2008 Edition

Background

Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. 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 Botswanan 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 continue to periodically demonstrate their distrust of the results.

Area

total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Environment - current issues

population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%) per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

29 30 S, 28 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level

Irrigated land

30 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km

Land use

arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005)

Location

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Natural resources

water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone

Terrain

mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Total renewable water resources

5.2 cu km (1987)

Age structure

0-14 years: 35.3% (male 377,784/female 372,840) 15-64 years: 59.8% (male 621,687/female 649,981) 65 years and over: 5% (male 42,348/female 63,540) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

24.41 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

22.33 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

13% of GDP (2006)

Ethnic groups

Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

28.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

320,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 78.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 83.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 74.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 40.17 years male: 40.97 years female: 39.34 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 21.2 years male: 20.6 years female: 21.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho

Net migration rate

-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

2,128,180 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

0.129% (2008 est.)

Religions

Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 10 years (2006)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.13 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Capital

name: Maseru geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

2 April 1993

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert NOLAN embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 22 312666

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mabasia MOHOBANE chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536

Executive branch

chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) cabinet: Cabinet elections: according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age

FAX

[1] (202) 234-6815

[266] 22 310116

Flag description

three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

4 October 1966 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court

Legal system

based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP; All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [Pheelo MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; New Lesotho Freedom Party or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Budget

revenues: $779.9 million expenditures: $696.9 million (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

12.82% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

14.13% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code

LSL; ZAR

Current account balance

$49 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$689 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

63.2 (1995)

Economic aid - recipient

$68.82 million (2005)

Economy - overview

Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 permitted the sale of water to South Africa and generated royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. In July 2007, Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US worth $362.5 million.

Electricity - consumption

226 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

50 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

200 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2006 est.)

Exchange rates

maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)

Exports

$853 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners

US 71.5%, Belgium 25.6%, Canada 1.2% (2007)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 15.2% industry: 45% services: 39.7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.8% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.6 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.063 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.)

Imports

$1.536 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products

Imports - partners

China 30%, Hong Kong 29.6%, India 10%, South Korea 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, Pakistan 4.6% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

12% (2007 est.)

Industries

food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

51.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

838,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa industry and services: 14% (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,400 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

1,500 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

49% (1999)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$852 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

NA (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$439.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$160.2 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

45% (2002)

Internet country code

.ls

Internet hosts

83 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

70,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

NA (2002)

Telephone system

general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership approaching 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

53,100 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

456,000 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2000)

Televisions

NA

Airports

28 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2007)

Roadways

total: 7,091 km paved: 1,404 km unpaved: 5,687 km (2003)

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF)

Army (includes Air Wing) (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 525,203 females age 16-49: 522,485 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 262,101 females age 16-49: 238,350 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 26,084 female: 26,006 (2008 est.)

Military - note

Lesotho's declared policy is maintenance of its independent sovereignty and preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; restructuring of the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) and Ministry of Defense and Public Service over the past five years has focused on subordinating the defense apparatus to civilian control and restoring the LDF's cohesion; the restructuring has considerably improved capabilities and professionalism, but the LDF is disproportionately large for a small, poor country; the government has outlined a reduction to a planned 1,500-man strength, but these plans have met with vociferous resistance from the political opposition and from inside the LDF (2008)

Military expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008