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.
Geography ::Lesotho
Location:
Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 30,355 sq km
country comparison to the world: 141
land: 30,355 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:
mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources:
water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building
stone
Land use:
arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
5.2 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.05 cu km/yr (40%/40%/20%)
per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts
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
Geography - note:
landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more
than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level
People ::Lesotho
Population:
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 death 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 years: 34.8% (male 373,159/female 368,271)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 629,346/female 654,054)
65 years and over: 5% (male 42,074/female 63,915) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.4 years
male: 20.9 years
female: 22 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.116% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Birth rate:
24.14 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Death rate:
22.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
Net migration rate:
-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Urbanization:
urban population: 25% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 77.4 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 24
male: 81.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 72.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 40.38 years
country comparison to the world: 221
male: 41.18 years
female: 39.54 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.06 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
23.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
270,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
18,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
Nationality:
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective: Basotho
Ethnic groups:
Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Religions:
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Languages:
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 84.8%
male: 74.5%
female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 10 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
13% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 2
Government ::Lesotho
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form: Lesotho
local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
local short form: Lesotho
former: Basutoland
Government type:
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital:
name: Maseru
geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's
Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Independence:
4 October 1966 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Constitution:
2 April 1993
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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
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
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
Political parties and leaders:
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. Gen. Justin
Metsing LEKHANYA]; Basotholand African National Congress or BANC;
Christian Democratic Party or CDP [Enerst RAMOKOENA]; Lesotho
Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha
MOSISILI]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; National
Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Thabang
MATJAMA] (pushes for media freedom)
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
Diplomatic 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) 234-6815
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
FAX: [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
Economy ::Lesotho
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.301 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
$3.091 billion (2007 est.)
$2.949 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.618 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
4.8% (2007 est.)
6.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
$1,500 (2007 est.)
$1,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15.1%
industry: 46.4%
services: 38.5% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
854,600 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
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.)
Unemployment rate:
45% (2002)
country comparison to the world: 190
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)
country comparison to the world: 3
56 (1986-87)
Investment (gross fixed):
40.8% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
Budget:
revenues: $825.1 million
expenditures: $758.7 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.7% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
14.05% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 20
12.82% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16.19% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 50
14.13% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$416.5 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 98
$439.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$108.1 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 119
$160.2 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$NA (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Industries:
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts,
construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
10% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Electricity - production:
502 million kWh
country comparison to the world: 159
note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
516.9 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
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.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
Oil - imports:
1,553 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 161
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Current account balance:
$121 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
$211.8 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$956 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
$805 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and
mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners:
US 58.9%, Belgium 37%, Madagascar 1.2% (2008)
Imports:
$1.88 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
$1.604 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
products
Imports - partners:
China 35.5%, Hong Kong 22.1%, South Korea 19.1%, Germany 5.9%,
Pakistan 4.6% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$993 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
$874 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$619 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
$689 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85
(2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Communications ::Lesotho
Telephones - main lines in use:
65,200 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 156
Telephones - mobile cellular:
581,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 153
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 exceeding 25 per 100 persons; rural services are scant
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2007)
Internet country code:
.ls
Internet hosts:
127 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 197
Internet users:
73,300 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 163
Transportation ::Lesotho
Airports:
26 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 126
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 18 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 7,091 km
country comparison to the world: 147
paved: 1,404 km
unpaved: 5,687 km (2003)
Military ::Lesotho
Military branches:
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(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: 267,083
females age 16-49: 240,868 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 26,039
female: 25,964 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 60
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)
Transnational Issues ::Lesotho
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Liberia (Africa)
Introduction ::Liberia
Background:
Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia
began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish
a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to
promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and
political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and
the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by
Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December
1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that
led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A
period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought
TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003
peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former
president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague
related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. After two
years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in
late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN
Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout
the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the
process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this
war-torn country will take many years.
Geography ::Liberia
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates:
6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 111,369 sq km
country comparison to the world: 103
land: 96,320 sq km
water: 15,049 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km
Coastline:
579 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold
nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and
low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 3.43%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 94.59% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
232 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.11 cu km/yr (27%/18%/55%)
per capita: 34 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Environment - current issues:
tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
Conservation
Geography - note:
facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
grassy plateau supports limited agriculture
People ::Liberia
Population:
3,441,790 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.1% (male 760,989/female 758,554)
15-64 years: 53% (male 904,770/female 920,704)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 47,013/female 49,760) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 18 years
male: 17.9 years
female: 18.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.665% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Birth rate:
42.25 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Death rate:
20.73 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
Net migration rate:
5.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Urbanization:
urban population: 60% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 138.24 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 4
male: 153.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 122.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.84 years
country comparison to the world: 218
male: 40.71 years
female: 43 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.79 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
35,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,300 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever