Statistical information Lesotho 2017
Lesotho in the World
Lesotho - Introduction 2017
top of pageBackground: Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basutho National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990 but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995 and subsequently succeeded by his son King LETSIE III in 1996. 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 Batswana 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 in 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties disputed how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly. In 2012 competitive elections involving 18 parties 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 February 2015 after the collapse of THABANE’s coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup.
Lesotho - Geography 2017
top of pageLocation: Southern Africa an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 29 30 S 28 30 E
Map reference: Africa
Area
Total: 30,355 km²
Land: 30,355 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 142
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries
Total: 1106 km
Border countries: (1) South Africa 1106 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool to cold dry winters; hot wet summers
Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus hills and mountains
Elevation
Mean elevation: 2,161 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1400 m: highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources: water agricultural and grazing land diamonds sand clay building stone
Land use
Land use
Agricultural land: 76.1%
arable land: 10.1%
permanent crops: 0.1%
permanent pasture: 65.9%
permanent crops: 0.1%
permanent pasture: 65.9%
Forest: 1.5%
Other: 22.4%
Irrigated land: 30 km² (2012)
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Geography
Note: landlocked completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous more than 80% of the country is 1800 m above sea level
Lesotho - People 2017
top of pagePopulation
Distribution: 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: 1,958,042
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy higher infant mortality higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Rank: 148
Growth rate: 0.28% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 172
Below poverty line: 57% (2016 est.)
Nationality
Noun: Mosotho Basotho (plural)
Adjective: Basotho
Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7% Europeans Asians and other 0.3%
Languages: Sesotho (official) (southern Sotho) English (official) Zulu Xhosa
Religions: Christian 80% indigenous beliefs 20%
Demographic profile:
Lesotho faces great socioeconomic challenges. More than half of its population lives below the property line and the country’s HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is the second highest in the world. In addition Lesotho is a small mountainous landlocked country with little arable land: leaving its population vulnerable to food shortages and reliant on remittances. Lesotho’s persistently high infant child and maternal mortality rates have been increasing during the last decade according to the last two Demographic and Health Surveys. Despite these significant shortcomings Lesotho has made good progress in education; it is on-track to achieve universal primary education and has one of the highest adult literacy rates in Africa.
Lesotho’s migration history is linked to its unique geography; it is surrounded by South Africa with which it shares linguistic and cultural traits. Lesotho at one time had more of its workforce employed outside its borders than any other country. Today remittances equal about 17% of its GDP. With few job options at home a high rate of poverty and higher wages available across the border labor migration to South Africa replaced agriculture as the prevailing Basotho source of income decades ago. The majority of Basotho migrants were single men contracted to work as gold miners in South Africa. However migration trends changed in the 1990s and fewer men found mining jobs in South Africa because of declining gold prices stricter immigration policies and a preference for South African workers.
Although men still dominate cross-border labor migration more women are working in South Africa mostly as domestics because they are widows or their husbands are unemployed. Internal rural-urban flows have also become more frequent with more women migrating within the country to take up jobs in the garment industry or moving to care for loved ones with HIV/AIDS. Lesotho’s small population of immigrants is increasingly composed of Taiwanese and Chinese migrants who are involved in the textile industry and small retail businesses.
Lesotho’s migration history is linked to its unique geography; it is surrounded by South Africa with which it shares linguistic and cultural traits. Lesotho at one time had more of its workforce employed outside its borders than any other country. Today remittances equal about 17% of its GDP. With few job options at home a high rate of poverty and higher wages available across the border labor migration to South Africa replaced agriculture as the prevailing Basotho source of income decades ago. The majority of Basotho migrants were single men contracted to work as gold miners in South Africa. However migration trends changed in the 1990s and fewer men found mining jobs in South Africa because of declining gold prices stricter immigration policies and a preference for South African workers.
Although men still dominate cross-border labor migration more women are working in South Africa mostly as domestics because they are widows or their husbands are unemployed. Internal rural-urban flows have also become more frequent with more women migrating within the country to take up jobs in the garment industry or moving to care for loved ones with HIV/AIDS. Lesotho’s small population of immigrants is increasingly composed of Taiwanese and Chinese migrants who are involved in the textile industry and small retail businesses.
Age structure
Age structure
0-14 years: 32.12%
15-24 years: 19.43%
25-54 years: 37.94%
55-64 years: 5.01%
65 years and over: 5.5% (2017 est.)
Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 66.9
Youth dependency ratio: 59.5
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.4
Potential support ratio: 13.5
Median age
Total: 24.2 years
Male: 24.2 years
Female: 24.2 years
Rank: 161
Population growth rate: 0.28% (2017 est.)
Rank: 172
Birth rate: 24.6 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 50
Death rate: 15 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 1
Net migration rate: -6.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 204
Population distribution: 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
Urbanization
Urban population: 28.4% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.85% annual rate of change
Major urban areas
Population: MASERU (capital) 267,000 (2014)
Environment
Current issues: 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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Life Conservation Ozone Layer Protection Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male/female
15-24 years: 0.91 male/female
25-54 years: 0.96 male/female
55-64 years: 1.14 male/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female
Mothers mean age at first birth: 21 years
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate
Total: 46.1 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 49.7 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 42.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 37
Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 53 years
Male: 53 years
Female: 53.1 years
Rank: 216
Total fertility rate: 2.63 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 74
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 60.2% (2014)
Drinking water source:
urban: 94.6% of population
rural: 77% of population
total: 81.8% of population
urban: 5.4% of population
rural: 23% of population
total: 18.2% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 77% of population
total: 81.8% of population
urban: 5.4% of population
rural: 23% of population
total: 18.2% of population (2015 est.)
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density: 1.3 beds/1000 population (2006)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 37.3% of population
rural: 27.6% of population
total: 30.3% of population
urban: 62.7% of population
rural: 72.4% of population
total: 69.7% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 27.6% of population
total: 30.3% of population
urban: 62.7% of population
rural: 72.4% of population
total: 69.7% of population (2015 est.)
Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 25% (2016 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 2
People living with hivaids: 330,000 (2016 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 19
Deaths: 9,900 (2016 est.)
Deaths rank: 21
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate: 16.6% (2016)
Rank: 122
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 10.3% (2014)
Rank: 54
Education expenditures: 13% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 1
Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 79.4%
Male: 70.1%
Female: 88.3%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 11 years
Youth unemployment
Lesotho - Government 2017
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
Conventional short form: Lesotho
Local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
Local short form: Lesotho
Former: Basutoland
Etymology: the name translates as 'Land of the Sesotho Speakers'
Government type: parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Capital
Name: Maseru
Geographic coordinates: 29 19 S 27 29 E
Time difference: UTC+2
Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea Butha-Buthe Leribe Mafeteng Maseru Mohale's Hoek Mokhotlong Qacha's Nek Quthing Thaba-Tseka
Dependent areas
Independence: 4 October 1966 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day 4 October (1966)
Constitution
History: previous 1959 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993
Amendments: 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 by the king; passage of amendments other than those specified provisions requires at least a two-thirds majority vote in both Parliament houses; amended several times last in 2011
Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state: King LETSIE III ; note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile
Head of government: Prime Minister Thomas Motsoahae Thomas THABANE
Cabinet: consists of the Prime Minister appointed by the King on the advice of the Council of State and 25 other Ministers
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary but under the terms of the constitution that came into effect after the March 1993 election the monarch is a 'living symbol of national unity' with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch to determine next in line of succession or to serve as regent in the event that a successor is not of mature age; following legislative elections the leader of the majority party or majority coalition in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister
Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate and the National Assembly (120 seats; 80 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 40 elected through proportional representation; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 3 June 2017
Election results: National Assembly - percent of votes by party - ABC 40.5% DC 25.8% LCD 9.0% AD 7.3% MEC 5.1% BNP 4.1 PFD 2.3% other 5.9%; seats by party - ABC 48 DC 30 LCD 11 AD 9 MEC 6 BNP 5 PFD 3 other 5 vacant 3
Judicial branch
Highest court: Court of Appeal ; High Court (consists of the chief justice and such number of puisne judges as set by Parliament); note - both the Court of Appeal and the High Court have jurisdiction in constitutional issues
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
Subordinate courts: Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; military courts
Political parties and leaders:
Movement of Economic Change or MEC [Selibe MOCHOBOROANE]
National Independent Party or NIP [Kimetso MATHABA]
Popular Front for Democracy of PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]
Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL [Keketso RANTSO]
Truth Reconciliation Unity or TRU [Tlali KHASU]
National Independent Party or NIP [Kimetso MATHABA]
Popular Front for Democracy of PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]
Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL [Keketso RANTSO]
Truth Reconciliation Unity or TRU [Tlali KHASU]
International organization participation: 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 UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO
Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Eliachim Molapi SEBATANE
In the us chancery: 2,511 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 797-5,533
In the us FAX: [1] 234-6,815
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Matthew T. HARRINGTON
From the us embassy: 254 Kingsway Road Maseru West
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box 333 Maseru 100 Lesotho
From the us telephone: [266] 22 312 666
From the us FAX: [266] 22 310 116
Flag description: three horizontal stripes of blue (top) white and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain peace and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence
National symbols: mokorotio (Basotho hat); national colors: blue white green black
National anthem
Name: 'Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona'
Lyrics and music: Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR
Note: adopted 1967; music derives from an 1823 Swiss songbook
National heritage
Lesotho - Economy 2017
top of pageEconomy overview:
Small mountainous and completely landlocked by South Africa Lesotho depends on a narrow economic base of textile manufacturing agriculture remittances and regional customs revenue. About three-fourths of the people live in rural areas and engage in animal herding and subsistence agriculture although Lesotho produces less than 20% of the nation's demand for food. Agriculture is vulnerable to weather and climate variability.
Lesotho relies on South Africa for much of its economic activity; Lesotho imports 90% of the goods it consumes from South Africa including most agricultural inputs. Households depend heavily on remittances from family members working in South Africa in mines on farms and as domestic workers though mining employment has declined substantially since the 1990s. Lesotho is a member of the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) and revenues from SACU accounted for roughly 44% of total government revenue in 2014. Lesotho also gains royalties from the South African Government for water transferred to South Africa from a dam and reservoir system in Lesotho. However the government continues to strengthen its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties and other transfers.
The government maintains a large presence in the economy - government consumption accounted for 27% of GDP in 2016. The government remains Lesotho's largest employer; in 2014-15 the government wage bill rose to 21% of GDP – the largest in sub-Saharan Africa. Lesotho's largest private employer is the textile and garment industry - approximately 36,000 Basotho mainly women work in factories producing garments for export to South Africa and the US. Diamond mining in Lesotho has grown in recent years and accounts for nearly 9% of GDP. Lesotho managed steady GDP growth at an average of 4.5% from 2010 to 2014 but poverty remains widespread around 57% of the total population.
Lesotho relies on South Africa for much of its economic activity; Lesotho imports 90% of the goods it consumes from South Africa including most agricultural inputs. Households depend heavily on remittances from family members working in South Africa in mines on farms and as domestic workers though mining employment has declined substantially since the 1990s. Lesotho is a member of the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) and revenues from SACU accounted for roughly 44% of total government revenue in 2014. Lesotho also gains royalties from the South African Government for water transferred to South Africa from a dam and reservoir system in Lesotho. However the government continues to strengthen its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties and other transfers.
The government maintains a large presence in the economy - government consumption accounted for 27% of GDP in 2016. The government remains Lesotho's largest employer; in 2014-15 the government wage bill rose to 21% of GDP – the largest in sub-Saharan Africa. Lesotho's largest private employer is the textile and garment industry - approximately 36,000 Basotho mainly women work in factories producing garments for export to South Africa and the US. Diamond mining in Lesotho has grown in recent years and accounts for nearly 9% of GDP. Lesotho managed steady GDP growth at an average of 4.5% from 2010 to 2014 but poverty remains widespread around 57% of the total population.
Real gdp purchasing power parity:
$6.996 billion (2016 est.)
$6.749 billion (2015 est.)
$6.512 billion (2014 est.)
$6.749 billion (2015 est.)
$6.512 billion (2014 est.)
Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 166
Real gdp growth rate:
2.4% (2016 est.)
2.5% (2015 est.)
3.4% (2014 est.)
2.5% (2015 est.)
3.4% (2014 est.)
Rank: 99
Real gdp per capita:
$3,600 (2016 est.)
$3,600 (2015 est.)
$3,500 (2014 est.)
$3,600 (2015 est.)
$3,500 (2014 est.)
Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 182
Gross national saving:
21% of GDP (2016 est.)
23.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
20.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
23.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
20.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 96
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 78.4%
Government consumption: 29.2%
Investment in fixed capital: 31.7%
Investment in inventories: -15.5%
Exports of goods and services: 43.1%
Imports of goods and services: -66.9%
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5.4%
Industry: 33.1%
Services: 61.5%
Agriculture products: corn wheat pulses sorghum barley; livestock
Industries: food beverages textiles apparel assembly handicrafts construction tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (2016 est.)
Rank: 41
Labor force: 922,400 (2016 est.)
Rank: 148
By occupation agriculture: 86%
By occupation industry and services: 14%
By occupation note: most of the resident population is engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Labor force
Unemployment rate:
28.1% (2014 est.)
25% (2008 est.)
25% (2008 est.)
Rank: 201
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line: 57% (2016 est.)
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1%
Highest 10: 39.4%
Distribution of family income gini index:
63.2 (1995)
56 (1986-87)
56 (1986-87)
Rank: 1
Budget
Revenues: $917.8 million
Expenditures: $1.081 billion
Surplus or deficit: -7.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 186
Taxes and other revenues: 40.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Rank: 37
Public debt:
47.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
49.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
49.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 102
Revenue
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate consumer prices:
6.4% (2016 est.)
3.2% (2015 est.)
3.2% (2015 est.)
Rank: 184
Central bank discount rate:
6.75% (2 February 2016)
6.25% (31 December 2015)
6.25% (31 December 2015)
Rank: 53
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.58% (31 December 2016 est.)
10.59% (31 December 2015 est.)
10.59% (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 70
Stock of narrow money:
$356.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$340.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$340.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 173
Stock of broad money:
$725.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$652.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$652.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 177
Stock of domestic credit:
$230.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$48.89 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$48.89 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 182
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance:
$-174 million (2016 est.)
$-84 million (2015 est.)
$-84 million (2015 est.)
Rank: 82
Exports:
$894 million (2016 est.)
$928.5 million (2015 est.)
$928.5 million (2015 est.)
Rank: 160
Commodities: manufactures (clothing footwear) wool and mohair food and live animals electricity water diamonds
Partners: South Africa 56.5% US 35.4% (2016)
Imports:
$1.613 billion (2016 est.)
$1.73 billion (2015 est.)
$1.73 billion (2015 est.)
Rank: 167
Commodities: food; building materials vehicles machinery medicines petroleum products
Partners: South Africa 84.5% (2016)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$925.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$904.2 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$904.2 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 127
Debt external:
$921.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$879.9 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$879.9 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 168
Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
$456.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$376.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$376.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rank: 124
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates:
maloti (LSL) per US dollar -
14.7096 (2016 est.)
14.71 (2015 est.)
12.76 (2014 est.)
10.85 (2013 est.)
8.2 (2012 est.)
14.7096 (2016 est.)
14.71 (2015 est.)
12.76 (2014 est.)
10.85 (2013 est.)
8.2 (2012 est.)
Lesotho - Energy 2017
top of pageElectricity
Access population without electricity: 1,700,000
Access electrification total population: 17%
Access electrification urban areas: 43%
Access electrification rural areas: 8%
Production: 600 million kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 166
Consumption: 763 million kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 163
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 161
Imports: 205 million kWh (2015 est.)
Imports rank: 92
Installed generating capacity: 80,000 kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 184
Generation sources fossil fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 215
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 130
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 1
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 194
Coal
Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 161
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 154
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 151
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 158
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products production rank: 165
Products consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption rank: 178
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products exports rank: 172
Products imports: 5,121 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products imports rank: 166
Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 161
Consumption: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 202
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 139
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 148
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 es)
Proven reserves rank: 163
Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 300,000 Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 189
Energy consumption per capita
Lesotho - Communication 2017
top of pageTelephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 41,158
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2
Fixed lines rank: 161
Mobile cellular total: 2,282,917
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117
Mobile cellular rank: 151
Telephone system
General assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest number of landlines a small microwave radio relay system and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding
Domestic: Econet Telecom Lesotho provides telecom services; fixed-line density is low; mobile-cellular service dominates the market with a subscribership now over 115 per 100 persons
International: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2016)
Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV station and 2 state-owned radio stations; government controls most private broadcast media; satellite TV subscription service available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters obtainable (2008)
Internet
Country code: .ls
Users total: 534,360
Users percent of population: 27.4%
Users rank: 169
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Lesotho - Military 2017
top of pageMilitary expenditures:
1.85% of GDP (2016)
1.89% of GDP (2015)
1.89% of GDP (2014)
1.89% of GDP (2013)
1.99% of GDP (2012)
1.89% of GDP (2015)
1.89% of GDP (2014)
1.89% of GDP (2013)
1.99% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 43
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation: 18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women serve as commissioned officers (2012)
Space program
Terrorist groups
Lesotho - Transportation 2017
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 7P (2016)
Airports: 24 (2013)
Rank: 132
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 21
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 16
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Total: 5,940 km
Paved: 1069 km
Unpaved: 4,871 km
Rank: 150
Waterways
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
Lesotho - Transnational issues 2017
top of pageDisputes international: South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho Zimbabwe and Mozambique to control smuggling poaching and illegal migration
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs
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