Lesotho

constitutional monarchyIndependence 4 October 1966 (from UK

Lesotho as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 69 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalMaseru
Area30,350 km2
1992

Every edition of Lesotho

Populationas each edition published it
1.85 million July 1992 · 1.75m in 1990
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
4.7 children per woman 1992 · 4.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
74 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 80 in 1990
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

13 fields
Total area
30,350km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Land boundaries
909km
South Africa 909 km

Land area

30,350 km2

Coastline

none - landlocked

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

Land use

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

Environment

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

Note

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

People

14 fields
Population
1,848,925
(July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth
35Death
10Net migration
0
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%
(male 44%, female 68%) age 15 and over can read and write (1966)

Infant mortality rate

74 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth

60 years male, 63 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate

4.7 children born/woman (1992)

Nationality

noun - Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural); adjective - Basotho

Ethnic divisions

Sotho 99.7%; Europeans 1,600, Asians 800

Religions

Christian 80%, rest indigenous beliefs

Languages

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

Long-form name

Kingdom of Lesotho

Type

constitutional monarchy

Capital

Maseru

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 UK; formerly Basutoland)

Constitution

4 October 1966, suspended January 1970

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Executive branch

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

Legislative branch

  • none - the bicameral Parliament was dissolved following the military coup in January 1986;
  • note - a National Constituent Assembly convened in June 1990 to rewrite the constitution and debate issues of national importance, but it has no legislative authority

Judicial branch

High Court, Court of Appeal

Leaders

Chief of State:
King LETSIE III (since 12 November 1990 following dismissal of his father, exiled King MOSHOESHOE II, by Maj. Gen. LEKHANYA)
Head of Government:
Chairman of the Military Council Col. Elias Phisoana RAMAEMA (since 30 April 1991)

Political parties and leaders

  • Basotho National Party (BNP), Evaristus SEKHONYANA;
  • Basutoland Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu MOKHEHLE;
  • National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. MANYELI;
  • Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), Bernard M. KHAKETLA;
  • United Democratic Party, Charles MOFELI;
  • Communist Party of Lesotho (CPL), J. M. KENA

Suffrage

universal at age 21

Elections

National Assembly: dissolved following the military coup in January 1986; military has pledged elections will take place in June 1992

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

  • Ambassador Tseliso THAMAE;
  • Chancery at 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008;
  • telephone (202) 797-5534
US:
  • Ambassador Leonard H.O. SPEARMAN, Sr.;
  • Embassy at address NA, Maseru (mailing address is P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100 Lesotho);
  • telephone [266] 312-666;
  • FAX (266) 310-116

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
Unemployment rate
55%among adult males
at least · (1991 est.)
External debt
$370million
(December 1990 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 ($153 million in 1989). The great majority of households gain their livelihoods from subsistence farming and migrant labor.

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 GDP rose from 6% in 1982 to 15% in 1989. Political and economic instability in South Africa raises uncertainty for Lesotho's economy, especially with respect to migrant worker remittances - typically about 40% of GDP.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $420 million, per capita $240; real growth rate 4.0% (1990 est.)

Budget

expenditures $399 million, including capital expenditures of $132 million (FY92-93)

Exports

$59 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:
wool, mohair, wheat, cattle, peas, beans, corn, hides, skins, baskets
partners:
South Africa 53%, EC 30%, North and South America 13% (1989)

Imports

$604 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:
mainly corn, building materials, clothing, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
partners:
South Africa 95%, EC 2% (1989)

Industrial production

growth rate 7.8% (1989 est.); accounts for 15% of GDP

Electricity

power supplied by South Africa

Industries

food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts, tourism

Agriculture

  • accounts for 18% of GDP and employs 60-70% of all households;
  • exceedingly primitive, mostly subsistence farming and livestock;
  • principal crops are corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley

Economic aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $268 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $819 million;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $14 million

Currency

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

Exchange rates

  • maloti (M) per US$1 - 2.8809 (March 1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988), 2.0350 (1987);
  • 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
3runways | over 3,659 m
nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m
1runways 1,220-2,439 m
2

Networkskm

Highways
7,215 (1988)Railroads
2.6
Highways: ; 572 km paved; 2,337 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil; 1,806 km improved earth, 2,500 km unimproved earth · Railroads: ; owned, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa

Railroads

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

Highways

  • 7,215 km total;
  • 572 km paved;
  • 2,337 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized soil;
  • 1,806 km improved earth, 2,500 km unimproved earth (1988)

Civil air

1 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

  • rudimentary system consisting of a few landlines, a small microwave system, and minor radio communications stations;
  • 5,920 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV;
  • 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Royal Lesotho Defense Force (RLDF; including Army, Air Wing), Royal Lesotho | Mounted Police

3 fields

Branches

Royal Lesotho Defense Force (RLDF; including Army, Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 408,003; 220,129 fit for military service

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $55 million, 13.1% of GDP (1990 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Lesotho.” The World Factbook 1992. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/lesotho/1992.

How to cite ← 1991 edition 1993 edition →