Lesotho

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations; government controls most private broadcast media; satellite TV subscription service available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters obtainable (2008)

Internet country code

.ls

Internet users

total: 102,000 | percent of population: 5.3% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 1 (2007)

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 roughly 65 per 100 persons in 2011; rural services are scant | international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 51,200 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 2.1 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151

Television broadcast stations

1 (2007)

Agriculture - products

corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Budget

revenues: $1.358 billion | expenditures: $1.406 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Central bank discount rate

9.36% (31 December 2012) | 10% (31 December 2010) | country comparison to the world: 25

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.2% (31 December 2014 est.) | 9.92% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82

Current account balance

-$143 million (2014 est.) | -$228.3 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 103

Debt - external

$929.5 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $916.8 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163

Distribution of family income - Gini index

63.2 (1995) | 56 (1986-87) | country comparison to the world: 1

Economy - overview

Small, mountainous, and completely landlocked by South Africa, Lesotho depends on a narrow economic base of textile manufacturing, agriculture, remittances, and regional customs revenue. About three-fourths of the people live in rural areas and engage in animal herding and subsistence agriculture, although Lesotho produces less than 20% of the nation's demand for food. Rain-fed agriculture is vulnerable to weather and climate variability. Lesotho relies on South Africa for much of its economic activity; Lesotho imports 90% of the goods it consumes from South Africa, including most agricultural inputs. Households depend heavily on remittances from family members working in South Africa, in mines, on farms and as domestic workers, though mining employment has declined substantially since the 1990s. Lesotho is a member of the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), and revenues from SACU accounted for roughly 44% of total government revenue in 2014. The South African Government also pays royalties for water transferred to South Africa from a dam and reservoir system in Lesotho. However, the government continues to strengthen its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties and other transfers. Access to credit remains a problem for the private sector. The government maintains a large presence in the economy - government consumption accounted for 37% of GDP in 2014 and the government remains Lesotho's largest employer. Lesotho's largest private employer is the textile and garment industry - approximately 36,000 Basotho, mainly women, work in factories producing garments for export to South Africa and the US. Diamond mining in Lesotho has grown in recent years and may contribute 8.5% to GDP by 2015, according to current forecasts.

Exchange rates

maloti (LSL) per US dollar - | 10.6 (2014 est.) | 9.64 (2013 est.) | 8.2 (2012 est.) | 7.26 (2011 est.) | 7.32 (2010 est.)

Exports

$824.9 million (2014 est.) | $814.6 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Exports - commodities

manufactures (clothing, footwear), wool and mohair, food and live animals, electricity, water, diamonds

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.159 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.282 billion (2014 est.) | $5.17 billion (2013 est.) | $4.995 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 173

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 84.4% | government consumption: 38.7% | investment in fixed capital: 38% | investment in inventories: -0.7% | exports of goods and services: 49.9% | imports of goods and services: -110.3% | (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 7.5% | industry: 35.7% | services: 56.9% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,800 (2014 est.) | $2,700 (2013 est.) | $2,600 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 192

GDP - real growth rate

2.2% (2014 est.) | 3.5% (2013 est.) | 5.3% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65

Gross national saving

26.6% of GDP (2014 est.) | 32.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | 33.9% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1% | highest 10%: 39.4% (2003)

Imports

$1.931 billion (2014 est.) | $1.78 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Imports - commodities

food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products

Industrial production growth rate

3.3% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Industries

food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.9% (2014 est.) | 4.9% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 150

Labor force

894,400 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 149

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 86% | industry and services: 14% | note: most of the resident population is engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line

49% (1999 est.)

Public debt

NA

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.101 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.055 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 132

Stock of broad money

$942.6 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $825.7 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 170

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$909.1 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $635.7 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 106

Stock of domestic credit

$38.65 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $37.18 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Stock of narrow money

$425.9 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $380.2 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Taxes and other revenues

55.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

Unemployment rate

28.1% (2014 est.) | 25% (2008 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

270,100 Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity - consumption

898 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163

Electricity - from fossil fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 211

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

100% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 1

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - imports

247 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - installed generating capacity

80,000 kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179

Electricity - production

700 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 161

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,830 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Refined petroleum products - imports

3,711 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Area

total: 30,355 sq km | land: 30,355 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 142

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m | highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.04 cu km/yr (46%/46%/9%) | per capita: 21.79 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

29 30 S, 28 30 E

Geography - note

landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level

Irrigated land

26.37 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,106 km | border countries (1): South Africa 1,106 km

Land use

agricultural land: 76.1% | arable land 10.1%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 65.9% | forest: 1.5% | other: 22.4% (2011 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

periodic droughts

Natural resources

water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone

Terrain

mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Total renewable water resources

3.02 cu km (2011)

Administrative divisions

10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Capital

name: Maseru | geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E | time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version); amended 2001 (2013)

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho | conventional short form: Lesotho | local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho | local short form: Lesotho | former: Basutoland

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Matthew T. HARRINGTON (since October 2014) | embassy: 254 Kingsway Road, Maseru West (Consular Section) | mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho | telephone: [266] 22 312666 | FAX: [266] 22 310116

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Eliachim Molapi SEBATANE (since 2 November 2011) | chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 | FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

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 18 March 2015) | cabinet: Cabinet | elections/appointments: 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, to determine next in line of succession, or to serve as regent in the event that a successor is not of mature age; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister

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

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

4 October 1966 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, 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, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, such number of justices of appeal as set by Parliament, and the Chief Justice and the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio); High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament); note - both the Court of Appeal and the High Court have jurisdiction in constitutional issues | judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal president and High Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; puisne judges appointed by the monarch on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body of judicial officers and officials designated by the monarch; judges of both courts can serve until age 75 | subordinate courts: Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; Courts Martial

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 seats; 22 principal chiefs and 11 other senators nominated by the king with the advice of the Council of State, a 13-member body of key government and non-government officials; members serve 5-year terms) and the National Assembly (120 seats; 80 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 40 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 28 February 2015 (next to be held in 2020) | election results: percent of vote by party - DC 38.8%, ABC 38.1%, LCD, 10.0%, BNP 5.6%, PFD 1.7%, RCL 1.2%, NIP 1.0%, other 3.6%; seats by party - DC 47, ABC 46, LCD 12, BNP 7, PFD 2, RCL 2, NIP 1, MFP 1, BCP 1, LPC 1

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; music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

National symbol(s)

mokorotio (Basotho hat); national colors: blue, white, green, black

Political parties and leaders

All Basotho Convention or ABC [Motsoahae Thomas THABANE] | Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Thulo MAHLAKENG] | Basotho National Party or BNP [Thesele MASERIBANE] | Democratic Congress or DC [Pakalitha MOSISILI] | Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Mothetjoa METSING] | Lesotho Peoples Congress or LPC [Molahlehi LETLOTLO] | Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO] | National Independent Party or NIP [Kimetso MATHABA] | Popular Front for Democracy of PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE] | Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL [Keketso RANTSO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Media Institute of Southern Africa, Lesotho chapter [Tsebo MAT�ASA] (pushes for media freedom)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995 and subsequently succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. 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 Batswana 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 disputed how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly. In May 2012, competitive elections involving 18 parties saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government - the first in the country's history - that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 472,456 | females age 16-49: 508,953 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 270,184 | females age 16-49: 275,734 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 19,110 | female: 20,037 (2010 est.)

Military - note

Lesotho's declared policy for its military is the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa

Military branches

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army (includes Air Wing) (2012)

Military expenditures

1.94% of GDP (2012) | 2.3% of GDP (2011) | 1.94% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 43

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women serve as commissioned officers (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 32.67% (male 319,592/female 316,672) | 15-24 years: 19.73% (male 182,697/female 201,510) | 25-54 years: 37.2% (male 354,193/female 370,287) | 55-64 years: 4.98% (male 51,693/female 45,234) | 65 years and over: 5.43% (male 53,706/female 52,117) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

25.47 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 49

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 103,020 | percentage: 23% (2000 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

13.5% (2010) | country comparison to the world: 54

Contraceptive prevalence rate

47% (2009/10)

Death rate

14.89 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 1

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 67.3% | youth dependency ratio: 60.3% | elderly dependency ratio: 6.9% | potential support ratio: 14.4% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 94.6% of population | rural: 77% of population | total: 81.8% of population | urban: 5.4% of population | rural: 23% of population | total: 18.2% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

13% of GDP (2008) | country comparison to the world: 1

Ethnic groups

Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

23.39% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 3

HIV/AIDS - deaths

9,300 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

314,600 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Health expenditures

11.5% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 10

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate

total: 49.03 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 52.82 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 45.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37

Languages

Sesotho (official) (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 52.86 years | male: 52.76 years | female: 52.97 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 215

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 79.4% | male: 70.1% | female: 88.3% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population

MASERU (capital) 267,000 (2014)

Median age

total: 23.8 years | male: 23.8 years | female: 23.8 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) | adjective: Basotho

Net migration rate

-7.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 205

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

11.9% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 120

Population

1,947,701 | 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 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 149

Population growth rate

0.32% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Religions

Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 37.3% of population | rural: 27.6% of population | total: 30.3% of population | urban: 62.7% of population | rural: 72.4% of population | total: 69.7% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years | male: 11 years | female: 12 years (2012)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.91 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.72 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 34.4% | male: 29% | female: 41.9% (2008 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Urbanization

urban population: 27.3% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 3.05% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Lesotho is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and for men subjected to forced labor; Basotho women and children are subjected to domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation within Lesotho and South Africa; some Basotho men who voluntarily migrate to South Africa for work become victims of forced labor in agriculture and mining or are coerced into committing crimes | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Lesotho does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2013, the government initiated several prosecutions for trafficking offenses but did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to address human trafficking; key portions of the 2011 anti-trafficking act remain unimplemented, including the development of formal referral procedures and the establishment of victim care centers; the government continued to rely on NGOs to identify and assist victims, without providing any funding or support for these services (2014)

Airports

24 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 132

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 | over 3,047 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 21 | 914 to 1,523 m: 5 | 16 (2013)

Roadways

total: 5,940 km | paved: 1,069 km | unpaved: 4,871 km (2011) | country comparison to the world: 151