2012 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 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 Botswana 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 dispute how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly.

Area

30,355 sq km 30,355 sq km 0 sq km

total

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

junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

highest point

Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

lowest point

junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 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

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands none of the selected 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)

0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%) 28 cu m/yr (2000)

per capita

28 cu m/yr (2000)

total

0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)

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

909 km South Africa 909 km

border countries

South Africa 909 km

total

909 km

Land use

10.87% 0.13% 89% (2005)

arable land

10.87%

other

89% (2005)

permanent crops

0.13%

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

33.4% (male 323,142/ female 320,752) 61.3% (male 577,239/ female 605,887) 5.4% (male 51,568/ female 51,905) (2012 est.)

0-14 years

33.4% (male 323,142/ female 320,752)

15-64 years

61.3% (male 577,239/ female 605,887)

65 years and over

5.4% (male 51,568/ female 51,905) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

26.65 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.6% (2005)

Death rate

15.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

Education expenditures

12.4% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

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

Health expenditures

13.2% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

23.6% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

14,000 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

290,000 (2009 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.33 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate

53.44 deaths/1,000 live births 57.58 deaths/1,000 live births 49.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

female

49.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

total

53.44 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

51.86 years 51.77 years 51.95 years (2012 est.)

female

51.95 years (2012 est.)

total population

51.86 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 89.6% 83.3% 95.6% (2010 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95.6% (2010 est.)

male

83.3%

total population

89.6%

Major cities - population

MASERU (capital) 220,000 (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

620 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

Median age

23.1 years 23.1 years 23.1 years (2012 est.)

female

23.1 years (2012 est.)

male

23.1 years

total

23.1 years

Nationality

Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) Basotho

adjective

Basotho

noun

Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

Net migration rate

-8.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Physicians density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2003)

Population

1,930,493 (July 2012 est.) 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

Population growth rate

0.332% (2012 est.)

Religions

Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 40% of population rural: 25% of population total: 29% of population urban: 60% of population rural: 75% of population total: 71% of population

rural

75% of population

total

71% of population

urban

60% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

10 years 10 years 10 years (2008)

female

10 years (2008)

male

10 years

total

10 years

Sex ratio

1.03 male(s)/female 1.01 male(s)/female 0.95 male(s)/female 0.99 male(s)/female 0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

15-64 years

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.99 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.89 children born/woman (2012 est.)

Urbanization

27% of total population (2010) 3.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

3.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

27% of total population (2010)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Maseru 29 19 S, 27 29 E UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

29 19 S, 27 29 E

name

Maseru

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

2 April 1993

Country name

Kingdom of Lesotho Lesotho Kingdom of Lesotho Lesotho Basutoland

conventional long form

Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form

Lesotho

former

Basutoland

local long form

Kingdom of Lesotho

local short form

Lesotho

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Carl B. FOX 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho [266] 22 312666 [266] 22 310116

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Carl B. FOX

embassy

254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)

FAX

[266] 22 310116

mailing address

P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho

telephone

[266] 22 312666

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Eliachim Molapi SEBATANE 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 [1] (202) 797-5533 [1] (202) 234-6815

chancery

2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Eliachim Molapi SEBATANE

FAX

[1] (202) 234-6815

telephone

[1] (202) 797-5533

Executive branch

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 Prime Minister Thomas Motsoahae THABANE (since 8 June 2012) Cabinet according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarchy 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

cabinet

Cabinet

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

elections

according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarchy 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

head of government

Prime Minister Thomas Motsoahae THABANE (since 8 June 2012)

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

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 the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), 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 courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal

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 to serve five-year terms) last held on 26 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017) percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DC 48, ABC 30, LCD 26, BNP 5, PFD 3, NIP 2, other 6

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DC 48, ABC 30, LCD 26, BNP 5, PFD 3, NIP 2, other 6

elections

last held on 26 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017)

National anthem

"Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers) Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR adopted 1967; the anthem's music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook

lyrics/music

Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR

name

"Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

National symbol(s)

Basotho hat

Political parties and leaders

All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotho Batho Democratic Party or BBDP; Basotho Congress Party or BCP; Basotho Democratic National Party or BDNP [Thabang NYEOE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [vacant]; Democratic Congress or DC; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Peoples Congress or LPC; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD

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

$1.655 billion $1.68 billion (2012 est.)

expenditures

$1.68 billion (2012 est.)

revenues

$1.655 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

Central bank discount rate

10% (31 December 2010 est.) 10.66% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13% (31 December 2012 est.) 10.4% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$352.6 million (2012 est.) -$521.5 million (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$715.4 million (31 December 2012 est.) $729.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

63.2 (1995) 56 (1986-87)

Economy - overview

Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from Basotho employed in South Africa, customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), and export revenue 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 an apparel-assembly sector. Despite Lesotho's market-based economy being heavily tied to its neighbor South Africa, the US is an important trade partner because of the export sector's heavy dependence on apparel exports. Exports have grown significantly because of the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. Most of the labor force is engaged in subsistence agriculture, especially livestock herding, 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. Economic growth dropped in 2009, due mainly to the effects of the global economic crisis as demand for the country's exports declined and SACU revenue fell precipitously when South Africa - the primary contributor to the SACU revenue pool - went into recession, but growth exceeded 4% per year in 2010-12. Growth is expected to increase due to major infrastructure projects, but Lesotho's weak manufacturing and agriculture sectors continue to hamper growth.

Exchange rates

maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 8.095 (2012 est.) 7.26 (2011 est.) 7.32 (2010 est.) 8.47 (2009) 7.75 (2008)

Exports

$1.039 billion (2012 est.) $1.003 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition by sector

6.7% 34.6% 58.7% (2012 est.)

agriculture

6.7%

industry

34.6%

services

58.7% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,000 (2012 est.) $1,900 (2011 est.) $1,900 (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4.3% (2012 est.) 4.9% (2011 est.) 5.2% (2010 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.62 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.945 billion (2012 est.) $3.784 billion (2011 est.) $3.606 billion (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

1% 39.4% (2003)

highest 10%

39.4% (2003)

lowest 10%

1%

Imports

$2.469 billion (2012 est.) $2.306 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2010 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.1% (2012 est.) 5% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

36.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

Labor force

854,600 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

agriculture

86%

industry and services

14%

Population below poverty line

49% (1999)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.089 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.109 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$897 million (31 December 2012 est.) $820.4 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$242 million (31 December 2012 est.) $120 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$82.19 million (31 December 2011 est.) $60.61 million (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$378.6 million (31 December 2012 est.) $346.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

63.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate

45% (2002)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

282,100 Mt (2010 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

Electricity - consumption

293 million kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

121 million kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

76,000 kW (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

200 million kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,777 bbl/day (2011 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,813 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations; government controls most private broadcast media; satellite TV subscription service available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters obtainable (2008)

Internet country code

.ls

Internet hosts

11,030 (2012)

Internet users

76,800 (2009)

Telephone system

rudimentary system consisting of a modest number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho was tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service dominates the market and is expanding with a subscribership roughly 65 per 100 persons in 2011; rural services are scant country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

domestic

privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho was tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service dominates the market and is expanding with a subscribership roughly 65 per 100 persons in 2011; rural services are scant

general assessment

rudimentary system consisting of a modest number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding

international

country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

38,600 (2011)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.232 million (2011)

Airports

24 (2012)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2012)

914 to 1,523 m

1

over 3,047 m

1

total

3

under 914 m

1 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

16 (2012)

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

21

under 914 m

16 (2012)

Roadways

7,091 km 1,404 km 5,687 km (2003)

total

7,091 km

unpaved

5,687 km (2003)

Manpower available for military service

472,456 508,953 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

508,953 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

472,456

Manpower fit for military service

270,184 275,734 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

275,734 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

270,184

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

19,110 20,037 (2010 est.)

female

20,037 (2010 est.)

male

19,110

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 branches

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2012)

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF)

Army (includes Air Wing) (2012)

Military expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women serve as commissioned officers (2012)

Disputes - international

none