Lesotho

constitutional monarchyIndependence 4 October 1966 (from UK

Lesotho as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 67 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMaseru

Area30,350 km2

Populationas each edition published it

1.75 million July 1990 · 2.22m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.52% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 61.73 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.9 children per woman 1990 · 2.49 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

80 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 52.2 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $340 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 5.3% in 1993

Geography

11 fields

Land useshare of 30,350 km2

arable land 10%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 66%forest and woodland 0%other 24%

Total area

30,350km2

land area: 30,350 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundary

909km with South Africa

Climate

temperate;
cool to cold, dry winters;
hot, wet summers

Terrain

mostly highland with some plateaus, hills, and mountains

Natural resources

some diamonds and other minerals, water, agricultural and grazing land

Environment

population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, soil exhaustion; desertification

Note

surrounded by South Africa; Highlands Water Project will control, store, and redirect water to South Africa

People

14 fields

Population

1,754,664

(July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

37Death

10Net migration

Labor force

689,000economically active

86.2% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of active male labor force works in South Africa

Literacy

59%

(1989)

Nationality

noun--Mosotho (sing.), Basotho (pl.); adjective--Basotho

Ethnic divisions

99.7% Sotho; 1,600 Europeans, 800 Asians

Language

Sesotho (southern Sotho) and English (official); also Zulu and Xhosa

Organized labor

there are two trade union federations; the government favors formation of a single, umbrella trade union confederation

Government

Constitutional monarchy

18 fields

Administrative divisions

10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qachas Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence

4 October 1966 (from UK; formerly Basutoland)

Legal system

based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law;
judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

monarch, chairman of the Military Council, Military Council, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

a bicameral Parliament consisting of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or National Assembly was dissolved in January 1970;
following the military coup of 20 January 1986, legislative powers were vested in the monarch

High Court, Court of Appeal Chief of State--King MOSHOESHOE II (Paramount Chief from 1960 until independence on 4 October 1966, when he became King); Heir Apparent Letsie David SEEISO (son of the King); Head of Government--Chairman of the Military Council Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA (since 24 January 1986)

Political parties and leaders

Basotho National Party (BNP), position vacant;
Basutoland Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu Mokhehle;
Basotho Democratic Alliance (BDA), A. S. Nqojane;
National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. Manyeli;
Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), S. H. Mapheleba;
United Democratic Party, C. D. Mofeli

Suffrage

universal at age 21 National Assembly --dissolved following the military coup in January 1986; no date set for national elections

Communists

small Lesotho Communist Party

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, Southern African Customs Union, SADCC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador W. T. VAN TONDER;
Chancery at 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 797-5 534;

US--Ambassador (vacant)

Deputy Chief of Mission Howard F. JETER;
Embassy at address NA, Maseru (mailing address is P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100);
telephone [266] 312666

Flag

divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner;
the upper half is white bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club;
the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner

Economy

Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho has no important natural resources other than water.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$412million

per capita $245; real growth rate 8.2% (FY89 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

15.0%

(FY89 est.)

Unemployment rate

23%

(1988)

External debt

$235million

(December 1988)

Budget

Revenues

$159 millionExpenditures

$224 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $68 million (FY89 est.)

Overview

Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho has no important natural resources other than water. Its economy is based on agriculture, light manufacturing, and remittances from laborers employed in South Africa. Subsistence farming is the principal occupation for about 86% of the domestic labor force and accounts for about 20% of GDP. Manufacturing depends largely on farm products to support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries;

other industries include textile, clothing, and light engineering. Industry's share of total GDP rose from 6% in 1982 to 10.5% in 1987. During the period 1985-87 real GDP growth averaged 2.9% per year, only slightly above the population growth rate. In FY89 per capita GDP was only $245 and nearly 25% of the labor force was unemployed.

Exports

$55 million (f.o.b., FY89 est.);
commodities--wool, mohair, wheat, cattle, peas, beans, corn, hides, skins, baskets;
partners--South Africa 87%, EC 10%, (1985)

Imports

$526 million (f.o.b., FY89 est.);
commodities--mainly corn, building materials, clothing, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum, oil, and lubricants;
partners--South Africa 95%, EC 2% (1985)

Industrial production

growth rate 10.3% (1988 est.)

Electricity

power supplied by South Africa

Industries

tourism

Agriculture

exceedingly primitive, mostly subsistence farming and livestock; principal crops are corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $252 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $714 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $14 million

Currency

loti (plural--maloti); 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente

Exchange rates

maloti (M) per US$1--2.5555 (January 1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987), 2.2685 (1986), 2.1911 (1985);
note--the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March

Communications

5 fields

Airports, 28 total, 28 usable

permanent surface runways

2runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

5,167Railroads

1.6

Highways: ; 508 km paved; 1,585 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 946 km improved earth, 2,128 km unimproved earth · Railroads: ; owned, operated, and included in the statistics of South Africa

Railroads

1.6 km; owned, operated, and included in the statistics of South Africa

Highways

5,167 km total;
508 km paved;
1,585 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil;
946 km improved earth, 2,128 km unimproved earth

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

modest system consisting of a few land lines, a small radio relay system, and minor radiocommunication stations;
5,920 telephones;
stations--2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV;
1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Army, Air Wing, Police Department

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49

381,015fit for military service

205,499

Defense expenditures

8.6%of GDP

or $35 million (1989 est.)

Branches