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 | LESOTHOgeneral data of the country |
| General useful information |
| Note: some data are of constant value, while other are due to changes, fluctuations etc. |
| Nation and population |
| official name (short form): Lesotho |
| country code ISO: LS //; - FIPS: LT |
| location: Southern Africa |
| time zone: +2 UT |
| surface (land) area: 30355 sq.km = 11720 sq.mi //; - area incl. inland waters: sq.km = sq.mi |
| geographical position in extreme co-ordinates: North: 28° S / South: 31° S / East: 30° E / West: 27° E |
| borders (land): South Africa |
| borders (coastline): none |
| climate: dry mountainous, but with torrential rain storms |
| Government |
| independent since: 1966-10-04 |
| type of government: constitutional monarchy |
| capital: Maseru |
| administrative division: district (10) |
| Population |
| population according to the latest census (1986):1577,536 |
| total population according to the estimate of midyear 2000: 2143,141; or: 2035,000 / -; 2001: 2196,000 |
| population density: 71 per sq.km = 177 per sq.mi |
| population growth: 2,7% //; - doubling time: 28 years |
| birth rate: 31 - 40 per 1000 |
| death rate: 11 - 16 per 1000 |
| fertility rate: 5 children per female |
| maternal mortality: per 100,000 |
| infant mortality (1-4 years): 89 per 1000 |
| life expectancy: 48 years (male: 48; female: 50) |
| age breakdown: 0-14 years: 43% //; - 15-59 years: 51% //; - 60+ years: 6% |
| urbanisation: 28% //; - urbanisation growth: 8% |
| percentage of urban population in the greatest city: % |
| Ethnic composition, language, religion |
| ethnic groups: (Ba)Sotho 99,7% [source CA states: Sotho 85%; Zulu 15%] |
| languages: Sesotho, English (both official) |
| religious affiliation: Christian 70% (Roman Catholic 39%, Protestant 14%, Anglican 6%); indigenous beliefs 30% |
| Health |
| daily food intake: 2210 calories per capita |
| population with access to safe water: 52% |
| people per physician: 18600 |
| people per hospital bed: |
| Education, literacy |
| school enrolment: primary education 6-11 years: 47% |
| school enrolment: secondary education: 23% |
| school enrolment: tertiary education 20-24 years: 0,6% |
| adult literacy: 71% (male: %; female: %) [later total figure found: 84%] |
| Economy and infrastructure |
| Economy and trade |
| currency: Loti (plural: Maloti) = 100 lisente |
| annual inflation rate: 10% |
| population below poverty line: 26 - 49% |
| Gross Domestic Product: USD 1860 per capita |
| GNI USD 580 per capita //; - [ppp: 2590] |
| GDP growth: 2% |
| income: USD 580 per capita |
| import: USD 977 per capita //; - export: USD 109 per capita |
| trade: USD 350 per capita //; - or 100% of GDP |
| trade partners: ZA EU Americas |
| human development index: 0,541 //; - position of the country in the world no.: 120 |
| female labour force: 37% |
| unemployment: 35% |
| tourism: 0,2 - 0,4 million |
| Economic activities in agriculture, fisheries, industry, mining, services, energy |
| land use: arable land: 11% //; - grass land: 66% //; - wooded area: ?% //; - arid land and desert: % |
| agriculture: labour force: 23% //; - part of agriculture in GDP: 14% |
| agricultural products: mohair, wool, corn/maize, grains, pulses, sorghum |
| livestock (1000s): asses: 154 / cattle: 520-700 / goats: 580-800 / horses: 100 / pigs: 70 / poultry: 1500-1800 / sheep: 750-1200 |
| fish catch: 30 metric tonnes |
| industry: labour force: 33% //; - part of industry in GDP: 38% |
| industrial products: textiles and leather, food and beverages |
| mining products: diamonds |
| CO2 emission per capita: |
| services: labour force: 44% //; - part of services in GDP: 48% |
| energy use (kg per capita): 1280 |
| electricity use (per capita): |
| annual water use (per capita): 31 |
| Traffic, communication |
| road network: 4955 km //; - of which paved: 18% //; - of which are motorways: 0 km |
| vehicles: 4 per 1000 |
| railways: 2,6 km //; - railways passenger/km: ? |
| navigable inland waterways: 0 km |
| ownership telephone: 9 - 13 per 1000 |
| ownership radio receivers: 569 per 1000 |
| ownership tv-sets: 7 - 24 per 1000 |
| newspaper circulation: 7 per 1000 |
| persons per post office: 12500 |
| personal computers: per 1000 |
| Some physical landmarks |
| mountains: Thabana Ntlenyana 3482 m, Mount Aux Sources 3300, Thaba Putsua Range 3096 |
| lowest point: unknown |
| lakes (natural): none, or unknown |
| lakes (artificial reservoirs): none, or unknown |
| lakes (deepest): unknown |
| rivers: Caledon, Orange River |
| canals: none, or unknown |
| waterfalls: Maletsunyane 192 m |
| caves: longest system: none, or unknown / deepest: |
| islands: none |
| deserts: none |
| other natural features: |
| Additional remarks, especially on the statistical information |
| other important features: |
| apart from physical landmarks most of the above figures are changeable, in most cases they date from the 1990's |
| primary sources used for the general information: |
| BB CA EV PW WA WB WR, and some national statistical yearbooks |
| particulars concerning population data: |
To the page containing the population growth statistics of the country
To the page containing the historical population growth statistics of the provinces
To the page containing urban historical population statistics
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Internet website:Latest modification of this page on 2004-02-21 by Jan Lahmeyer
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