Lesotho

Lesotho Population: 2,130,819
BackgroundBasutoland 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 yrs 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. Pceful 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 sts in the Assembly.
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GeographyLandlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above s level Loion:Southern Africa, an enclave of South AfricaGeographic coordinates:29 30 S, 28 30 r:total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km

Size comparison: slightly smaller than MarylandLand Boundaries:total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 kmCoastline:0 km (landlocked)Maritime claims:none (landlocked)Climate:temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summersTerrain:mostly highland with platus, hills, and mountainsElevation extremes:lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 mNatural resources:water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stoneLand use:arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005)Irrigated land:30 sq km (2003)Natural hazards:periodic droughtsCurrent Environment Issues:population pressure forcing settlement in marginal ars results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertifiion; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South AfricaInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertifiion, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the S, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
PeoplePopulation:2,130,819 country comparison to the world: 142 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 dth rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)Age structure:0-14 yrs: 34.8% (male 373,159/female 368,271) 15-64 yrs: 60.2% (male 629,346/female 654,054) 65 yrs and over: 5% (male 42,074/female 63,915) (2009 est.)Median age:total: 21.4 yrs male: 20.9 yrs female: 22 yrs (2009 est.)Population growth rate:0.116% (2009 est.)Birth rate:24.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)Dth rate:22.2 dths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)Net migration rate:-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 yrs: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 yrs: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 yrs and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)Infant mortality rate:total: 77.4 dths/1,000 live births male: 81.75 dths/1,000 live births female: 72.92 dths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: 40.38 yrs male: 41.18 yrs female: 39.54 yrs (2009 est.)Total fertility rate:3.06 children born/woman (2009 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:23.2% (2007 est.)HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:270,000 (2007 est.)HIV/AIDS - dths:18,000 (2007 est.)Nationality:noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: BasothoEthnic groups:Sotho 99.7%, Europns, Asians, and other 0.3%,Religions:Christian 80%, indious beliefs 20%Languages:Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, XhosaLiteracy:definition: age 15 and over can rd and write total population: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
GovernmentCountry name:conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: BasutolandGovernment type:parliamentary constitutional monarchyCapital:name: Maseru geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahd of Washington, DC during Standard Time)Administrative divisions:10 districts; Ber, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-TsekaIndependence:4 October 1966 (from the UK)National holiday:Independence Day, 4 October (1966)Constitution:2 April 1993Legal system:based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appl; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservationsSuffrage:18 yrs of age; universalExecutive 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 hd of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) cabinet: Cabinet elections: according to the constitution, the lder 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 ret in the event that the successor is not of mature ageLegislative 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 sts, 80 by popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-yr terms) elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; sts by party - L 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4Judicial branch:High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appl; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courtPolitical parties and lders:Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP including the Lesotho People's Congress or LCP [Kelebone MAOPE], the Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE], and a faction of the Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; 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 [Maj. . Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Basotholand African National Congress or BANC; Christian Democratic Party or P [Enerst RAMOKOENA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or L (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]Political pressure groups and lders:Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom)International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IA, 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, WTODiplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador David Mohlomi RANTEKOA chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815Diplomatic 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 FAX: [266] 22 310116
EconomySmall, 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 erated royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the of mineworkers has declined stdily over the past several yrs, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, lther, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. Despite Lesotho's market-based economy being hvily tied to its neighbor South Africa, the US is an important trade partner because of the export sector's hvy dependence on apparel exports. Exports have grown significantly because of 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 decrsed 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 slowed in 2009 due mainly to the effects of the global economic crisis. Lesotho's budget relies hvily on customs receipts from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), which declined in as trade fell. GDP (purchasing power parity):GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.311 billion (2009 est.) $3.341 billion (2008 est.) $3.128 billion (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollarsGDP (official exchange rate):GDP (official exchange rate): $1.624 billion (2009 est.)GDP - rl growth rate:-0.9% (2009 est.) 6.8% (2008 est.) 4.8% (2007 est.)GDP - per capita (PPP):GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,500 (2009 est.) $1,600 (2008 est.) $1,500 (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollarsGDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 15.9% industry: 45.4% services: 38.7% (2009 est.)Labor force:854,600 (2007 est.)Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage rners work in South Africa industry and services: 14% (2002 est.)Unemployment rate:45% (2002 est.)Population below poverty line:49% (1999)Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 39.4% (2003)Distribution of family income - Gini index:63.2 (1995) 56 (1986-87)Inflation rate (consumer prices):Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.5% (2009 est.) 10.7% (2008 est.)Investment (gross fixed):Investment (gross fixed): 39.6% of GDP (2009 est.)Budget:revenues: $563.4 million expenditures: $675.4 million (2009 est.)Agriculture - products:corn, wht, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestockIndustries:food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourismIndustrial production growth rate:-4% (2009 est.)Electricity - production:502 million kWh note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)Electricity - consumption:516.9 million kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2008 est.)Electricity - imports:50 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2008 est.)Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - consumption:2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - imports:1,553 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)Current account balance:$1 million (2009 est.) $121 million (2008 est.)Exports:$872 million (2009 est.) $956 million (2008 est.)Exports - commodities:manufactures 75% (clothing, footwr, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animalsExports - partners:US 58.9%, Beium 37%, Madagascar 1.2% (2008)Imports:$1.827 billion (2009 est.) $1.88 billion (2008 est.)Imports - commodities:food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum productsImports - partners:China 35.5%, Hong Kong 22.1%, South Kor 19.1%, Germany 5.9%, Pakistan 4.6% (2008)Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$738 million (31 December 2009 est.) $993 million (31 December 2008 est.)Debt - external:$581 million (31 December 2009 est.) $619 million (31 December 2008 est.)Exchange rates:maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 9.8 (2009), 7.75 (2008), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005)
CommuniionsTele in use:65,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 156Cellular in use:581,000 (2008)Telephone system:eral assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communiion 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 yrs, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership exceeding 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant international: country - 266; satellite rth station - 1 sat (Atlantic Ocn) (2008)Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2007)Television broadcast stations:1 (2007)Internet country :.lsInternet hosts:127 (2009)Internet users:73,300 (2008)
TransportationAirports:26 (2009) country comparison to the world: 126Airports (paved runways):total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)Airports (unpaved runways):total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 18 (2009)Roadways:total: 7,091 km paved: 1,404 km unpaved: 5,687 km (2003)
MilitaryLesotho'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 yrs 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) (2008)Military service age and obligation:18-24 yrs of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women serve as commissioned rs (2009)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: 267,083 females age 16-49: 240,868 (2009 est.)