+266 is the dialing code for Lesotho.
Lesotho is a small mountainous country, completely surrounded by South Africa. Following the independence of Britain in 1966, a long period of political turbulence followed. Only in the early 2000s was the country given a democratically elected government. Despite hardships such as famine and poverty, the population has increased rapidly in recent decades. The increase has now been slowed down by the HIV epidemic. Economically, Lesotho is almost completely dependent on South Africa, where many residents work.
- Abbreviationfinder: Brief profiles of Lesotho, including geography, history, politics, economics as well as common acronyms about this country.
Geography and climate
Lesotho is a small mountainous country, just slightly larger than Småland. It is completely surrounded by South Africa. Between the high mountain range Drakensberg in the east and the Maloti Mountains and Thaba Putsoa in the west, the valley of the Orange River intersects.
At the far west beyond the mountains is a narrow lowland strip with arable land. There is the capital Maseru.
The vegetation consists mostly of grass and shrubs. Hard grazing livestock and intensive utilization of the land have led to severe soil degradation; both plant and animal life have been depleted. However, there are still small populations of stone antelope and leopard.
Lesotho has a pronounced inland climate. Winters can get cold with snow in the mountainous regions, while summers are hot. From November to March, it usually rains quite a bit, but some years the rain does not cause heavy drought.
Country Facts
Geography
| Cultivated land | 76.1 % |
| Land area | 30355 km 2 |
Population and health
| Population development | 0.32 ‰ |
| Urban population (Urbanization) | 27.3 % |
| Death rate | 14.89 per 1000 residents |
| Life expectancy: Women | 52.97 years |
| Life expectancy: Men | 52.76 years |
| Birth rate | 25.47 births per 1000 residents |
| HDI index | 0.497 |
| Population | 1947701 |
| Infant mortality | 49.03 deaths / 1000 births |
Population Graph Source: Countryaah.com
Energy
| Electricity, production | 486 million kWh |
| Energy consumption per resident | 9.7 kg. oil per resident |
| Natural gas, production | million cubic meters |
| Crude oil, production | million tons |
Infrastructure
| Internet users | 5.3 per 100 residents |
| Mobile subscriptions | 110 per 100 residents |
| Passenger cars | 4 per 1000 residents |
Business and economics
| Unemployment | 28.1% of the workforce |
| GDP | 3000 per resident |
| Primary occupations | 86 % |
| Secondary profession | 7 % |
| Tertiary professions | 7 % |
FACTS – GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Surface
30 355 km2 (2018)
Time
Swedish +1 hour
Adjacent country (s)
South Africa
Capital with number of residents
Maseru 250,000
Other major cities
Hlotse (Leribe) 45,000, Mafeteng 40,000 (estimated 2010)
Highest mountain
Thabana Ntlenyana (3 482 m asl)
Important rivers
the Orange
Average Precipitation / year
725 mm
Average / day
Maseru 25 °C (Jan), 15 °C (July)
2016
December
New party sees the light of day
December 16th
Monyane Moleleki, who was formerly the vice-president of the Democratic Congress (DC), founded a new party called the Democratic Alliance (AD). Moleleki had been excluded from DC a few weeks earlier after challenging Pakalitha Mosisili for the post of party leader.
November
Drop off among ministers
November 8
Economic policy disagreement deepens the political crisis in the country. Prime Minister Mosisili dismisses four ministers, resulting in the resignation of four other ministers. At the same time, 20 MEPs announce that they no longer support the governing coalition, which is thus losing its majority in parliament
Byte of army chief
November 8
General Kamoli agrees to retire as army commander. The reinstatement of Kamoli in the post after the spring 2015 elections created political tensions in the country. Both neighboring countries and the United States have pressed for him to be replaced.