Lesotho is a country in Southern Africa. Known as the
Kingdom in the Sky because of its lofty altitude - it has the highest lowest point of any country in the world (1400m) and is the only country to be entirely above 1000m! Lesotho is totally surrounded by South Africa and is making a reputation for itself as a fantastic adventure holiday destination. The Basotho people are very friendly and welcoming, and the country is relatively safe and politically stable compared to some of its neighbours.
Cities
Maseru - the capitalQuthing - fantastic rock art nearbyTeyateyaneng (often referred to as just 'TY') - the craft centre of LesothoHlotse (also known as Leribe) - regional market hub, with great craft shopping!Other destinations
Malealea - Pony-trekkingMorija - Museum, dinosaur footprintsSemonkong - Maletsunyane FallsOxbow - Skiing in AfricaKatse - Pony-trekking and the impressive Katse DamSani Pass - Home to the highest pub in Africa and amazing viewsUnderstand
The
Department of Tourism has information for visiting Lesotho.
HistoryOriginally the Sotho-Tswana people lived in what is now Free State in neighbouring South Africa. They were a farming people, and when the Zulus started attacking villages and the Voortrekkers started encroaching on their land, they fled up into the Lesotho mountains. Here, continuous attacks from the Zulus forced local tribes to join together for protection, and by 1824, King Moeshoeshoe had established himself as king and Thaba Bosiu as his mountain fortress.
In 1843, Moeshoeshoe allied himself with the British Cape Colony government in a bid to protect the Basotho from the Boer's rapidly increasing presence in the area. Much fighting followed, forcing Moeshoeshoe to go straight to the imperial government of the British, and in 1868, Basotholand (as it was then called) became a protectorate of the British Empire. Among the many benefits of this, when the Union of South Africa was created in 1910, Lesotho was not included - thus giving it an apartheid free 20th century.
It was granted independence from the British Empire on October 4th 1966 and annually, on October 4th, Lesotho celebrates its independence day.
PeopleThe Kingdom of Lesotho was formed through the pursuit of peace, and this peaceful nature still exists in the Basotho. They are a friendly and welcoming people and do not have the aggressive history some of the peoples of neighbouring countries have. People are especially grateful to Brits, and the older generation will come up to a Brit and tell them how much they thank them for saving them from apartheid!
EconomyLesotho's currency, the Loti (LSL) (plural Maloti), is fixed at a 1:1 ratio with the South African Rand (ZAR). South African currency is accepted everywhere - there is no need to change money. However you will get Maloti in change (unless you ask) which is very difficult to unload in South Africa.
There are ATMs at banks in most towns, although you will not find them elsewhere. Most banks will change travellers cheques for you, but it can be a very, very lengthy process if they are in any other currency apart from ZAR. Credit cards will be accepted in Shoprite and the main hotels, but not elsewhere. Your cashcard from home may work in some Maseru cash machines (FNB or Standard Bank) but best to get cash out in South Africa beforehand.
Restaurants outside of Maseru (and most in Maseru) will probably not accept credit card as a means of payment.
ClimateLesotho has a summer rainfall climate, with extensive snow falls possible in winter. Snow and frost may occur in any month on the high mountains. Rainfall in summer is normally in the form of severe thunderstorms. It gets very cold in winter (May - September) even in Maseru - and houses are not built for the cold (no central heating) if you are visiting in winter bring a warm coat, it goes below zero at night.
FestivalsIndependence Day (4th October) celebrates the day that Lesotho achieved independance from the British Empire.Moshoeshoe Day (14th March) celebrates the life of the founding father of the country. In Maseru, the procession goes from the Palace all the way to the Sotho Stadium, and involves many people dressed up in Lesotho's vibrant and colourful traditional dress - usually comprising blankets and sticks and if you're lucky, the cat hat! Women involved in the parade will be carrying huge bundles of sticks, as they traditionally would do, whilst the men will either be doing traditional dances, riding horses, or herding bulls along the road! At the stadium, after the procession has arrived, there are military and police parades, which aren't nearly so enjoyable.Get in
VisaCitizens of most Commonwealth countries, Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, European states and the US will be granted a free entry permit, valid for 30 days. Your passport needs to be valid for another six month and you need at least two blank pages. The proof of a return or onward ticket or your future travel plans might be asked, but this should not be a problem.
By planeMoshoeshoe Airport is located 18km from Maseru. South African Airways operates a couple of daily flights from Maseru to Johannesburg, which typically cost around 2200 ZAR. Luggage is lost very regularly and there is no lost luggage reporting system. You should arrange taxi pick-up in advance as often there are no taxis at the airport. Taxis charge around 50-80 ZAR.
By trainThere is no train line within Lesotho, but the South African railway line Bloemfontein Bohlokong (freight only) runs along the northwestern Lesotho border, with a stop in Meqheleng.
By carYou will be coming from South Africa when entering by car. The major border posts are Caledonspoort, Ficksburg Bridge, Makhaleng Bridge, Maseru Bridge, Ngoangoma Gate, Peka Bridge, Qacha's Nek, Ramatseliso's Gate, Sani Pass, Sephaphos Gate, Tele Bridge and Van Rooyen's Gate. Please note that some of the border posts can only be accessed by four-wheel driven cars.
Roads in Lesotho are not as good as in South Africa and you should make sure that your car is prepared for the road it is to go. Please ask locals, if the road you are going to take is okay, especially during winter times. The truth is that if you keep to the main roads you are likely to drive on a road smoother than Eastern Free State (RSA) roads!
When taking a rented car, be sure to get permission from the rental company to take the car into Lesotho. You will need to show written permission from the rental company at border control.
By busVaal-Maseru run a coach service to and from Johannesburg from Maseru and minibuses also run the route. Oddly there is no coach service to or from Bloemfontein and the minibus route requires you to change buses half way so the journey usually takes a crampt 3 to 4 hours. The Baz Bus doesn't go to Lesotho either. If travelling in from Bloemfontein you could hitch-hike easily enough (look out for Lesotho number plates). If going from Maseru to Bloemfontein hanging around the border (especially on a Saturday morning) should get you a lift (offer some money). Minibuses run pretty much anywhere from the Maseru Bridge border, but get there early in the morning (7am) as there may be only 1 bus a day.
By coachCoaches stop off on the South African side of Maseru Bridge Border Post, where you can pick up a taxi into downtown Maseru.
Get around
By taxiAs with most of Africa the minibus 'taxi' (aka combi / Toyota Hiace) is the transport of the people. Also available are regular taxis (you phone, they pick you up) and 4+1s - these now have a yellow stripe down the side and squeeze in 4 passengers and will take you in the direction of the other travellers. In minibus taxi's be sure you are clear on where the minibus is going (there should be a sign in the front windscreen), you'll be asked for money after a minute or two, with money being passed down the minibus - try to get the front seat by the driver for more leg room. Prices are fixed by the government and so shouldn't be more than R2-3 in Maseru, up to R50 for long distance (eg Mokhotlong). There is a risk of 'overcharge the white guy' - ask the other passengers if you are not sure of the price.
Maseru however is so small that you can walk to most places and at night proper telephone taxis are the only option available.
Minibus taxis operate with a driver and a conductor who arranges people to get on, and also collects money.
Be warned, the way the Minibus taxis are so cheap is because of the way they fit so many people in! Don't be surprised to see kids sitting on laps four or five high, or to told to have large amounts of luggage on your lap or wedged in around you.
The Minibus taxis tend to be
poorly maintained and are
not insured.
However, very few accidents involving taxis happen in Maseru.
At night it is inadvisable to travel out on foot - get a proper taxi for anything more than a short walk.
Intercity travel by taxi will cost no more than 50 LSL for a single way ticket, and inner city minibus taxi rides will cost you around 2.50 LSL (4+1s will cost you 20 LSL for the whole car, no matter how many are with you, provided its within a city.)
Always check the cost of a taxi
before you get in, especially with 4+1s, as they take payment at the end, and often will try and dupe you into paying more than the going rate.
It is often worth negotiating to hire a whole taxi if you are a large group, as it can be a lot cheaper.
Finding a taxiUpon arrival in one of the main towns, you will notice that all the minibuses are hooting their horns, which is to signal that they have space for more passengers. To flag one down, just wave to a taxi as it approaches, the conductor (who will be leaning out of the window on the kerbside of the van) will usually be shouting the destination of the taxi.
If you are not sure it will be going where you want to go, ask before you get on!In Maseru, there is a place called Stoppo on Moeshoeshoe Road, near to the Shoprite by The Circle / Cathedral. This is where all the minibus taxis leave from, and if you want a taxi out of town, you should head here. However, it is a very busy and bustling place, heaving with people, so it is often easier to pick up a taxi a bit before you reach the actual Stoppo, a good place is the layby just by the pedestrian bridge. This is a far safer place for a tourist to pick up a taxi as pickpocketings are quite common in Stoppo.
By carIt is also possible to hire a car and travel around, the Sun hotels in Maseru both have hire car places, as does the airport. If you hire your car in South Africa (probably cheaper than hiring in Lesotho) be sure to get permission to take the car across into Lesotho (the hire car insurance may not cover Lesotho).
But it's nowhere near as fun as getting up close to the locals and chatting with them!
You don't need a 4x4 to see the main sights in Lesotho - for the average visitor only the road to Semonkong will need a 4x4. The road is tarred to Mokhotlong (via Leribe) and is now tarred all the way to Qacha's Nek going south from Maseru. In the towns some side roads are unsealed but you can bump along in a saloon easily enough - If heading off in to the mountains on unsealed roads (eg to the Kao diamond mine) then a 4x4 is a must. The same goes for Thaba Tseka and going up or down the Sani pass.
When driving it's not advisable to stop at junctions or traffic lights at night - there is a very small chance of something nasty happening.
By planeSome of the places you might want to visit will be in the Highlands and to get right into the heart of the Highlands, you will either need to hike or fly.
Mission Aviation operate flights as part of their work in Lesotho, and also offer charter flights. It is fairly expensive but you really get to appreciate how mountainous the country is!
Mission Aviation are contactable on tel: 2232 5699, and are based at Moeshoeshoe I airport in Maseru, just off Airport Road.
Talk
The official languages are Sesotho and English.
Most in Maseru and in the other big towns speak English to a reasonable standard, and locals in Maseru will understand a few Afrikaans words.
In the Highlands, especially away from tourist attractions, neither English or Afrikaans will be understood.
Useful Sesotho phrases:Dumella Ndatay - Hello SirDumella May - Hello MadamOoo pella jwong? - How are you?Ke pella hantlay - I am wellOoo tswa ki (rhymes with high)? - Where are you from?Ooo aah ki? - Where are you going to?Kee ah-lay-bo-ha - Thank youSalla Hantlay - Goodbye (if you're leaving)Samaya Hantlay - Goodbye (if they're leaving)These are written phonetically.
Written Sesotho (pronounced se-SOO-too) uses English letters. Note that certain combinations of letters are pronounced differently than they look. Two common examples are Li and Lu. In the first case, Li is pronounced "dee". In the second case, Lu is pronounced "doo".
It is polite to refer to someone older than you or of a higher social standing as
Ndaday if male or as
May if female. This translates literally as Father and Mother!
See
Maletsunyane Falls — Nestled in the Lesotho highlands is Southern Africa's highest single drop waterfall. Above the waterfall, the Maletsunyane River in itself is nothing spectacular, which makes the discovery of the falls even more amazing! The scramble down the sides of the gorge is hard, but fairly safe and the noise and spray at the bottom by the pool is awe inspiring! Because no sun shines on the bottom, there is often snow down there, even in summer! If you're very adventurous you could also do the world's highest commercial abseil off the 200m high cliff! It is located close to Semonkong.Morija — There is much history in this quaint little town, not just at the great Morija Museum: famous dinosaur footprints of the not-so-famous Lesothosaurus (no joke!) lie in the hills above.Katse Dam — This stunning 185m dam wall is part of a larger water scheme to sell water to South Africa's Gauteng province and produce electricity for Lesotho. The result is a huge man made reservoir which stores the water that is gravity-fed to South Africa. The beauty of this award-winning feat of engineering is eclipsed, however, by the surrounding mountains and rural countryside.Thaba Bosiu — The mountain stronghold where the great warrior and diplomat King Moeshoeshoe the Great established the Kingdom of Lesotho, fighting off wave after wave of attacks by white settlers and hostile African armies. Still today, the Kings and Queens of Lesotho are buried here.Do
Pony-Trekking at either Malealea, in Katse, or at the Basotho Pony-Trekking Centre — whether your a seasoned pro at horse riding or a complete novice, pony-trekking is an extremely enjoyable way to see the Lesotho countryside! These organized tours give you access to parts of the country which you wouldn't see from your car. The exceptionally sure-footed Basotho Pony can take you through far-off villages and atop daunting mountains.Hiking in the Highlands. Contact the Department of Tourism, who will find you a guide, and then fly into a completely cut off village and hike your way out, staying in remote villages over night. You can also purchase 1:25,000 topographical maps for about 25LSL from the office of Lands, Surveys, and Physical Planning in downtown Maseru and do this yourself (recommeded only for experienced hikers). Craft shopping at Maseru, Teyateyaneng, or Hlotse, where you can buy traditional Basotho hats, sticks, rugs and various other curios.Buy
There are several Western style supermarkets in Maseru, which are good for stocking up on supplies in before heading elsewhere in the country.
If you're after locally made goods and crafts, your best bet is to give Maseru a miss, and head to TY or Hlotse, where the markets are far better and cheaper.
Eat
There are many Western style restaurants in Maseru. For a more traditional meal, why not befriend some locals and see what they cook you?!
Sleep
Several hotels in Maseru.Semonkong Lodge situated on the Maletsunyane river and just one hour's walk from Maletsunyane Falls, offers accommodations, good food, horse treks, abseiling at the Falls.Malealea has a lodge and pony trekking centre which offers good accommodation, foot or horse treks and 4x4 excursions. Oxbow (Lesotho) has the New Oxbow Lodge In rural areas, Catholic and Protestant missions will often rent rooms to travellers.Stay safe
Lesotho is far safer than neighbouring South Africa. The only risky thing to do in Lesotho is walk about Maseru after dark on your own - other than that its fine.
As with pretty much everywhere else in the world you may find friendly chats with locals turn in to veiled requests for money - stick to your principles and only give to registered charities.
At night time it is the norm to drive through red lights - this is more just to speed up your journey (the police won't care) but also a precaution against carjackings.
Lesotho has a history as a very safe, peaceful and welcoming country...
Stay healthy
The HIV/Aids incidence rate in Lesotho is one of the highest in the world.
Do not have unprotected sex.
Consult a doctor as to which vaccinations you will require, but they will most likely include Hep A, Hep B, Rabies, Typhoid.
Tropical diseases such as Malaria, Yellow fever and Bilharzia are not present in Lesotho.
It is a very good idea to carry some sterile needles and dressing in your first aid kit - the hospitals throughout Lesotho are not of a very high standard.
If you do have any serious health problems whilst in Lesotho, get in contact with your country's embassy either in Maseru, or in most cases, in Pretoria in South Africa, as there are very good hospitals across the border in SA which the expatriates use.
Lesotho is at a very high altitude, and the air is very thin especially in the Highlands, be warned that you may suffer from altitude sickness when you first arrive. Drink a lot of water and keep covered up, as it gets very hot in the sun in the summer!
The water in Lesotho is not clean and should not be drunk untreated. Be warned about street vendors who sell fizzy drinks as these are usually in unclean reused glass bottles.
Pack moisturiser! Lesotho's air is very dry and everyone will suffer from dry skin!
Respect
Try and learn a few Sesotho words before travelling to Lesotho! The locals really appreciate a foreigner who has made the effort to learn their language! Always refer to an elder person, or a person of higher social standing as
N'tate (male) or
M'e (female)
Always respond to people, it is very offensive to ignore someone who greets you! As a foreigner, locals will be keen to say hello and ask you what you're up to in their country!
Never get angry at anyone, in the Basotho culture, people never show frustration towards others, and if you do, then you can easily really offend someone. To show respect when giving and receiving items, use both hands. Also show a respect for food - don't throw it around, or eat whilst walking.
Contact
In Maseru, there are several internet cafes, although fairly cheap (usually 0.20-0.50 ZAR per min) they are pretty slow at best.
The cellphone network is OK in the towns, but pretty poor out in the contryside. The only British cell phone network that works is Vodafone. Unsure about other simcards. You can buy a Vodacom or Buddie pay as you go sim card for under R50 in Maseru - worthwhile if you are staying for a while. Cellphones are available for hire in Maseru. Lesotho uses GSM900.
Get out
In South Africa,
Johannesburg South Africa's capitalDurban East meets West (and surfing paradise!)Cape TownThe Garden Route along South Africa's coast between Cape Town and DurbanKruger National Park
Lesotho (pronounced lɪˈsuːtu), officially the
Kingdom of Lesotho, is a land-locked country, entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Formerly Basutoland, it is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name Lesotho roughly translates into "the land of the people who speak Sotho."
History
The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by Bantu-speaking tribes during Bantu migrations.
The present Lesotho emerged as a single polity (state) under paramount chief Moshoeshoe I in 1822; it was recognized by Britain on 13 December 1843, and on 12 March 1868 became the High Commission Territories. On 30 April 1965 it was granted autonomy. Its name changed when Lesotho gained full independence from the United Kingdom on October 4, 1966.
In January 1970 the ruling Basotho National Party (BNP) lost the first post-independence general elections, with 23 seats to the Basutoland Congress Party's 36. Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan refused to cede power to the Basotho Congress Party (BCP), declared himself Tona Kholo (Sesotho translation of prime minister), and imprisoned the BCP leadership.
The BCP began a rebellion and then received training in Libya for its Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA) under the pretence of being Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) soldiers of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Deprived of arms and supplies by the Sibeko faction of the PAC in 1978, the 178-strong LLA was rescued from their Tanzanian base by the financial assistance of a Maoist PAC officer but launched the guerilla war with a handful of old weapons. The main force was defeated in northern Lesotho and later guerrillas launched sporadic but usually ineffectual attacks. The campaign was severely compromised when BCP's leader, Ntsu Mokhehle, went to Pretoria. In the early 1980s, several Basotho who sympathized with the exiled BCP were threatened with death and attacked by the government of Leabua Jonathan. In September 1981 Edgar Mahlomola Motuba was taken from his home and murdered. A few months later the family of Benjamin Masilo was attacked.
The BNP ruled by decree until January 1986 when a military coup forced it out of office. The Military Council that came to power granted executive powers to King Moshoeshoe II, who was until then a ceremonial monarch. But in 1987 the King was forced into exile after a falling out with the army. His son was installed as King Letsie III.
The chairman of the military junta, Major General Justin Metsing Lekhanya, was ousted in 1991 and replaced by Major General Elias Phisoana Ramaema, who handed over power to a democratically elected government of the BCP in 1993. Moshoeshoe II returned from exile in 1992 as an ordinary citizen. After the return to democratic government, King Letsie III tried unsuccessfully to persuade the BCP government to reinstate his father (Moshoeshoe II) as head of state.
In August 1994, Letsie III staged a coup which was backed by the military and deposed the BCP government. The new government did not receive full international recognition. Member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) engaged in negotiations to reinstate the BCP government. One of the conditions Letsie III put forward for this was that his father should be re-installed as head of state. After protracted negotiations, the BCP government was reinstated and Letsie III abdicated in favor of his father in 1995. But Moshoeshoe II died in a car 'accident' in 1996 and was again succeeded by his son.
In 1997, the ruling BCP split over leadership disputes. Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle formed a new party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), and was followed by a majority of Members of Parliament, which enabled him to form a new government. Pakalitha Mosisili succeeded Mokhehle as party leader and the LCD won the general elections in 1998. Although the elections were pronounced free and fair by local and international observers and a subsequent special commission appointed by SADC, the opposition political parties rejected the results.
Opposition protests in the country intensified, culminating in a peaceful demonstration outside the royal palace in August 1998. Exact details of what followed are greatly disputed and it remain contested even within South Africa, but in September that year, a SADC task force operating on orders of unclear provenance entered the capital Maseru. While the Botswana Defence Force troops were welcomed, tensions with South African National Defence Force troops were high, resulting in fighting. Incidences of sporadic rioting intensified when South African troops hoisted a South African flag over the Royal Palace. By the time the SADC forces withdrew in May 1999, much of Maseru lay in ruins, and the southern provincial capital towns of Mafeteng and Mohale's Hoek had seen the loss of over a third of their commercial real estate. A number of South Africans and Sothos also died in the fighting.
An Interim Political Authority (IPA), charged with reviewing the electoral structure in the country, was created in December 1998. The IPA devised a proportional electoral system to ensure that the opposition would be represented in the National Assembly. The new system retained the existing 80 elected Assembly seats, but added 40 seats to be filled on a proportional basis. Elections were held under this new system in May 2002, and the LCD won again, gaining 54% of the vote. But for the first time, opposition political parties won significant numbers of seats, and despite some irregularities and threats of violence from Major General Lekhanya, Lesotho experienced its first peaceful election. Nine opposition parties now hold all 40 of the proportional seats, with the BNP having the largest share (21). The LCD has 79 of the 80 constituency-based seats. Although its elected members participate in the National Assembly, the BNP has launched several legal challenges to the elections, including a recount; none has been successful.
Politics
The Lesotho Government is a constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister, Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili, is head of government and has executive authority. The king serves a largely ceremonial function; he no longer possesses any executive authority and is proscribed from actively participating in political initiatives.
The Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) controls a majority in the National Assembly (the lower house of parliament). The All Basotho Convention (ABC), a party formed shortly before the poll under the leadership of former foreign minister Tom Thabane, is the main opposition. The Basotho National Party (BNP), the Alliance of Congress Parties (ACP) and the newly-formed Basotho Batho Democratic Party (BBDP) and the Basotho Democratic National Party (BDNP) Lesotho are among the other five opposition parties represented.
The ABC has brought a dramatic change in the Lesotho's politics, due to it having won one third of the seats (27 out of 82 seats) a mere few months after it had been formed. The BNP is the only other political party that has had a small but significant level of representation; it won three seats in the 2007 election.
The upper house of parliament, called the Senate, is composed of twenty-two principal chiefs whose membership is hereditary, and eleven appointees of the king, acting on the advice of the prime minister.
The constitution provides for an independent judicial system, made up of the High Court, the Court of Appeal, Magistrate's Courts, and traditional courts that exist predominantly in rural areas. All but one of the Justices on the Court of Appeal are South African jurists. There is no trial by jury; rather, judges make rulings alone, or, in the case of criminal trials, with two other judges as observers.
The constitution also protects basic civil liberties, including freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of the press, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of religion.
Administrative divisions
Administratively, Lesotho is divided into ten districts, each headed by a district administrator. Each district has a capital known as a
camptown.
The districts are further subdivided into 24 wards, which are presided over by hereditary chiefs and administered by various local government structures whose nature depends on whether the ward is in an urban or rural area.
Geography
Lesotho covers 30,355 square kilometres (11,720 sq mi). The most notable geographic fact about Lesotho, apart from its status as an enclave, is that it is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) in elevation. Its lowest point is 1,400 meters (4,593 ft), and over 80% of the country lies above 1,800 metres (5,900 ft).
ClimateDue to its altitude, Lesotho remains cooler throughout the year than other regions at the same latitude. Most of the rain falls as summer thunderstorms. Maseru and surrounding lowlands often reach 30°C (86°F) in summer. Winters can be cold with the lowlands getting down to -7°C (19°F)and the highlands to -18°C (0°F) at times. Snow is common in the deserts and low valleys between May and September; the higher peaks can experience snowfalls year-round.
Economy
Lesotho's economy is based on exports of water and electricity sold to South Africa, manufacturing, agriculture, livestock, and to some extent the earnings of laborers employed in South Africa. Lesotho also exports diamonds, wool, mohair, clothing, and footwear. One of Levi's jeans manufacturing facilities is located there. Lesotho is geographically surrounded by South Africa and economically integrated with it as well. The majority of households subsist on farming or migrant labor, primarily miners who remain in South Africa for 3 to 9 months. The western lowlands form the main agricultural zone. Almost 50% of the population earns some income through crop cultivation or animal husbandry, with over half the country's income coming from the agricultural sector.
Water is Lesotho's only significant natural resource. It is exploited through the 21-year, multi-billion-dollar Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), which began in 1986. The LHWP is designed to capture, store, and transfer water from the Orange River system to South Africa's Free State and greater Johannesburg area, which features a large concentration of South African industry, population, and agriculture. Completion of the first phase of the project has made Lesotho almost completely self-sufficient in the production of electricity and generated approximately $24 million annually from the sale of electricity and water to South Africa. The World Bank, African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and many other bilateral donors financed the project. Lesotho has taken advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to become the largest exporter of garments to the US from sub-Saharan Africa. Exports totaled over $320 million in 2002. Employment reached over 50,000, marking the first time that manufacturing sector workers outnumbered government employees. Asian investors own most factories.
Lesotho has nearly 6,000 kilometers of unpaved and modern all-weather roads. There is a short freight rail line linking Lesotho with South Africa that is owned and operated by South Africa.
The official currency is the loti (plural: maloti), but can be used interchangeably with the South African rand. Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, and South Africa also form a common currency and exchange control area known as the Common Monetary Area (CMA). The loti is at par with the rand, while one hundred lisente equal one loti.
Lesotho is a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), in which tariffs have been eliminated on the trade of goods between other member countries Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland.
Lesotho has received economic aid from a variety of sources, including the United States, the World Bank, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Germany.
Tourism is a slowly growing industry. A ski resort recently opened in the high Maluti mountains is drawing tourists from South Africa.
Significant levels of child labour exist in Lesotho, and the country is in the process of formulating an Action Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (APEC). This is expected to be adopted in the period 2006-2007 (see Child labour in Lesotho).
HIV/AIDS
With a shortage of trained personnel and medical supplies, Lesotho is severely afflicted by HIV/AIDS. According to recent estimates, the prevalence is about 29%, one of the highest in the world. The United Nations projects that this will rise to 36% within fifteen years, resulting in a sharp drop in life expectancy. According to the Lesotho Bureau of Statistics, in 2001 life expectancy was estimated at forty-eight years for men and fifty-six for women. Recent statistics estimate about thirty-seven years. Many children have lost parents. Traditionally lavish funerals leave survivors with another burden.
The government of Lesotho was initially slow to recognize the scale of the crisis, and its efforts to date in combating the spread of the disease have had limited success. In 1999, the government finalized its Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS, a diagram for addressing the education, prevention, counseling, and treatment needs of the populace. In late 2003, the government announced that it was forming a new National AIDS Commission to coordinate society-wide anti-AIDS activities. Also in 2003 the government hosted a SADC Extraordinary Summit on HIV/AIDS.
In 2005, programs for the distribution of anti-retrovirals were initiated. One such program is in Hlotse, Leribe at Tsepong Clinic which is part of Motebang Hospital. However, such programs remain limited in resources and have relatively few participants.
The government has also started a proactive program called "Know your status" to test for HIV everyone in the country who wants to be tested. The program is funded by the Clinton Foundation and started in June of 2006. Bill Clinton and Microsoft chairman Bill Gates visited Lesotho in July 2006 to assess its fight against AIDS. Dubbed "the two Bills" by the media, the two men visited the Mafeteng Hospital which is about 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of the capital, Maseru, to assess progress in public health endeavours funded by their respective foundations.
Taxation
The taxation system in Lesotho has undergone major revisions in recent years (in part due to the establishment of the Lesotho Revenue Authority in 2003 - www.lra.org.ls).
Personal income tax: Personal income tax is due on income above M14,000 per annum, with a tax credit of M3,500. The standard rate is 25%, with a 35% rate on income over a certain threshold.
Company / corporate tax: The headline rate is 25%, with a special 10% rate on income generated from manufacturing, and a 0% rate for income generated from exporting manufactures to outside the Southern African Customs Union (the so called extra-SACU rate). Capital depreciation allowances exist and are 25% for most types of capital asset.
Value Added Tax: VAT was introduced in 2003 at 14% (replacing a 10% Government Sales Tax). An upfront VAT refund facility is in operation that effectively means that no VAT is paid on inputs into goods destined for export (a big help to Lesotho's garment exporters).
Dividends paid to non-residents and interest are subject to a 25 percent withholding tax. Resident companies that pay dividends must make an advance income tax payment of 53.8 percent, unless the dividends are paid out of manufacturing income or out of dividends paid by another resident company. Manufacturing companies pay no tax on dividends. Repatriated income is subject to a 25 percent tax.
Foreign relations
Lesotho's geographic location makes it extremely vulnerable to political and economic developments in South Africa. It is a member of many regional economic organizations including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). It is also active in the United Nations (UN), the African Union, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, and many other international organizations.
South Africa, the United States, Libya, Ireland, China, Botswana and the European Union all currently retain resident diplomatic missions in Lesotho. The British High Commission closed in 2005 and the UK is now represented in Lesotho by its High Commissioner resident in South Africa. The UN is represented by a resident mission as well, including UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, WFP, and UNAIDS.
Historically, Lesotho has maintained generally close ties with Ireland, but also with the United Kingdom (Wales in particular), Germany, the United States and other Western states. Although in 1990 it broke relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and re-established relations with Taiwan, it later restored ties with the PRC.
Lesotho also recognises the State of Palestine. In the past, it was a strong public supporter of the end of apartheid in South Africa and granted a number of South African refugees political asylum during the apartheid era.
Culture
Traditional musical instruments include lekolulo, a kind of flute used by herding boys, setolo-tolo, played by men using their mouth, and the women's stringed thomo.
The national anthem of Lesotho is "Lesotho Fatše La Bo-ntata Rona," which literally translates into "Lesotho, Land Of Our Fathers."
The Morija Arts & Cultural Festival is a prominent Sesotho music festival. It is held annually in the historical town of Morija, where the first missionaries arrived in 1833.
and List of writers from LesothoHuman rights
Lesotho is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. King Letsie III is the chief of state but has no executive authority. In 2002, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili was reelected in what were judged to be free and fair elections. The government works to respect the civil and human rights of its citizens; however some serious abuses were reported in the past year. Police and security forces have been known to use excessive force and torture against detainees, often with impunity. The judiciary is subject to external influences and due process cannot be guaranteed. Lengthy pretrial detention and long delays in trial are problems. Child labor and discrimination against persons with disabilities and HIV/AIDS are other known abuses committed in the region.
People
PopulationLesotho's population totals close to 2.3 million, according to recent estimates. The population distribution of Lesotho is 19 percent urban and 81 percent rural. Population density is lower in the highlands than in the western lowlands. Although the majority of the population -- 57.6 percent -- is between 15 and 64 years of age, Lesotho has a substantial youth population numbering around 37 percent. The annual population growth is -0.46%.
Ethnic groups and languagesLesotho's ethno-linguistic structure consists almost entirely of the Basotho, a Bantu-speaking people. The Kwena (Bakoena) are the largest subgroup of the Sotho; other Basotho subgroups include the Natal (North) Nguni, the Mahlape, Batloung (the Tlou), Baphuthi (the Phuti), Bafokeng, Bataung (the Tau), Bats'oeneng (the tso'ene) and the Cape (South) Nguni (Thembu). Sesotho (The Southern Sotho) and English languages are both official. Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa and French are also spoken.
ReligionRoman Catholics, the largest religious group, make up more than two-fifths of the population; smaller groups include the Lesotho Evangelical Church which comprises more than one-fourth of the population; Anglican, one-ninth; and other Christian and tribal religions.
Education and literacyAn estimated 85 percent of the population 15 and over was literate, according to recent estimates. As such, Lesotho boasts one of the higher literacy rates in Africa. Although education is not compulsory, the Government of Lesotho is incrementally implementing a program for free primary education. It was expected that the program would be fully in place by 2006.
Human developmentOne notable indicator used to measure a country's quality of life is the Human Development Index (HDI), which is compiled annually since 1990 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The HDI is a composite of several indicators, which measure a country's achievements in three main arenas of human development: longevity, knowledge and education, as well as economic standard of living. In a ranking of 177 countries and territories, the HDI places Lesotho in the low human development category, at 149th place.
NOTE: Although the concept of human development is complicated and cannot be properly captured by values and indices, the HDI, which is calculated and updated annually, offers a wide-ranging assessment of human development in certain countries, not based solely upon traditional economic and financial indicators.
See also
Communications in LesothoList of Basotho companiesList of Lesotho-related topicsMilitary of LesothoNational University of LesothoNational University of Lesotho International SchoolTransportation in LesothoLesotho Scouts AssociationExternal links
; Government
Lesotho Government Online official government site; Kingdomgateway
Gateway to Lesotho Gateway to the Mountain Kingdom; News
allAfrica - Lesotho news headline linksQuarterly Summary of Events in Lesotho compiled from newspapers and radio stations; Overviews
Rural poverty in Lesotho (IFAD)BBC News - Country Profile: LesothoCIA World Factbook - LesothoOpen Directory Project - Lesotho directory categoryUS State Department - Lesotho includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reportsTransformation Resource Centre - Human rights NGO in Lesotho with extensive ; Tourism
