| Land Facts | People of Lesotho |
|---|---|
| Lesotho is surrounded by South Africa | Mosotho, plural Basotho is a citizen of Lesotho |
| Lesotho is mountainous, landlocked country | Population of 1,962,461 |
| Lesotho is the 43rd largest country in Africa | Sesotho and English are the official languages |
| Thabana Ntlenyana is the highest point in Lesotho | HIV/AIDS rate is the second highest in the world at 23.6% |
| Maseru is the capital city | The average age is 24.4 years |
| Lesotho name means Land of the Sesotho Speakers | The urban population is 28.6% of total population |
| Snow is common at high altitudes, the annual average temperature is 15.1 degrees Celsius, 59.2 degrees Fahrenheit | 29.7% of the population has access to electricity |
The main fact about the African Kingdom of Lesotho is it is composed of mainly mountainous land where many villages are accessible by hiking, horseback, or flying.
More facts about the Kingdom of Lesotho
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966.
The present boundaries of Lesotho follow in part a series of rivers, the Tele, the Senqu, the Makhaleng and the Mohokare.
Legal system is a mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal.
The Palace Coup of August 1994 when King Letsie III suspended the constitution and created an interim government.
Independence Day is October 4, 1966 from the United Kingdom.
The Basotho hat is known as mokorotlo, along with the Basotho blanket is part of the traditional dress of Lesotho.
The two best-known male dance-songs exclusive to the Sotho are the mokorotlo and the mohobelo.
The plateau Thaba Bosiu overlooks iconic Mount Qiloane, an enduring symbol of the nation’s Basotho people.
Lesotho is mountainous; more than 80% of the country is 1,800 m above sea level.
King Moshoeshoe I (1786 - 1870), is the founder of the Basotho Nation.
Ethnic groups are Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%.
Religions are Christian 80% and indigenous beliefs 20%.
In Lesotho, more than half of its population lives below the property line.
The HIV/AIDS rate in Lesotho is the second highest in the world.
Prince Harry first visited Lesotho in 2004.
Princes Harry and Seeiso Mamohato Children’s Centre provides basic education, life skills, emotional and psychological support to children living with HIV.
Lesotho has one of the highest adult literacy rates in Africa.
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.
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| Lesotho national symbol is a mokorotlo, Basotho hat |
Did you know
Africa is not all desert and flat grasslands, approximately half of Africa’s countries have mountains higher than 2000 meters, with mountains above 4500 meters being concentrated in regions of Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Morocco, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
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| Lesotho is mountainous; more than 80% of the country is 1800 m above sea level. |
