Lesotho

Geography & Mobility in Lesotho

The landlocked Kingdom of Lesotho is a former British colony consisting of 10 districts. The nation is located in Southern Africa and is completely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho has a surface area of 30,355 square kilometers. This makes it the 43rd largest country in Africa. Its climate is generally temperate with cool dry winters and hot wet summers. Its terrain is characterized by highlands and plateaus, some hills and mountains. Lesotho has an overall population of 2.1 million people. The capital of the nation is Maseru, which is also the most populous city with over 330,000 inhabitants. Other major towns are Teyateyaneng, Mafateng and Hlotse. The largest airport is Moshoeshoe International Airport (MSU), which is named after the former King of Lesotho: Moshoeshoe. The airport has only one flight connection to Johannesburg.

Lesotho Demographics & More

The Basotho culture is influenced by tribal traditions and former British rule. The main religion is Christianity. The official languages are English and Sesotho. The legal system is a mix between the English common law and the Roman-Dutch law. The government type is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy and elections take place every 5 years.

Lesotho's Economy

The official currency of the country is the Lesotho Loti (LSL). The country has an open economy, generating a GDP of approximately $7.4 billion in 2017. The same year its citizens had an income of $3,868 per capita. The GDP is mostly made up of 2 key sectors, which are industry and services. Main GDP contributing factors are diamond mining, remittances from abroad, textile production and international aid. Most of the produced products are being exported to surrounding South Africa.

Visiting Lesotho

Lesotho has a variety of tourism destinations and attractions. It is known for the diversity of activities offered. Such as hiking, trekking, four-wheel driving trails and cultural experiences. It has one UNESCO world heritage site. Some of the major destinations include the Tsehlanyane National Park, Maseru, Semonkong, the Kastse Dam, Bokong, Ha Kome and Mafeteng. The nation has a total of over 1 million tourists visiting every year. The majority of which are originating from neighboring South Africa.