Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/136.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 10KB | 292 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\lesotho.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"Lesotho"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of Lesotho, click {z,"17.451524,-35.068956,35.914523,-20.781784",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 30,350 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 30,350 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly larger than Maryland

{2}Land boundaries:{4}
{3}total:{4} 909 km
border country: South Africa 909 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 0 km (landlocked)

{2}Maritime claims:{4} none (landlocked)

{2}International disputes:{4} none

{2}Climate:{4} temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

{2}Terrain:{4} mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
{3}lowest point:{4} junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
{3}highest point:{4} Mount Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 10%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 0%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 66%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 0%
{3}other:{4} 24%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} NA sq km

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing,
severe soil erosion, soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project will control, store,
and redirect water to South Africa

{2}natural hazards:{4} periodic droughts

{2}international agreements:{4} party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Endangered Species,
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

{2}Geographic note:{4} landlocked; surrounded by South Africa


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 1,970,781 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 41% (male 404,733; female 402,813)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 54% (male 519,493; female 553,618)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 5% (male 37,237; female 52,887) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 1.9% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 32.7 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 13.74 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.03 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 0.94 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 0.7 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 81.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 52.08 years
{3}male:{4} 50.08 years
{3}female:{4} 54.14 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 4.32 children born/woman (1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
{3}adjective:{4} Basotho

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} Sotho 99.7%, Europeans 1,600, Asians 800

{2}Religions:{4} Christian 80%, rest indigenous beliefs

{2}Languages:{4} Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

{2}Literacy:{4} age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
{3}total population:{4} 71.3%
{3}male:{4} 81.1%
{3}female:{4} 62.3%


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} Kingdom of Lesotho
{3}conventional short form:{4} Lesotho
{3}former:{4} Basutoland

{2}Type of government:{4} modified constitutional monarchy

{2}Capital:{4} Maseru

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's
Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

{2}Independence:{4} 4 October 1966 (from UK)

{2}National holiday:{4} Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

{2}Constitution:{4} 2 April 1993

{2}Legal system:{4} 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

{2}Suffrage:{4} 21 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
{3}chief of state:{4} King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); the king is the former Crown Prince David
Monato BERENG Seeiso and succeeded his father King MOSHOESHOE II, who died in an
automobile accident on 16 January 1996; King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne
(November 1990 to February 1995) while his father was in exile
{3}note:{4} the king is a hereditary monarch, but, under the terms of the constitution which came into
effect after the March 1993 election, he has no executive or legislative powers; moreover, under
traditional law the king can be elected or deposed by a majority vote of the College of Chiefs
{3}head of government:{4} Prime Minister Ntsu MOKHEHLE (since 2 April 1993)
{3}cabinet:{4} Cabinet

{2}Legislative branch:{4} bicameral Parliament
Senate: consists of 33 members (the 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the
ruling party)
Assembly: members elected by popular vote; election last held NA March 1993 (next to be held
NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats (65 total) BCP 65

{2}Judicial branch:{4} High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} Basotho National Party (BNP), Evaristus SEKHONYANA; Basotho
Congress Party (BCP), Ntsu MOKHEHLE; National Independent Party (NIP), A. C. MANYELI;
Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), Vincent MALEBO; United Democratic Party, Charles MOFELI;
Communist Party of Lesotho (CPL), Jacob M. KENA

{2}International organization participation:{4} ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU,
NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Dr. Eunice M. BULANE
{3}chancery:{4} 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
{3}telephone:{4} [1] [phone] through 5536
{3}FAX:{4} [1] [phone]

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Bismarck MYRICK
{3}embassy:{4} address NA, Maseru
{3}mailing address:{4} P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
{3}telephone:{4} [266] 312666
{3}FAX:{4} [266] 310116

{2}Flag:{4} 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


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} 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 (these remittances supplement domestic
income by as much as 45%). The great majority of households gain their livelihoods from
subsistence farming and migrant labor; a large portion of the adult male work force is employed in
South African mines. Manufacturing depends largely on farm products which support the milling,
canning, leather, and jute industries. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the
past few years, improvement of a major hydropower facility will permit the sale of water to South
Africa and will support the economy's continued expansion.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $2.8 billion (1994 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 13.5% (1994 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $1,430 (1994 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} 10.4%
{3}industry:{4} 48.8%
{3}services:{4} 40.8% (1993)

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 9.5% (January 1995)

{2}Labor force:{4} 689,000 economically active
{3}by occupation:{4} 86.2% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of
the active male wage earners work in South Africa

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} substantial unemployment and underemployment

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $445 million
{3}expenditures:{4} $400 million, including capital expenditures of $128 million (FY94/95 est.)

{2}Industries:{4} food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} 12.5% (1994 est.)

{2}Electricity:{4} power supplied by South Africa

{2}Agriculture:{4} corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

{2}Exports:{4} $142 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} clothing, furniture, footwear, wool
{3}partners:{4} South Africa 39%, EC 22%, North and South America 33% (1993)

{2}Imports:{4} $1 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} mainly corn, building materials, clothing, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
products
{3}partners:{4} South Africa 83%, Asia 12%, EC 3% (1993)

{2}External debt:{4} $512 million (1993)

{2}Economic aid:{4}
{3}recipient:{4} ODA, $NA

{2}Currency:{4} 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente

{2}Exchange rates:{4} maloti (M) per US$1 - 3.6417 (January 1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994),
3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991); note - the Basotho loti is at par with the South
African rand

{2}Fiscal year:{4} 1 April - 31 March


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa
narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 5,324 km
{3}paved:{4} 799 km
{3}unpaved:{4} 4,525 km (1993 est.)

{2}Ports:{4} none

{2}Airports:{4}
{3}total:{4} 29
{3}with paved runways over 3,047 m:{4} 1
{3}with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 1
{3}with paved runways under 914 m:{4} 23
{3}with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 4 (1995 est.)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 12,000 (1991 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4} rudimentary system
{3}domestic:{4} consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor
radiotelephone communication system
{3}international:{4} satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} 66,000

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 1

{2}Televisions:{4} 11,000 (1992 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Lesotho Mounted Police

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} 455,218
{3}males fit for military service:{4} 245,774 (1996 est.)

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} $NA, NA% of GDP