Lesotho vs South Africa: Prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49
Lesotho
16.3%
in 2025
South Africa
15.9%
in 2025
Lesotho rank
2nd
South Africa rank
3rd
Prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49 over time
- Lesotho
- South Africa
How they compare
Lesotho currently reports 16.3% against 15.9% in South Africa, a difference of 0.4%.
Across all 26 years both countries report, Lesotho has been ahead every year.
Lesotho ranks 2nd and South Africa ranks 3rd of 143 countries.
Lesotho has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Lesotho | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.3% | 14.9% | 8.4% | Lesotho |
| 2010s | 24.0% | 17.7% | 6.3% | Lesotho |
| 2020s | 18.4% | 16.9% | 1.6% | Lesotho |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher prevalence of hiv among adults aged 15 to 49, Lesotho or South Africa?
- Lesotho, at 16.3% against 15.9% in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in prevalence of hiv among adults aged 15 to 49 between Lesotho and South Africa?
- 0.4%, with Lesotho ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Lesotho and South Africa?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do Lesotho and South Africa rank globally for prevalence of hiv among adults aged 15 to 49?
- Lesotho ranks 2nd and South Africa ranks 3rd of 143 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as Prevalence of HIV among adults aged 15 to 49 (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.