| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Africa |
| Geographical Location |
29° 30' South Latitude
28° 30' East Longitude |
| Surface Area |
30,355 sq km |
| Climate |
Temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers |
| Natural Resources |
Water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Kingdom of Lesotho |
| Capital City |
Maseru |
| Government Type |
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Administrative Divisions |
10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka |
| Independence Day |
4 October 1966 (from UK) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
1,867,035 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Basotho |
| Ethnic Groups |
Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, |
| Religion |
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% |
| Languages |
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa |
| Population Growth Rate |
0.08% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) |
| Industries |
Food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism |
| Labor Force |
838,000 (2000) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa |
| Agriculture Products |
Corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock |
| Export Commodities |
Manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) |
| Export Partners |
US 96%, Canada 1.5%, Belgium/Luxembourg 1.1% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000) |
| Import Partners |
Hong Kong 34.2%, Taiwan 33.9%, China 11.2%, Germany 9.2% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
- |
| Highways |
5,940 km |
| Pipelines |
- |
| Airports |
28 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
- |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+266 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.ls |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995.
Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 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. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability;
peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002. |
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