Lesotho

Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822. Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK that made Basutoland first a British protectorate and, after 1884, a crown colony. After gaining independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Basotho National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE II was exiled in 1990, returned to Lesotho in 1992, was reinstated in 1995, and was then succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. <br><br>In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections in 2007 were hotly contested, and aggrieved parties disputed how seats were awarded. In 2012, competitive elections saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government -- the first in the country's history -- that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month. MOSISILI returned to power in snap elections in 2015 after the collapse of THABANE’s coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup. In 2017, THABANE returned to become prime minister but stepped down in 2020 after being implicated in his estranged wife’s murder. He was succeeded by Moseketsi MAJORO. In 2022, Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE was inaugurated as prime minister and head of a three-party coalition.

Land

30,355 sq km

Total

30,355 sq km

Water

0 sq km

slightly smaller than Maryland

temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

0 km (landlocked)

Africa

Highest point

Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Lowest point

junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

Mean elevation

2,161 m

29 30 S, 28 30 E

landlocked, surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level

12 sq km (2013)

Border countries

South Africa 1,106 km

number of neighbors

1

Total

1,106 km

Agricultural land

77.8% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.8% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 65.9% (2023 est.)

arable land

11.75%

Forest

1.1% (2023 est.)

Other

21.1% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

0.13%

Yes

Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Orange river source (shared with South Africa and Namibia [m]) - 2,092 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Orange (941,351 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/H8gJi5mL4Cmd1SF28

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2093234

Africa

none (landlocked)

periodic droughts

water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone

relatively higher population density in the western half of the nation, with the capital of Maseru and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe attracting the most people, as shown in this population distribution map

Southern Africa

mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

UTC+02:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

32% (male 358,137/female 353,618)

15-64 years

62.7% (male 699,197/female 696,626)

65 years and over

5.4% (2024 est.) (male 44,625/female 75,345)

Beer

1.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

3.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

21.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Men married by age 18

1.9% (2018)

Women married by age 15

1% (2018)

Women married by age 18

16.4% (2018)

35.6%

12.5% (2024 est.)

46.9% (2021 est.)

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

362 per 1,000

adult male

471 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

8.6 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

11.6 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

56.8 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

48.2 (2025 est.)

improved total

31.32%

Improved: rural

rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 74% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 93% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 26% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 7% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

6.6% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

10.4% national budget (2024 est.)

7 % of GDP

Sotho 99.7%, other 0.3% (includes Kwena, Nguni (Hlubi and Phuthi), Zulu)

1.23 (2025 est.)

13 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

10.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

13.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

3.1%

Female

40.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

51 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

29 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

52.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Sesotho (official), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu

languages

English, Sotho

number of languages

2

Female

62.3 years

Male

58.1 years

Total population

60.2 years (2024 est.)

Female

96.6% (2024 est.)

Male

83.2% (2024 est.)

Total population

90.4% (2024 est.)

202,000 MASERU (capital) (2018)

478 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

24.3 years

Male

23.4 years

Total

24 years (2025 est.)

20.9 years (2014 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Adjective

Basotho

Noun

Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

-4.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

16.6% (2016)

0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Female

1,123,648

Male

1,099,314

Total

2,222,962 (2025 est.)

0.73% (2025 est.)

Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.)

improved total

43.75%

Improved: rural

rural: 62.4% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 71.7% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 93.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 37.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 28.3% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 6.4% of population (2022 est.)

Female

11 years (2017 est.)

Male

11 years (2017 est.)

Total

11 years (2017 est.)

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.59 male(s)/female

At birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

4.1% (2025 est.)

Male

42.4% (2025 est.)

Total

22.8% (2025 est.)

2.49 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

30.4% of total population (2023)

measles

90%

10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Etymology

the name means "[place of] red sandstones" in the Sesotho language

Geographic coordinates

29 19 S, 27 29 E

Name

Maseru

Time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship by birth

yes

Citizenship by descent only

yes

Dual citizenship recognized

no

Residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/ls.svg

Amendment process

proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, including fundamental rights and freedoms, sovereignty of the kingdom, the office of the king, and powers of Parliament, requires a majority vote by the National Assembly, approval by the Senate, approval in a referendum by a majority of qualified voters, and assent of the king; passage of amendments other than those specified provisions requires at least a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament

History

previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version)

alternative spellings

LS, Kingdom of Lesotho, Muso oa Lesotho

Conventional long form

Kingdom of Lesotho

Conventional short form

Lesotho

Etymology

the name comes from the Sotho people, whose name means "dark-skinned;"<em> Le</em>- is a singular noun prefix; the former name, Basutoland, uses the plural noun prefix, <em>Ba</em>-

FIFA code

LES

Former

Basutoland

Local long form

Kingdom of Lesotho

local long form (eng)

Kingdom of Lesotho

Local short form

Lesotho

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires Thomas HINES (since August 2024)

Email address and website

<br>USConsularMaseru@state.gov<br><br>https://ls.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

254 Kingsway Avenue, Maseru

FAX

[266] 22310116

Mailing address

2340 Maseru Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-2340

Telephone

[266] 22312666

Chancery

2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Tumisang MOSOTHO (since 16 September 2022)

Email address and website

<br>lesothoembassy@verizon.net<br><br>https://www.gov.ls/

FAX

[1] (202) 234-6815

Telephone

[1] (202) 797-5533

Cabinet

consists of the prime minister (appointed by the King on the advice of the Council of State), the deputy prime minister, and 18 other ministers; the prime minister is the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the National Assembly

Chief of state

King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996)

Election/appointment process

the monarchy is hereditary but has no executive or legislative powers under the constitution; under traditional law, the College of Chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine next in line of succession, or serve as regent in the event that a successor is not of mature age

Head of government

Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE (28 October 2022)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> King LETSIE III previously occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile

<strong>description: </strong>three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green; centered on the white stripe is a black <em>mokorotlo</em>, a traditional Basotho straw hat and national symbol<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> blue stands for rain, white for peace, and green for prosperity<br><br><strong>history:</strong> the redesigned flag was introduced in 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence

The flag of Lesotho is composed of three horizontal bands of blue, white and green in the ratio of 3:4:3. A black mokorotlo — a Basotho hat — is centered in the white band.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/ls.svg

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

4 October 1966 (from the UK)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Highest court(s)

Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, such number of justices of appeal as set by Parliament, and the Chief Justice and the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio); High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament)

Judge selection and term of office

Court of Appeal president and High Court chief justice appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; puisne judges appointed by the monarch on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent body of judicial officers and officials designated by the monarch; judges of both courts can serve until age 75

Note

<strong>note:</strong> both the Court of Appeal and the High Court have jurisdiction in constitutional issues

Subordinate courts

Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; military courts

mixed system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; High Court and Court of Appeal review legislative acts

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislature name

Parliament

Chamber name

National Assembly

Electoral system

mixed system

Expected date of next election

October 2027

Most recent election date

11/2/2022

Number of seats

122 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) (56); Democratic Congress (DC) (29); All Basotho Convention (ABC) (8); Basotho Action Party (BAP) (6); Other (20)

Percentage of women in chamber

25%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

Chamber name

Senate

Expected date of next election

November 2027

Most recent election date

10/7/2022

Number of seats

33 (11 appointed)

Percentage of women in chamber

21.2%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

blue, white, green, black

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Maloti-Drakensberg Park

Total World Heritage Sites

1 (mixed)

Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

mokorotio (Basotho hat)

All Basotho Convention or ABC <br>Alliance of Democrats or AD <br>Basotho Action Party or BAP <br>Basotho National Party or BNP <br>Democratic Congress or DC <br>Democratic Party of Lesotho or DPL <br>Lesotho People's Congress or LPC <br>Movement of Economic Change or MEC <br>National Independent Party or NIP <br>Popular Front for Democracy of PFD<br>Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL 

Monday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

milk, potatoes, maize, vegetables, fruits, sorghum, wheat, game meat, beans, wool (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Expenditures

$1.256 billion (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$1.13 billion (2022 est.)

code

LSL, ZAR

name

Lesotho loti (LSL) [L], South African rand (ZAR) [R]

$89.24 million

Current account balance 2022

-$268.876 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$151.577 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$84.393 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$1.77 billion

Debt - external 2023

$928.019 million (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

lower middle-income economy surrounded by South Africa; environmentally fragile and politically unstable; key infrastructure and renewable energy investments; dire poverty; urban job and income losses due to COVID-19; systemic corruption

Currency

maloti (LSL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

16.459 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

14.779 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

16.356 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

18.45 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

18.329 (2024 est.)

$909.09 million

Exports 2022

$1.07 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$885.789 million (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$983.027 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

diamonds, garments, wool, power equipment, bedding (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 31%, Belgium 26%, USA 20%, UAE 8%, India 8% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$-12,572,108

Exports of goods and services

42.9% (2023 est.)

Government consumption

35.6% (2023 est.)

Household consumption

92.9% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-98.6% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

28.3% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories

-1.1% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

6.5% (2024 est.)

Industry

31% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

48% (2024 est.)

$2.272 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$972

44.9 (2017)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

44.9 (2017 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$2.71 billion

$1,180

27 % of GDP

Highest 10%

32.9% (2017 est.)

Lowest 10%

1.7% (2017 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$2.09 billion

Imports 2022

$2.247 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$2.077 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$2.083 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, fabric, trucks, garments, cotton fabric (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 78%, China 10%, Taiwan 3%, Japan 1%, India 1% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

2.6% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism

6.11%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

6.3% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

6.1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

884,200 (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

889,530 persons

agriculture

30.88%

industry

33.04%

services

36.09%

49.7% (2017 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

Note

<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2020

3% of GDP (2020 est.)

$7.01 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.893 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$6 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$6.166 billion (2024 est.)

2.85%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

2.4% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.8% (2024 est.)

$3,001

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$2,600 (2024 est.)

$475.82 million

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

22.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

22.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

22% of GDP (2024 est.)

$1.01 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$771.278 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$854.089 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$1.008 billion (2024 est.)

44 % of GDP

37 % of GDP

30.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

16.32%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

16.7% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

16.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

16.2% (2024 est.)

Female

36.2% (2024 est.)

Male

17.7% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

24.2% (2024 est.)

Consumption

81,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports

1 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

24,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Production

57,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

833.009 million kWh (2023 est.)

Imports

453.992 million kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

104,000 kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

102.88 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - rural areas

37.7%

Electrification - total population

50% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

83.6%

Fossil fuels

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

99.64%

Hydroelectricity

99.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

99.79%

Solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

8.117 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

34.9%

per 100 inhabitants

0 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

Total

9,000 (2023 est.)

1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations; most private broadcast media transmitters are connected to government radio signal towers; satellite TV subscription service available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters obtainable (2019)

.ls

Percent of population

48% (2023 est.)

###

+266

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

Total subscriptions

7,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100

69 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

70 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

1.64 million (2024 est.)

34 (2025)

7P

Left

LS

the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) is responsible for the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; the LDF is a small force that began in 1964 as the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); the PMU was designated as the Lesotho Paramilitary Force in 1980 and became the Royal Lesotho Defense Force in 1986; it was renamed the Lesotho Defense Force in 1993 (2025)

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) (2025)

active duty personnel

2,000

note

<strong>note:</strong> the Lesotho Mounted Police Service is responsible for internal security and reports to the Minister of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police

percent of total labor force

0.24 %

approximately 2,000 active Defense Forces (2025)

the LDF is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older or secondhand equipment of European, South African, and US origin (2025)

2 % of GDP

current USD

$36,295,977

Military Expenditures 2020

1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

2.53 %

percent of GDP

1.57 % of GDP

20-30 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women (2026)

Refugees

610 (2024 est.)

From coal and metallurgical coke

175,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

973,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

1.148 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

overgrazing; severe soil erosion; soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa

Party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

17.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

23 % of total land area

0 % of total

3.022 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

1 % of internal resources

Agricultural

3.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

73,500 tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

11.9% (2022 est.)