Lesotho+Background

 

Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties continue to periodically demonstrate their distrust of the results.
 * Background Of Lesotho:**

 Imports of Lesotho: food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products Imports from diffrent people Lesotho gets stuff from: China 31.1%, Taiwan 23.5%, Hong Kong 19.4%, India 13.8%, Germany 5.2% (2008) Religion of Lesotho: Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% country comparison to the world: 60 country comparison to the world: 2 country comparison to the world: 24 male: 81.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 72.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
 * Borders of Lesotho:** South Africa
 * Climate of lesotho:** temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
 * Ethnic groups of Lesotho:** Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
 * Government type of Lesotho:** parliamentary constitutional monarchy
 * Lesotho Suffrage:** 18 years of age; universal
 * GPD Per Capita Of Lesotho:** $1,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: [|200] $1,500 (2007 est.)$1,400 (2006 est.)//note://  data are in 2008 US dollars
 * Agriculture products of Lesotho:** corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
 * Terrain Of Lesotho:**mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
 * Natural Resources Of Lesotho:**water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
 * Land Use Of Lesotho:** arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other:  89% (2005)
 * Natural Hazards Of Lesotho:**periodic droughts
 * Environmental Issues Of Lesotho:** population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
 * Languages Of Lesotho:** Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
 * Capital Of Lesotho:** name: Maseru geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E time difference:  UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
 * Leader Of Lesotho:**King LETSIE III
 * Military Expenditures Of Lesotho:**2.6% of GDP (2006)
 * Industries Of Lesotho:**food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism
 * Currency/Exchange Rate Of Lesotho:**maloti (LSL) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
 * Education Of Lesotho:**13% of GDP (2006)
 * Population Of Lesotho:**2,130,819
 * Population Growth Rate Of Lesotho:**0.116% (2009 est.)
 * Net Migration Rate Of Lesotho**:-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
 * Infant Mortality Rate Of Lesotho:**total: 77.4 deaths/1,000 live births

**Independence Of Lesotho:** 4 October 1966 (from the UK) //www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lt.html http://www.nra.co.za/live/content.php?Category_ID=45#Lesotho%20Border
 * Economic Overview Of Lesotho:**Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 permitted the sale of water to South Africa and generated royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. In July 2007, Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US worth $362.5 million.
 * Unemployment Of Lesotho:**45% (2002)
 * Exports(commodities) Of Lesotho:**manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
 * Illicit Drugs In Lesotho:** They dont have drug problems
 * Internet Access:**https: