Lesotho Country Profile
Discovering Lesotho
Lesotho Flag
Lesotho (formerly Basutoland) and a member of the Commonwealth is the southernmost landlocked country in the world. This landlocked independent republic is democratic government situated within the borders of South Africa and forms part of the Southern African region. This stunningly beautiful, mountainous country offers fascinating travel detour from its larger neighbour. It boasts superb mountain scenery, a proud traditional people and endless hiking trails. The capital city is Maseru. Other major towns are Mafateng and Leribe.
History
Lesotho came into being in 1843, when both the difaqane (forced migration) and Boer incursions into the hinterlands were at their height. Under the leadership of the legendary king Moshoeshoe, the Basotho people sought sanctuary amid the forbidding terrain of the Drakensberg and Maluti Ranges. It was later annexed to Cape Colony in 1871, but in 1884 it was restored to direct control by the Crown. The colony of Basutoland became the independent nation of Lesotho on Oct. 4, 1966, with King Moshoeshoe II as sovereign.
After the king refused to approve the replacement in Feb. 1990 of individuals dismissed by Justin Metsino Lekhanya, the chairman of the military council, the latter stripped the king of his executive power.
Geography
Lesotho a landlocked entirely contained within the country of South Africa covers 30,355 sq km. It is the only independent state in the world that lies above 1,400m in elevation. Its lowest point of 1,400m is thus the highest in the world. Over 80% of the country lies above 1,800m.
Demography
Lesotho has a population of approximately 1.881 million, (2006 counting). The population distribution of Lesotho is 25 percent urban and 75 percent rural. However, it is estimated that annual increase of urban population is 3.5%. Population density is lower in the highlands than in the western lowlands. Although the majority of the population—60.2 percent—is between 15 and 64 years of age, Lesotho has a substantial youth population numbering around 34.8 percent. The annual population growth rate is 0.116%.
Most of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture and about 1/3 of the male labour force works in South Africa in the mining regions and other industries.
Weather & Climate
Lesotho’s climate is a mixture of temperate and sub-tropical influences, with surprising extremes of temperature ranging from winter minimum temperatures, which can drop below freezing around July, up to summer maximums of over 32°C. Because of its altitude, Lesotho remains cooler throughout the year than other regions at the same latitude. Most of the rain falls as summer thunderstorms. Winters can be cold with the lowlands getting down to −7 °C and the highlands to −18 °C at times.
The best time to visit is in April to early May and late October to November, when summer temperatures are yet to arrive but visibility is high after the rains.
Travel Tips
Visitors to Lesotho do not require visas for stays of less than 30 days. Commonwealth citizens, except those from Australia, Canada, Ghana, India, New Zealand, Nigeria and Pakistan, do not require visas for Lesotho. Lesotho belongs to the South African Common Monetary Area (CMA). South African Airways flies regularly between Moshoeshoe International Airport in Lesotho and Johannesburg International