|
Country
|
| 
Lesotho |
|
Leader
|
President: Joyce Banda
|
Head of state: King Letsie III
|
|
Population
|
16,323,044
| 1,930,493
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
52.310 years
| 51.860 years
|
|
Capital City
|
| Maseru
|
|
Largest city
|
| Lilongwe (population: 646,750) | Maseru (population: 118,355) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.457
| 0.496
|
| GDP per capita |
| $2,000 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
62.7%
| 84.8%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
2.8
| 3.2
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
13%
| 25.8%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
| 45.000%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished in practice
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
multiparty democracy
| parliamentary constitutional monarchy
|
|
Independence date
|
| 4 October 1966 (from UK)
|
| Religions |
Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)
| Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
|
| Languages |
Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census)
| Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
|
| Exports |
| manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
|
| External Debt |
| $729,900,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
| maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
| 2.600%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Southern Africa, east of Zambia
| Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
|
| Area |
118,484 km sq
| 30,355 km sq
|
| Coastline |
0 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
| temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
|
|
|
|
