Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
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, Desertification, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography—note: landlocked; surrounded by South Africa
People
Population: 2,128,950 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 424,355; female 422,892)
15-64 years: 56% (male 573,285; female 610,636)
65 years and over: 4% (male 40,604; female 57,178) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.8% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 31.26 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)