Country profile: Lesotho

The Kingdom of Lesotho is made up mostly of highlands where many of the villages can be reached only on horseback, by foot or light aircraft.

During the winter shepherds wearing only boots and wrap-around blankets have to contend with snow.

While much of the tiny country, with spectacular canyons and thatched huts, remains untouched by modern machines, developers have laid down roads to reach its mineral and water resources.

Overview

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Major construction work has been under way in recent years to create the Lesotho Highlands Water Project to supply South Africa with fresh water.

AT-A-GLANCE Politics: Ruling party of Prime Minister Mosisili won early elections in February 2007, called after some of its MPs crossed the floor. Polls in 1998 led to violence; peacekeepers restored order Economy: Lesotho depends on South Africa as an employer, and as buyer of its main natural resource - water. Textile exports have been hurt by the erosion of trade concessions, but appear to be expanding again International: Lesotho is surrounded by South Africa Timeline

Resources are scarce - a consequence of the harsh environment of the highland plateau and limited agricultural space in the lowlands. So, Lesotho has been heavily dependent on the country which completely surrounds it - South Africa.

Over the decades thousands of workers have been forced by the lack of job opportunities to find work at South African mines. South Africa has on several occasions intervened in Lesotho's politics, including in 1998 when it sent its troops to help quell unrest.

The former British protectorate has had a turbulent, if not particularly bloody, period of independence with several parties, army factions and the royal family competing for power in coups and mutinies. The position of king has been reduced to a symbolic and unifying role.

Lesotho has one of the world's highest rates of HIV-Aids infection. A drive to encourage people to take HIV tests was spurred on by Prime Minister Mosisili, who was tested in public in 2004.

Poverty is deep and widespread, with the UN describing 40% of the population as "ultra-poor". Food output has been hit by the deaths from Aids of farmers.

Economic woes have been compounded by the scrapping of a global textile quota system which exposed producers to Asian competition. Thousands of jobs in the industry have been lost.

Facts

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• Full name: The Kingdom of Lesotho
• Population: 2 million (UN, 2009)
• Capital: Maseru
• Area: 30,355 sq km (11,720 sq miles)
• Major languages: Sesotho, English
• Major religion: Christianity
• Life expectancy: 44 years (men), 46 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente
• Main exports: Water, diamonds, clothing, wool, mohair, food, livestock
• GNI per capita: US $1080 (World Bank, 2008)
• Internet domain: .ls
• International dialling code: +266

Leaders

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Head of state: King Letsie III

King Letsie III

King Letsie III succeeded his father, King Moshoeshoe, who was dethroned in 1990.

Five years later, after the return to civilian government and amid political instability, he abdicated and his father was reinstated as monarch.

Letsie III was restored as king in 1996 after his father died in a car accident. The monarch has no legislative or executive powers.

Prime minister: Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili

Bethuel Mosisili's Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) won early elections in February 2007, taking 61 of the country's 80 constituencies and heralding a third term for the incumbent prime minister.

Prime Minister Mosisili

The LCD had campaigned on promises to increase pensions and expand free education.

Regional observers reported no irregularities, although opposition leader Tom Thabane, from the All Basotho Convention (ABC), questioned the fairness of the poll.

Mr Thabane formed the ABC in October 2006. Some LCD MPs crossed the floor to join the new party, leaving the government with a slim majority.

In April 2009, gunmen fired on Mr Moisisili's home in Maseru in an apparent assassination attempt, but the prime minister was unhurt.

Communications Minister Mothetjoa Metsing said the attackers had planned to seize power.

Mr Mosisili first came to power in May 1998 after the LCD won a landslide victory in elections.

Although observers described the vote as acceptable, the opposition protested against the results. Protests turned to violent unrest which was put down by an intervention force from neighbouring countries.

Afterwards, a new electoral system was devised to make parliament more representative.

Mr Mosisili won a second five-year term in May 2002.

Before becoming an MP he worked as an academic and a teacher. He studied in Africa and the US.

Media

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The government operates a range of media. South African radio and TV stations can also be received.

Commercial radio stations emerged following reforms in 1998, but state-run Radio Lesotho is the only national station. High printing costs make radio the most important form of mass communication.

The private press often carries opposition views, but publications and journalists are regularly targeted by defamation lawsuits.

The press

• Public Eye - weekly, in English
• Makatolle - weekly, in Sesotho
• MoAfrica - weekly, in Sesotho
• Mohlanka - weekly, in Sesotho
• Mopheme-The Survivor - weekly, in Sesotho and English
• The Mirror - weekly, in English

Television

• Lesotho Television - national, state-run

Radio

• Radio Lesotho - national, state-run
• MoAfrika FM - private, Maseru-based
• People's Choice FM - private
• Joy Radio FM - private
• Catholic Radio FM - private
• Khotso FM - operated by National University of Lesotho

News agency

• Lesotho News Agency - state-run