Muso oa Lesotho Kingdom of Lesotho
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Khotso, Pula, Nala"  (Sesotho) "Peace, Rain, Prosperity"
Anthem: Lesotho Fatse La Bontata Rona
Capital (and largest city)		Maseru 29°18′S, 27°28′E
Official languages		Southern Sotho, English
Demonym		Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
Government		Constitutional monarchy
-	King	Letsie III
-	Prime Minister	Pakalitha Mosisili
Independence
-	from the United Kingdom	October 4, 1966
Area
-	Total	30,355 km² (140th) 11,717 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	1,795,0001 (146th)
-	2004 census	2,031,348
-	Density	59/km² (138th) 153/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$4. The current National flag of Lesotho, adopted on October 4, 2006, features a horizontal Blue, White, and Green The coat of arms of Lesotho was adopted on 4 October, 1966 following independence A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group History Should include probable history of the language what form of Bantu it is most closely derived from (the coolest forms! dates of movement of major groups A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Lesotho Fatse La Bontata Rona is the National anthem of Lesotho. The Demographics of Lesotho describe the condition and overview of Lesotho's peoples Maseru (mɑseʀu is the Capital of Lesotho. It is also the capital or camptown of the Maseru District. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory History Should include probable history of the language what form of Bantu it is most closely derived from (the coolest forms! dates of movement of major groups English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is Paramount Chiefs of Lesotho (Basutoland 1822-1965 Moshoeshoe I: 1822- 18 January 1870 Letsie I Moshoeshoe Letsie III (original name David Mohato Bereng Seeiso (born July 17, 1963) is the king of Lesotho. Heads of Government See also List of kings of Lesotho Lists of incumbents Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili (born March 14, 1945) is the Prime Minister of Lesotho, and has been since May 29, 1998. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 996 billion (150th)
-	Per capita	$2,113 (139th)
Gini (1995)		63. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 2 (high)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 549 (medium) (138th)
Currency		Loti (LSL)
Time zone		(UTC+2)
Internet TLD		.ls
Calling code		+266
1 Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is For other meanings of "Loti" see Loti (disambiguation. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E

Lesotho (pronounced /lɪˈsuːtuː/ listen (help·info)), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a land-locked country and enclave — entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. A landlocked country is commonly defined as one enclosed or nearly enclosed by land The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Formerly Basutoland, it is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Lesotho (lɪˈsuːtuː &mdash had been populated by Khoi Khoi (Qhuaique for possibly as long as 40000 years The name Lesotho roughly translates into "the land of the people who speak Sesotho. History Should include probable history of the language what form of Bantu it is most closely derived from (the coolest forms! dates of movement of major groups ".

Contents 1 History 2 Politics 3 Districts 4 Geography 4.1 Climate 5 Economy 6 Demographics 6.1 Population 6.2 Languages 6.3 Religion 6.4 Education and literacy 7 HIV/AIDS 8 Taxation 9 Foreign relations 10 Culture 11 Human rights 12 Assassinated leaders 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

History

Main article: History of Lesotho

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. Lesotho (lɪˈsuːtuː &mdash had been populated by Khoi Khoi (Qhuaique for possibly as long as 40000 years Khoisan (increasingly commonly spelled Khoesan or Khoe-San) is the name for two major Ethnic groups of Southern Africa. A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting They were largely replaced by Bantu-speaking tribes during Bantu migrations. Bantu may refer to Bantu expansion, a series of migrations of Bantu speakers Bantu languages Bantu people Bantu may refer to Bantu expansion, a series of migrations of Bantu speakers Bantu languages Bantu people

The present Lesotho (then called Basutoland) emerged as a single polity under paramount chief Moshoeshoe I in 1822. Polity ( Greek: Πολιτεία or Πολίτευμα transliterated as Politeía or Políteuma) was originally a term used in Ancient Greece Moshoeshoe moʊˈʃweɪʃweɪ (c1786 - March 11 1870) was born at Menkhoaneng in the Northern part of present-day Lesotho. It was recognized by the United Kingdom on 13 December 1843, and on 12 March 1868 became one of the High Commission Territories. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 1843 ( MDCCCXLIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap This article deals with the office and title of High Commissioner in the British Empire and Commonwealth On 30 April 1965 it was granted autonomy. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Its name changed when Lesotho gained full independence within the Commonwealth of Nations on October 4, 1966. Events 610 - Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar.

In January 1970 the ruling Basotho National Party (BNP) lost the first post-independence general elections, with 23 seats to the Basutoland Congress Party's 36. The Basotho National Party is a Political party in Lesotho, founded in the 1959 as the Basutoland National Party by Leabua Jonathan. Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan refused to cede power to the Basotho Congress Party (BCP), declared himself Tona Kholo (Sesotho translation of prime minister), and imprisoned the BCP leadership. Joseph Leabua Jonathan ( 30 October 1914 &ndash 5 April 1987) was the first Prime Minister of Lesotho. The Basutoland Congress Party is a pan-africanist and Left-wing Political party in Lesotho, led by Ntsukunyane Mphanya.

The BCP began a rebellion and then received training in Libya for its Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA) under the pretence of being Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) soldiers of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (once known as the Pan Africanist Congress, abbreviated as the PAC was a South African liberation movement that Deprived of arms and supplies by the Sibeko faction of the PAC in 1978, the 178-strong LLA was rescued from their Tanzanian base by the financial assistance of a Maoist PAC officer but launched the guerrilla war with a handful of old weapons. David Maphgumzana Sibeko ( August 26, 1938 in Johannesburg, South Africa &ndash June 12, 1979 Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya Maoism, variably and officially known as Mao Zedong Thought ( is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader The main force was defeated in northern Lesotho and later guerrillas launched sporadic but usually ineffectual attacks. The campaign was severely compromised when BCP's leader, Ntsu Mokhehle, went to Pretoria. Ntsu Mokhehle ( 26 December 1918 - 6 January 1999) was a Lesotho politician Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. In the early 1980s, several Basotho who sympathized with the exiled BCP were threatened with death and attacked by the government of Leabua Jonathan. Joseph Leabua Jonathan ( 30 October 1914 &ndash 5 April 1987) was the first Prime Minister of Lesotho. In September 1981 the family of Benjamin Masilo was attacked. A few days later, Edgar Mahlomola Motuba was taken from his home and murdered.

The BNP ruled by decree until January 1986 when a military coup forced it out of office. A decree is an order made by a Head of state or government and having the force of Law. The Military Council that came to power granted executive powers to King Moshoeshoe II, who was until then a ceremonial monarch. Paramount Chiefs of Lesotho (Basutoland 1822-1965 Moshoeshoe I: 1822- 18 January 1870 Letsie I Moshoeshoe Moshoeshoe II ( May 2, 1938 - January 15, 1996) previously known as Constantine Bereng Seeiso, was the paramount chief of Lesotho But in 1987 the King was forced into exile after a falling out with the army. His son was installed as King Letsie III. Letsie III (original name David Mohato Bereng Seeiso (born July 17, 1963) is the king of Lesotho.

The chairman of the military junta, Major General Justin Metsing Lekhanya, was ousted in 1991 and replaced by Major General Elias Phisoana Ramaema, who handed over power to a democratically elected government of the BCP in 1993. A military junta is a government ruled by a committee of military leaders General Justin Metsing Lekhanya (born April 7 1938 in Thaba-Tseka, Lesotho) was the Prime Minister, Defense minister and Elias Phisoana Ramaema (born 1933 was Chairman of the Military Council of Lesotho ( Head of government) from 2 May 1991 to 2 April Moshoeshoe II returned from exile in 1992 as an ordinary citizen. After the return to democratic government, King Letsie III tried unsuccessfully to persuade the BCP government to reinstate his father (Moshoeshoe II) as head of state. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state

In August 1994, Letsie III staged a military-backed coup that deposed the BCP government. The new government did not receive full international recognition. Member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) engaged in negotiations to reinstate the BCP government. The Southern African Development Community ( SADC) is an Inter-governmental organization. One of the conditions Letsie III put forward for this was that his father should be re-installed as head of state. After protracted negotiations, the BCP government was reinstated and Letsie III abdicated in favor of his father in 1995, but Moshoeshoe II died in a car 'accident' in 1996 and was again succeeded by his son.

In 1997, the ruling BCP split over leadership disputes. Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle formed a new party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), and was followed by a majority of Members of Parliament, which enabled him to form a new government. Ntsu Mokhehle ( 26 December 1918 - 6 January 1999) was a Lesotho politician The Lesotho Congress for Democracy is a Political party in Lesotho. Pakalitha Mosisili succeeded Mokhehle as party leader and the LCD won the general elections in 1998. Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili (born March 14, 1945) is the Prime Minister of Lesotho, and has been since May 29, 1998. Although the elections were pronounced free and fair by local and international observers and a subsequent special commission appointed by SADC, the opposition political parties rejected the results. A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral

Opposition protests in the country intensified, culminating in a peaceful demonstration outside the royal palace in August 1998. Exact details of what followed are greatly disputed and it remain contested even within South Africa, but in September that year, a SADC task force operating on orders of unclear provenance entered the capital Maseru. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa While the Botswana Defence Force troops were welcomed, tensions with South African National Defence Force troops were high, resulting in fighting. The Botswana Defence Force (BDF is the Army of Botswana. It was formed in 1977 and has approximately 12000 members The South African National Defence Force ( SANDF) is the name of the Armed forces of South Africa. Incidences of sporadic rioting intensified when South African troops hoisted a South African flag over the Royal Palace. By the time the SADC forces withdrew in May 1999, much of Maseru lay in ruins, and the southern provincial capital towns of Mafeteng and Mohale's Hoek had seen the loss of over a third of their commercial real estate. Mafeteng is the capital city of Mafeteng District in Lesotho. Mohale's Hoek is the capital city of Mohale's Hoek District in Lesotho. A number of South Africans and Basotho also died in the fighting.

An Interim Political Authority (IPA), charged with reviewing the electoral structure in the country, was created in December 1998. The IPA devised a proportional electoral system to ensure that the opposition would be represented in the National Assembly. The new system retained the existing 80 elected Assembly seats, but added 40 seats to be filled on a proportional basis. Elections were held under this new system in May 2002, and the LCD won again, gaining 54% of the vote. But for the first time, opposition political parties won significant numbers of seats, and despite some irregularities and threats of violence from Major General Lekhanya, Lesotho experienced its first peaceful election. Nine opposition parties now hold all 40 of the proportional seats, with the BNP having the largest share (21). The LCD has 79 of the 80 constituency-based seats. Although its elected members participate in the National Assembly, the BNP has launched several legal challenges to the elections, including a recount; none has been successful.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Lesotho

The Lesotho Government is a constitutional monarchy. Politics of Lesotho takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The Prime Minister, Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, is head of government and has executive authority. Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili (born March 14, 1945) is the Prime Minister of Lesotho, and has been since May 29, 1998. This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The king serves a largely ceremonial function; he no longer possesses any executive authority and is proscribed from actively participating in political initiatives.

The Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) controls a majority in the National Assembly (the lower house of parliament) with 62 seats. The National Assembly of Lesotho is the Lower chamber of the country's Bicameral Parliament. The All Basotho Convention (ABC), a party formed shortly before the poll under the leadership of former foreign minister Tom Thabane, is the main opposition. The All Basotho Convention (ABC is a Political party in Lesotho. Tom Motsoahae Thabane (born 1939) is a political figure in Lesotho. The Basotho National Party (BNP), the Alliance of Congress Parties (ACP) and the newly formed Basotho Batho Democratic Party (BBDP) and the Basotho Democratic National Party (BDNP) Lesotho are among the other five opposition parties represented.

The ABC has brought a dramatic change in the Lesotho's politics, due to it having won 17, mainly urban, seats out of 80 Constituency seats, only a few months after it was formed in September 2006. Of the 40 Proportional Representation (PR) seats, the National Independent Party (NIP), a parliamentary ally of the ruling party, has the highest number of seats at 21. The Lesotho Workers Party has the next highest number of proportional seats with 10. The BNP is the opposition party with the biggest loss in the February 2007 election with its representation reduced from 21 to 3 seats. A total of 12 political parties are represented in the 120-member parliament.

The upper house of parliament, called the Senate, is composed of twenty-two principal chiefs whose membership is hereditary, and eleven appointees of the king, acting on the advice of the prime minister. The Senate of Lesotho is the Upper chamber of the country's Bicameral Parliament.

The constitution provides for an independent judicial system, made up of the High Court, the Court of Appeal, Magistrate's Courts, and traditional courts that exist predominantly in rural areas. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity All but one of the Justices on the Court of Appeal are South African jurists. There is no trial by jury; rather, judges make rulings alone, or, in the case of criminal trials, with two other judges as observers.

The constitution also protects basic civil liberties, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of the press, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of religion. thumb| |Broken Liberty Istanbul Archaeology Museum Civil liberties are freedoms that protect the Individual from the Government. Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without Censorship or Limitation. Freedom of association is the Individual right to come together with other individuals and collectively express promote pursue and defend common interests Freedom Constitutional or statutory protections pertaining to freedom of the press Freedom of assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the Freedom of association, is the Individual right to come together with other individuals and collectively Freedom of religion is the freedom of an individual or community in public or private to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance

Districts

Main article: Districts of Lesotho

Administratively, Lesotho is divided into ten districts, each headed by a district administrator. |||}The Kingdom of Lesotho is divided into ten Districts each headed by a district administrator |||}The Kingdom of Lesotho is divided into ten Districts each headed by a district administrator Each district has a capital known as a camptown.

Berea Butha-Buthe Leribe Mafeteng Maseru

Mohale's Hoek Mokhotlong Qacha's Nek Quthing Thaba-Tseka

The districts are further subdivided into 80 constituencies, which consists of 129 local community councils. For the city mentioned in the Bible see Berea (Bible. Berea is a district of Lesotho. Butha-Buthe is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 1767 km² and a population of approximately 130000 (2001 Leribe is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2828 km² and a population of approximately 450000 (2004 Mafeteng is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2119 km² and a population of approximately 330000 (2004 Maseru is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 4279 km² and a population of approximately 500000 (2004 Mohale's Hoek is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 3530 km² and a population of approximately 310000 (2004 Mokhotlong district (in Sesotho language The Place of the Bald Ibis) is a district of Lesotho. Qacha's Nek is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2349 km² and a population of approximately 110000 (2004 Quthing is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2916 km² and a population of approximately 200000 (2002 Thaba-Tseka is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 4270 km² and a population of approximately 170000 (2004

Geography

Main article: Geography of Lesotho

Lesotho covers 30,355 square kilometres (11,720 sq mi). In Computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap, is a Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of Pixels The Map Library should not be confused with the Map Library of The British Museum. The Moteng pass is a steep tarred pass in the Maluti mountains of Lesotho, reaching a height of 2820 meters at. Lesotho is a mountainous Landlocked country located in Southern Africa. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The most notable geographic fact about Lesotho, apart from its status as an enclave, is that it is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in elevation. Its lowest point is 1,400 metres (4,593 ft), and over 80% of the country lies above 1,800 metres (5,900 ft).

Climate

Due to its altitude, Lesotho remains cooler throughout the year than other regions at the same latitude. Most of the rain falls as summer thunderstorms. Maseru and surrounding lowlands often reach 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. Maseru (mɑseʀu is the Capital of Lesotho. It is also the capital or camptown of the Maseru District. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Winters can be cold with the lowlands getting down to −7 °C (19 °F) and the highlands to −18 °C (0 °F) at times. Snow is common in the deserts and low valleys between May and September; the higher peaks can experience snowfalls year-round. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. In Geology, a valley (also called a vale, dale, glen or strath and near or in Appalachia, a draw) is

Economy

Main article: Economy of Lesotho

Lesotho's economy is based on exports of water sold to South Africa, manufacturing, agriculture, livestock, and to some extent the earnings of laborers employed in South Africa. The Economy of Lesotho is based on Agriculture, Livestock, Manufacturing, and the earnings of laborers employed in South Africa Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Lesotho also exports diamonds, wool, mohair, clothing, and footwear. In Mineralogy, diamond is the allotrope of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species Mohair usually refers to a Silk -like fabric or Yarn made from the Hair of the Angora goat. Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather Footwear consists of Garments worn on the feet, for protection against the environment and Adornment. One of Levi's jeans manufacturing facilities is located there. Levi Strauss & Co (LS&CO is a privately held Clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of Denim Jeans. Lesotho is geographically surrounded by South Africa and economically integrated with it as well. The majority of households subsist on farming or migrant labor, primarily miners who remain in South Africa for 3 to 9 months. The western lowlands form the main agricultural zone. Almost 50% of the population earns some income through crop cultivation or animal husbandry, with over half the country's income coming from the agricultural sector.

Water is Lesotho's only significant natural resource. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. It is utilised through the 21-year, multi-billion-dollar Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), which began in 1986. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project is an ongoing water supply project with a hydropower component developed in partnership between the governments of Lesotho and South The LHWP is designed to capture, store, and transfer water from the Orange River system to South Africa's Free State and greater Johannesburg area, which features a large concentration of South African industry, population, and agriculture. The Orange River ( Afrikaans / Dutch: Oranjerivier) Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in Completion of the first phase of the project has made Lesotho almost completely self-sufficient in the production of electricity and generated approximately $24 million annually from the sale of electricity and water to South Africa. The World Bank, African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and many other bilateral donors financed the project. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e The African Development Bank ( ADB) is a development bank established in 1964 with the intention of promoting economic and social development in Africa. The European Investment Bank ( Banque Européenne d'Investissement) is the European Union 's long-term lending institution established in 1958 under the Treaty Lesotho has taken advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to become the largest exporter of garments to the US from sub-Saharan Africa. In May 2000, the US Congress approved legislation known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA (Title I Trade and Development Act of 2000 P Exports totaled over $320 million in 2002. Employment reached over 50,000, marking the first time that manufacturing sector workers outnumbered government employees.

Lesotho has nearly 6,000 kilometers of unpaved and modern all-weather roads. There is a short freight rail line linking Lesotho with South Africa that is owned and operated by South Africa.

The official currency is the loti (plural: maloti), but can be used interchangeably with the South African rand. The rand ( sign: R; code: ZAR) is the Currency of South Africa. Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, and South Africa also form a common currency and exchange control area known as the Common Monetary Area (CMA). The Common Monetary Area (CMA links South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland into a Currency union. The loti is at par with the rand, while one hundred lisente equal one loti.

Lesotho is a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), in which tariffs have been eliminated on the trade of goods between other member countries Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. Southern African Customs Union ( SACU) is a Customs union among five countries of Southern Africa. The Republic of Botswana (Lefatshe la Botswana is a Landlocked nation in Southern Africa. Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa on the Atlantic coast The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The Kingdom of Swaziland is a country located in Southern Africa centred at approximately 26o49'S 31o38'E

Lesotho has received economic aid from a variety of sources, including the United States, the World Bank, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Germany. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

Tourism is a slowly growing industry. A ski resort recently opened in the high Maluti Mountains is drawing tourists from South Africa. The Maloti Mountains (also spelled Maluti are a Mountain range found in the highlands of Lesotho and named the Drakensberg in South Africa

Significant levels of child labour exist in Lesotho, and the country is in the process of formulating an Action Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (APEC), which is likely to be adopted in the period 2006-2007 (see Child labour in Lesotho). Significant levels of child labour appears to be found in Lesotho.

Demographics

See also: Demographics of Lesotho

Population

Lesotho has a population of approximately 1. The Demographics of Lesotho describe the condition and overview of Lesotho's peoples 881 million, according to 2006 Census. ^[1] The population distribution of Lesotho is 23. 8 percent urban and 76. 2 percent rural. Population density is lower in the highlands than in the western lowlands. Although the majority of the population -- 57. 6 percent -- is between 15 and 64 years of age, Lesotho has a substantial youth population numbering around 37 percent. The annual population growth is -0. 46%.

Languages

Lesotho's ethno-linguistic structure consists almost entirely of the Basotho, a Bantu-speaking people. The Kwena (Bakoena) are the largest subgroup of the Sotho; other Basotho subgroups include the Natal (North) Nguni, Batloung (the Tlou), Baphuthi (the Phuti), Bafokeng, Bataung (the Tau), Bats'oeneng (the tso'ene) and the Cape (South) Nguni (Thembu). Sesotho (Southern Sotho) and English languages are both official. History Should include probable history of the language what form of Bantu it is most closely derived from (the coolest forms! dates of movement of major groups Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa and French are also spoken. Afrikaans is an Indo-European language, derived from 17th century Dutch and classified as Low Franconian Germanic, mainly spoken in The Zulu ( IsiZulu: amaZulu) are the largest South African ethnic group of an estimated 10-11 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal See also Xhosa language The Xhosa (ǁʰɔsɑ( people are speakers of Bantu languages living in south-east South Africa, and in the last two French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people

Religion

Main article: Religion in Lesotho

Roman Catholics, the largest religious group, make up more than two-fifths of the population; smaller groups include the Lesotho Evangelical Church which comprises more than one-fourth of the population; Anglican, one-ninth; and other Christian and tribal religions. Christianity is the dominant religion in Lesotho. The Christian Council of Lesotho made up of representatives of all major Christian churches in the country estimates that Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs

Education and literacy

An estimated 85 percent of the population 15 and over was literate, according to recent estimates. As such, Lesotho boasts one of the higher literacy rates in Africa. Although education is not compulsory, the Government of Lesotho is incrementally implementing a programme for free primary education. It was expected that the program would be fully in place by 2006.

HIV/AIDS

Lesotho is severely afflicted by HIV/AIDS. Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome According to recent estimates, the prevalence is about 29%, one of the highest in the world. In Epidemiology, the prevalence of a Disease in a Statistical population is defined as the total number of cases of the disease in the population at a given The United Nations projects that this will rise to 36% within fifteen years, resulting in a sharp drop in life expectancy. According to the Lesotho Bureau of Statistics, in 2001 life expectancy was estimated at forty-eight years for men and fifty-six for women. Recent statistics estimate about thirty-seven years. Many children have lost parents. Traditionally lavish funerals leave survivors with another burden.

The government of Lesotho was initially slow to recognise the scale of the crisis, and its efforts to date in combating the spread of the disease have had limited success. In 1999, the government finalised its Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS, a diagram for addressing the education, prevention, counseling, and treatment needs of the populace. In late 2003, the government announced that it was forming a new National AIDS Commission to coordinate society-wide anti-AIDS activities. Also in 2003 the government hosted a SADC Extraordinary Summit on HIV/AIDS.

In 2005, programs for the distribution of anti-retrovirals were initiated. One such program is in Hlotse, Leribe at Tsepong Clinic which is part of Motebang Hospital. Hlotse (also Leribe) is an important market town in Lesotho. It is situated on the Hlotse River, near the South African border Hlotse (also Leribe) is an important market town in Lesotho. It is situated on the Hlotse River, near the South African border However, such programs remain limited in resources and have relatively few participants.

The government has also started a proactive program called "Know your status" to test for HIV everyone in the country who wants to be tested. The program is funded by the Clinton Foundation and started in June of 2006. Bill Clinton and Microsoft chairman Bill Gates visited Lesotho in July 2006 to assess its fight against AIDS. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer If you would like to experiment with Wikipedia please copy Dubbed "The two Bills" by the media, the two men visited the Mafeteng Hospital which is about 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of the capital, Maseru, to assess progress in public health endeavours funded by their respective foundations. Mafeteng is the capital city of Mafeteng District in Lesotho. Maseru (mɑseʀu is the Capital of Lesotho. It is also the capital or camptown of the Maseru District.

Taxation

The taxation system in Lesotho has undergone major revisions in recent years (in part due to the establishment of the Lesotho Revenue Authority in 2003 - www. lra. org. ls).

Personal income tax: Personal income tax is due on income above M14,000 per annum, with a tax credit of M3,500. The standard rate is 25%, with a 35% rate on income over a certain threshold.

Company / corporate tax: The headline rate is 25%, with a special 10% rate on income generated from manufacturing, and a 0% rate for income generated from exporting manufactures to outside the Southern African Customs Union (the so called extra-SACU rate). Capital depreciation allowances exist and are 25% for most types of capital asset.

Value Added Tax: VAT was introduced in 2003 at 14% (replacing a 10% Government Sales Tax). An upfront VAT refund facility is in operation that effectively means that no VAT is paid on inputs into goods destined for export (a big help to Lesotho's garment exporters).

Dividends paid to non-residents and interest are subject to a 25 percent withholding tax. Resident companies that pay dividends must make an advance income tax payment of 53. 8 percent, unless the dividends are paid out of manufacturing income or out of dividends paid by another resident company. Manufacturing companies pay no tax on dividends. Repatriated income is subject to a 25 percent tax.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Lesotho

Lesotho's geographic location makes it extremely vulnerable to political and economic developments in South Africa. Lesotho's geographic location makes it extremely vulnerable to political and economic developments in South Africa. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa It is a member of many regional economic organizations including the Southern African Development Community (SADC),^[2] and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The Southern African Development Community ( SADC) is an Inter-governmental organization. Southern African Customs Union ( SACU) is a Customs union among five countries of Southern Africa. ^[3] It is also active in the United Nations (UN), the African Union, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, and many other international organizations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53  African The Non-Aligned Movement ( NAM) is an International organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc

South Africa, the United States, Libya, Ireland, China, Botswana and the European Union all currently retain resident diplomatic missions in Lesotho. The British High Commission closed in 2005 and the UK is now represented in Lesotho by its High Commissioner resident in South Africa.

His Excellency, Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso is the present High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the Court of St. James's. The Court of St James's is the name of the Royal court of the United Kingdom. The UN is represented by a resident mission as well, including UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, WFP, and UNAIDS. The United Nations Children's Fund (or UNICEF) was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946 The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, or UNAIDS, is the main advocate for accelerated comprehensive and coordinated global action

Historically, Lesotho has maintained generally close ties with Ireland, but also with the United Kingdom (Wales in particular), Germany, the United States and other Western states. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Although in 1990 it broke relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and re-established relations with Taiwan, it later restored ties with the PRC. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES

Lesotho also recognises the State of Palestine. Proposals for a Palestinian state (دولة فلسطين refer to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which is currently In the past, it was a strong public supporter of the end of apartheid in South Africa and granted a number of South African refugees political asylum during the apartheid era.

Culture

Traditional musical instruments include lekolulo, a kind of flute used by herding boys, setolo-tolo, played by men using their mouth, and the women's stringed thomo.

The national anthem of Lesotho is "Lesotho Fatše La Bo-ntata Rona," which literally translates into "Lesotho, Land Of Our Fathers. "

The traditional style of housing in Lesotho is called a rondavel. A rondavel is a traditional African-style house They are usually round in shape and is traditionally made with materials that can be locally obtained in raw form

The Morija Arts & Cultural Festival is a prominent Sesotho arts and music festival. Morija Arts & Cultural Festival, also known as Morija Festival is an annual event held in Morija a large village in the Maseru District of Lesotho. It is held annually in the historical town of Morija, where the first missionaries arrived in 1833.

See also: Music of Lesotho and List of writers from Lesotho

Human rights

Lesotho is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Lesotho is a Southern African nation surrounded entirely by South Africa. This is a list of prominent and notable writers from Africa, including Poets Novelists Children's writers Essayists and Scholars listed King Letsie III is the head of state but has no executive authority. In 2002, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili was re-elected in what were judged to be free and fair elections. The government works to respect the civil and human rights of its citizens; however some serious abuses were reported in the past year. Police and security forces have been known to use excessive force and torture against detainees, often with impunity. The judiciary is subject to external influences and due process cannot be guaranteed. Lengthy pre-trial detention and long delays in trial are problems. Child labor and discrimination against persons with disabilities and HIV/AIDS are other known abuses committed in the region.

Assassinated leaders

• Selometsi Baholo, Deputy Prime Minister
• Makhele
• Motuba
• Seheri
• Selala Sekhonyana
• Sixishe

See also

• Communications in Lesotho
• List of Basotho companies
• List of Lesotho-related topics
• Military of Lesotho
• National University of Lesotho
• National University of Lesotho International School
• Transportation in Lesotho
• Lesotho Scouts Association

References

External links

• Government of Lesotho
• Judgments of the Lesotho High Court
• Lesotho Internet Cafe directory
• Lesotho at the Open Directory Project
• Lesotho travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Lesotho

The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. Wikia (originally Wikicities) is a selective Free web hosting service for Wikis (or Wiki farm) operated by Wikia Inc

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