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lesotho |
2 definitions found From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: Lesotho n : a constitutional monarchy in southern Africa [syn: {Lesotho}, {Basutoland}] From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]: Lesotho Lesotho:Geography Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Map references: Africa Area: total area: 30,350 sq km land area: 30,350 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total 909 km South Africa 909 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none; landlocked International disputes: none Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains Natural resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 66% forest and woodland: 0% other: 24% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: 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 natural hazards: periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping Note: landlocked; surrounded by South Africa Lesotho:People Population: 1,992,960 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41% (female 407,213; male 416,709) 15-64 years: 54% (female 558,106; male 520,961) 65 years and over: 5% (female 51,809; male 38,162) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 2.44% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 33.39 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 8.96 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 67.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.56 years male: 60.74 years female: 64.43 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.41 children born/woman (1995 est.) 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), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1966) total population: 59% male: 44% female: 68% Labor force: 689,000 economically active by occupation: 86.2% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 60% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa Lesotho:Government Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland Digraph: LT 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) National holiday: Independence Day 4 October (1966) Constitution: 2 April 1993 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 Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King MOSHOESHOE II (since February 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Ntsu MOKHEHLE (since 2 April 1993) cabinet: Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consisting of the Assembly or lower house whose members are chosen by popular election and the Senate or upper house whose members consist of the 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party; election last held in March 1993 (first since 1971); all 65 seats in the Assembly were won by the BCP Judicial branch: High Court, Court of Appeal, Magistrate's Court, customary or traditional court Political parties and leaders: 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 Member of: ACP, AfDB C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, 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, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Mokhali A. LITHEBE (since 2 July 1994) chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815 US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Myrick BISMARCK embassy: address NA Maseru mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116 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 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 (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 to support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries; other industries include textile, clothing, and construction. 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 allow Lesotho's economy to continue its moderate growth. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1994 est.) National product real growth rate: 6% (1994 est.) National product per capita: $1,340 (1994 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13.9% (1993) Unemployment rate: substantial unemployment and underemployment Budget: revenues: $438 million expenditures: $430 million, including capital expenditures of $155 million (FY93/94 est.) Exports: $109 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: wool, mohair, wheat, cattle, peas, beans, corn, hides, skins, baskets partners: South Africa 42%, EC 28%, North and South America 25% (1991) Imports: $964 million (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: mainly corn, building materials, clothing, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum partners: South Africa 94%, Asia 3%, EC 1% (1991) External debt: $512 million (1993) Industrial production: growth rate 10%; accounts for 17% of GDP (1993 est.) Electricity: power supplied by South Africa Industries: food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts, tourism Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP (1993 est.); exceedingly primitive, mostly subsistence farming and livestock; principal crops corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $268 million; US (1992), $10.3 million; US (1993 est.), $10.1 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: 1 loti L = 100 lisente Exchange rates: maloti M per US$1 - 3.5389 (January 1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7563 (1991), 2.5863 (1990); note - the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March Lesotho:Transportation Railroads: total: 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 Highways: total: 7,215 km paved: 572 km unpaved: gravel, stabilized earth 2,337 km improved earth 1,806 km unimproved earth 2,500 km (1988) Ports: none Airports: total: 29 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 23 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 4 Lesotho:Communications Telephone system: 5,920 telephones; rudimentary system local: NA intercity: consists of a few land lines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radio communication system international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station Radio: broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA Lesotho:Defense Forces Branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Lesotho Mounted Police Manpower availability: males age 15-49 453,844; males fit for military service 244,767 (1995 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $25 million, NA% of GDP (1994)
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