Lesotho vs South Africa: Political Rights Rating
Lesotho
2
in 2025
South Africa
2
in 2025
Lesotho rank
115th
South Africa rank
115th
Political Rights Rating over time
- Lesotho
- South Africa
How they compare
Lesotho currently reports 2 against 2 in South Africa, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 11 times across 53 shared years of data; in 1972 it was Lesotho ahead.
Lesotho ranks 115th and South Africa ranks 115th of 199 countries.
Lesotho has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Lesotho | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.25 | 4.5 | 0.75 | Lesotho |
| 1980s | 5.22 | 5.11 | 0.1111 | Lesotho |
| 1990s | 4.5 | 2.7 | 1.8 | Lesotho |
| 2000s | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.1 | Lesotho |
| 2010s | 2.7 | 2 | 0.7 | Lesotho |
| 2020s | 2.33 | 2 | 0.3333 | Lesotho |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher political rights rating, Lesotho or South Africa?
- Lesotho, at 2 against 2 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in political rights rating between Lesotho and South Africa?
- 0, with Lesotho ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Lesotho and South Africa?
- 53 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2025.
- How do Lesotho and South Africa rank globally for political rights rating?
- Lesotho ranks 115th and South Africa ranks 115th of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Political Rights Rating. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Identifies the extent of free and fair elections, political pluralism and participation, and a functioning government. Lower ratings indicate more rights.