania	99
100	Luxembourg	100
101	Niger	101
102	Lesotho	102
103	Antigua & Barbuda	103
104	Latvia	104
105	Laos	105
106	Mozambique	106
	Africa Avg	83.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
115	Iraq	115
116	Dominica	116
117	Saudi Arabia	117
118	Lesotho	118
119	Oman	119
120	Egypt	120
121	Colombia	121
122	Honduras	122
	Africa Avg	104.5
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better53
Pos.		2019 Score53
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
21	UAE	0.05
22	Slovakia	0.06
23	Norway	0.08
24	Lesotho	0.10
25	Liberia	0.11
26=	Moldova	0.12
26=	Serbia	0.12
26=	Estonia	0.12
	Africa Avg	3.41
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better54
Pos.		201954
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
169	Angola	32.00
170	Haiti	32.20
171	Guinea-Bissau	32.30
172	Lesotho	33.10
173	Ivory Coast	33.30
174	Cameroon	33.50
175	Equatorial Guinea	34.60
176	Benin	34.90
	Africa Avg	26.10
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better55
Pos.		2017 %55
1	Ukraine	25.0
2=	Belarus	25.4
2=	Slovenia	25.4
	...
145	Botswana	53.3
146=	Brazil	53.3
147	Mozambique	54.0
148	Lesotho	54.2
149	Central African Rep.	56.2
150	Zambia	57.1
151	Namibia	59.1
152	S. Africa	63.0
	Africa Avg	42.6
	World Avg	38.1
q=152.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better56
Pos.		2018 Severity56
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
	...
54	Guatemala	.134
55	Zimbabwe	.137
56	Ghana	.138
57	Lesotho	.146
58	Nepal	.148
59	Cambodia	.170
60	Namibia	.171
61	Vanuatu	.174
	Africa Avg	.264
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₅₇:

Christian	96.8%
Muslim	0.1%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	3.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%₅₈.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems