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Communications

Airports [time series]

28 total, 28 usable; 2 with permanent surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

2 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

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

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Air Wing, Police Department

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

8.6% of GDP, or $35 million (1989 est.)

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 381,015; 205,499 fit for military service

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Aid [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues $159 million; expenditures $224 million, including capital expenditures of $68 million (FY89 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

power supplied by South Africa

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$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)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$235 million (December 1988)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April-31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$412 million, per capita $245; real growth rate 8.2% (FY89 est.)

Imports [time series]

$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 (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 10.3% (1988 est.)

Industries [time series]

tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

15.0% (FY89 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

23% (1988)

Geography

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

none--landlocked

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly larger than Maryland

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Land boundaries (Land boundary) [time series]

909 km with South Africa

Land use [time series]

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

Maritime claims [time series]

none--landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly highland with some plateaus, hills, and mountains

Area (Total area) [time series]

30,350 km2; land area: 30,350 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Maseru

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

small Lesotho Communist Party

Constitution [time series]

4 October 1966, suspended January 1970

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

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

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

4 October 1966 (from UK; formerly Basutoland)

Judicial branch [time series]

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)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

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

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Kingdom of Lesotho

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Government type (Type) [time series]

constitutional monarchy

US--Ambassador (vacant) [time series]

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

People

Birth rate [time series]

37 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

10 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

99.7% Sotho; 1,600 Europeans, 800 Asians

Infant mortality rate [time series]

80 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

689,000 economically active; 86.2% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of active male labor force works in South Africa

Languages (Language) [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

59 years male, 62 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

59% (1989)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

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

Population [time series]

1,754,664 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

80% Christian, rest indigenous beliefs

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.9 children born/woman (1990)