2020 Edition

Background

Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822. Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK that made Basutoland first a British protectorate and, after 1884, a crown colony. After gaining independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Basotho National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE II was exiled in 1990, returned to Lesotho in 1992, was reinstated in 1995, and was then 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 (SADC). Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections in 2007 were hotly contested, and aggrieved parties disputed how seats were awarded. In 2012, competitive elections 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. MOSISILI returned to power in snap elections in 2015 after the collapse of THABANE’s coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup. In 2017, THABANE returned to become prime minister but stepped down in 2020 after being implicated in his estranged wife’s murder. He was succeeded by Moseketsi MAJORO. In 2022, Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE was inaugurated as prime minister and head of a three-party coalition.

Area

land

30,355 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

highest point

Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

lowest point

junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

mean elevation

2,161 m

Geographic coordinates

29 30 S, 28 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked, surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level

Irrigated land

12 sq km (2013)

Land boundaries

border countries

South Africa 1,106 km

total

1,106 km

Land use

agricultural land

77.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 65.9% (2023 est.)

forest

1.1% (2023 est.)

other

21.1% (2023 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Major rivers (by length in km)

Orange river source (shared with South Africa and Namibia [m]) - 2,092 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Orange (941,351 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Age structure

0-14 years

32% (male 358,137/female 353,618)

15-64 years

62.7% (male 699,197/female 696,626)

65 years and over

5.4% (2024 est.) (male 44,625/female 75,345)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

21.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.9% (2018)

women married by age 15

1% (2018)

women married by age 18

16.4% (2018)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

12.5% (2024 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

46.9% (2021 est.)

Death rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.6 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

11.6 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

56.8 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

48.2 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 74% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 93% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 26% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

6.6% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

10.4% national budget (2024 est.)

Ethnic groups

Sotho 99.7%, other 0.3% (includes Kwena, Nguni (Hlubi and Phuthi), Zulu)

Gross reproduction rate

1.23 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

10.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

13.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

40.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

51 deaths/1,000 live births

total

52.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Sesotho (official), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu

Life expectancy at birth

female

62.3 years

male

58.1 years

total population

60.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

96.6% (2024 est.)

male

83.2% (2024 est.)

total population

90.4% (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

202,000 MASERU (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

478 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

24.3 years

male

23.4 years

total

24 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.9 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Basotho

noun

Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

Net migration rate

-4.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

16.6% (2016)

Physician density

0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

1,123,648

male

1,099,314

total

2,222,962 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.73% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 62.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 71.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 93.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 37.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 28.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 6.4% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2017 est.)

male

11 years (2017 est.)

total

11 years (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.59 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

4.1% (2025 est.)

male

42.4% (2025 est.)

total

22.8% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.49 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

30.4% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

the name means "[place of] red sandstones" in the Sesotho language

geographic coordinates

29 19 S, 27 29 E

name

Maseru

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, including fundamental rights and freedoms, sovereignty of the kingdom, the office of the king, and powers of Parliament, requires a majority vote by the National Assembly, approval by the Senate, approval in a referendum by a majority of qualified voters, and assent of the king; passage of amendments other than those specified provisions requires at least a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament

history

previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version)

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form

Lesotho

etymology

the name comes from the Sotho people, whose name means "dark-skinned;" Le- is a singular noun prefix; the former name, Basutoland, uses the plural noun prefix, Ba-

former

Basutoland

local long form

Kingdom of Lesotho

local short form

Lesotho

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Thomas HINES (since August 2024)

email address and website

USConsularMaseru@state.gov https://ls.usembassy.gov/

embassy

254 Kingsway Avenue, Maseru

FAX

[266] 22310116

mailing address

2340 Maseru Place, Washington DC 20521-2340

telephone

[266] 22312666

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Tumisang MOSOTHO (since 16 September 2022)

email address and website

lesothoembassy@verizon.net https://www.gov.ls/

FAX

[1] (202) 234-6815

telephone

[1] (202) 797-5533

Executive branch

cabinet

consists of the prime minister (appointed by the King on the advice of the Council of State), the deputy prime minister, and 18 other ministers; the prime minister is the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the National Assembly

chief of state

King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996)

election/appointment process

the monarchy is hereditary but has no executive or legislative powers under the constitution; under traditional law, the College of Chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine next in line of succession, or serve as regent in the event that a successor is not of mature age

head of government

Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE (28 October 2022)

Flag

description: three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green; centered on the white stripe is a black mokorotlo, a traditional Basotho straw hat and national symbol meaning: blue stands for rain, white for peace, and green for prosperity history: the redesigned flag was introduced in 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, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, such number of justices of appeal as set by Parliament, and the Chief Justice and the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio); High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament)

judge selection and term of office

Court of Appeal president and High Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; puisne judges appointed by the monarch on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body of judicial officers and officials designated by the monarch; judges of both courts can serve until age 75

subordinate courts

Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; military courts

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

Parliament

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

National Assembly

electoral system

mixed system

expected date of next election

October 2027

most recent election date

11/2/2022

number of seats

122 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) (56); Democratic Congress (DC) (29); All Basotho Convention (ABC) (8); Basotho Action Party (BAP) (6); Other (20)

percentage of women in chamber

25%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate

expected date of next election

November 2027

most recent election date

10/7/2022

number of seats

33 (11 appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

21.2%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1967; music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook

lyrics/music

Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR

title

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

National color(s)

blue, white, green, black

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Maloti-Drakensberg Park

total World Heritage Sites

1 (mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

National symbol(s)

mokorotio (Basotho hat)

Political parties

All Basotho Convention or ABC  Alliance of Democrats or AD  Basotho Action Party or BAP  Basotho National Party or BNP  Democratic Congress or DC  Democratic Party of Lesotho or DPL  Lesotho People's Congress or LPC  Movement of Economic Change or MEC  National Independent Party or NIP  Popular Front for Democracy of PFD Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, potatoes, maize, vegetables, fruits, sorghum, wheat, game meat, beans, wool (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$1.256 billion (2022 est.)

revenues

$1.13 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$268.876 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$151.577 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$84.393 million (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$928.019 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

lower middle-income economy surrounded by South Africa; environmentally fragile and politically unstable; key infrastructure and renewable energy investments; dire poverty; urban job and income losses due to COVID-19; systemic corruption

Exchange rates

Currency

maloti (LSL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

16.459 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

14.779 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

16.356 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

18.45 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

18.329 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$1.07 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$885.789 million (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$983.027 million (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, garments, wool, power equipment, bedding (2023)

Exports - partners

South Africa 31%, Belgium 26%, USA 20%, UAE 8%, India 8% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

42.9% (2023 est.)

government consumption

35.6% (2023 est.)

household consumption

92.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-98.6% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

28.3% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.1% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6.5% (2024 est.)

industry

31% (2024 est.)

services

48% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.272 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

44.9 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

32.9% (2017 est.)

lowest 10%

1.7% (2017 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$2.247 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$2.077 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$2.083 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fabric, trucks, garments, cotton fabric (2023)

Imports - partners

South Africa 78%, China 10%, Taiwan 3%, Japan 1%, India 1% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

2.6% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.3% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

6.1% (2024 est.)

Labor force

884,200 (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

49.7% (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2020

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.893 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$6 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$6.166 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.4% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.8% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$2,600 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

22.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

22.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

22% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$771.278 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$854.089 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$1.008 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

30.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

16.7% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

16.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

16.2% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

36.2% (2024 est.)

male

17.7% (2024 est.)

total

24.2% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

81,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

1 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

24,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

production

57,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

833.009 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

453.992 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

104,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

102.88 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

37.7%

electrification - total population

50% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

83.6%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

99.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

8.117 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

total

9,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations; most private broadcast media transmitters are connected to government radio signal towers; satellite TV subscription service available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters obtainable (2019)

Internet country code

.ls

Internet users

percent of population

48% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

7,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

70 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

1.64 million (2024 est.)

Airports

34 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7P

Military - note

the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) is responsible for the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; the LDF is a small force that began in 1964 as the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); the PMU was designated as the Lesotho Paramilitary Force in 1980 and became the Royal Lesotho Defense Force in 1986; it was renamed the Lesotho Defense Force in 1993 (2025)

Military and security forces

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 2,000 active Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the LDF is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older or secondhand equipment of European, South African, and US origin (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

20-30 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women (2026)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

610 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

175,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

973,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

1.148 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

overgrazing; severe soil erosion; soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, 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

Particulate matter emissions

17.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

3.022 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

3.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

73,500 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

11.9% (2022 est.)