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FACT SHEET

Conventional long form:            Kingdom of Lesotho

Conventional short form:           Lesotho (formerly known as Basotuland)

Capital:                                   Maseru

Administrative Districts:           Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale’sHoek,
                                             Mokhotlong, Qacha’s Nek, Quthing, Thaba Tseka

National Motto:                        Khotso, Pula, Nala (Peace, Rain and Prosperity)

Area:                                       30,355 sq.km (11,718 sq.mi.) about the size of the State of Maryland or   Belgium 

Location:                                  Situated between latitudes 28º and 31º South and                                                 Longitudes 27º and 30º East

Topography:                              High veld, plateau and mountains

Climate:                                    Temperate; hot summers (about 32 Cº/ Fº 90) and cool to cold winter-snowfall in the highlands (about –7 Cº/ Fº20)

Population:                                2.1million (2001 estimates)                              

Nationality:                                Mosotho (singular) Basotho (plural)

Languages:                               Sesotho and English

Religions:                                  Predominantly Christian comprised of Roman Catholic, Anglican, Evangelical, and other denominations. Indigenous believes are still widely practiced.

Type of Government:                  Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy

Head of State:                           His Majesty King Letsie III      

Head of Government:                  The Right Honourable the Prime Minister, Mr. Pakalitha B. Mosisili

Legislative:                                Bicameral parliament, Senate (33 members) National Assembly (120 members)

Election model:                         Mixed Member Proportion

Judicial:                                    Customary Courts, Magistrate’s Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal

Suffrage age:                            18 years

Main Exports:                           Labour and water to the Republic of South Africa, textiles, footwear, to the United States, European Union and Canada, wool and mohair products.

Main Imports:                            Automobiles, Machinery, Building Material, Fuel, Medicine, corn and other foodstuffs.

Agriculture:                               Mostly subsistence farming; corn, wheat, sorghum, barley, beans, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, vegetables, fruit trees,

Livestock:                                 Cattle, sheep, goats, (wool and mohair) horses and donkeys

Currency:                                  Loti (singular), Maloti (Plural) the currency is pegged at par with the South African Rand.

Measurement System:               Metric

Voltage                                     220 – 240 volts

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