:Lesotho People
Population:
1,848,925 (July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
35 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
10 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
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
Literacy:
59% (male 44%, female 68%) age 15 and over can read and write (1966)
Labor force:
689,000 economically active; 86.2% of resident population engaged in
subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of active male labor force works in
South Africa
Organized labor:
there are two trade union federations; the government favors formation of a
single, umbrella trade union confederation
:Lesotho Government
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
Legal system:
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
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
:Lesotho Government
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
:Lesotho Economy
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
15% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
at least 55% among adult males (1991 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)
External debt:
$370 million (December 1990 est.)
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
:Lesotho Economy
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March