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 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.
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:
1,919,552
country comparison to the world: 146
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
2010 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) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.6 years
male: 22.6 years
female: 22.7 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.277% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Birth rate:
27.17 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Death rate:
15.71 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Net migration rate:
-8.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
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: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 56.42 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 40
male: 60.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 51.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.67 years
country comparison to the world: 212
male: 50.58 years
female: 50.76 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
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:
12.4% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 3
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
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
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
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)
elections: last held on 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 [Pakalitha MOSISILI] (the governing
party); 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, 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, 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
National anthem:
name: "Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our
Fathers)
lyrics/music: Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR
note: adopted 1967; the anthem's music derives from an 1823 Swiss
songbook
Economy ::Lesotho
Economy - overview:
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances
from miners 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. 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. 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 returned to 3.5%
in 2010.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.31 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
$3.198 billion (2009 est.)
$3.148 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.799 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
1.6% (2009 est.)
3.9% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,700 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
$1,700 (2009 est.)
$1,600 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.1%
industry: 34.6%
services: 58.2% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
854,600 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
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: 189
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):
21.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
7.2% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10.66% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 24
14.05% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
16.19% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$653.3 million (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 149
$509.5 million (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$1.057 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
$876 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$177.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
$147.3 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Agriculture - products:
corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Industries:
food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts,
construction, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
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: 160
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
50 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2008
est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
Oil - imports:
1,553 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 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: 120
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Current account balance:
-$125 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
$194 million (2009 est.)
Exports:
$985 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
$821 million (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and
mohair, food and live animals
Exports - partners:
US 58.9%, Belgium 37%, Madagascar 1.2% (2008)
Imports:
$1.766 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
$1.572 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
products
Imports - partners:
China 26.3%, Taiwan 20.1%, Hong Kong 16.4%, South Korea 14.1%, India
9.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$893 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
$988 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$647 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
$671 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.9 (2010), 8.4737 (2009), 7.75 (2008),
7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006)
Communications ::Lesotho
Telephones - main lines in use:
40,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 168
Telephones - mobile cellular:
661,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 153
Telephone system:
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
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 exceeding 30 per 100
persons in 2009; rural services are scant
international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009)
Broadcast media:
1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations;
government controls most private broadcast media; satellite TV
subscription service is available; transmissions of multiple
international broadcasters are obtainable (2008)
Internet country code:
.ls
Internet hosts:
632 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 175
Internet users:
76,800 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 167
Transportation ::Lesotho
Airports:
26 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 128
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 18 (2010)
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) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription;
women serve as commissioned officers (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 469,509
females age 16-49: 505,707 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 267,825
females age 16-49: 273,348 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 19,435
female: 20,400 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 56
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 January 19, 2011
======================================================================
@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 continues.
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:
3,685,076 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
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) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.4 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.782% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Birth rate:
38.14 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Death rate:
10.88 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Net migration rate:
0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
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: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 76.43 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 18
male: 80.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.58 years
country comparison to the world: 194
male: 55.05 years
female: 58.14 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.24 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: