Lesotho
The Kingdom of Lesotho ('Muso oa Lesotho) is a country in southern Africa. It is an enclave-nation, entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Formerly Basutoland, it is a member of the Commonwealth. The name Le-sotho roughly translates into "the land of the people who speak Sotho".

National motto: Khotso, Pula, Nala; Peace, Rain, Prosperity

Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Capital and largest city: Maseru
Capital's coordinates: 29°18' S 27°28' E
Monarch: HM The King of Lesotho, Letsie III
Prime Minister: Pakalitha Mosisili
- Area
- Total: 30,355 km²
- % water: Negligible
- Population
- Total (2004): 1,861,959
- Density: 61.3/km²

- GDP (PPP):
- Total (Year): $5.106 billion

- GDP/head
- $2,700
Currency: Loti (L)
Time zone: UTC +2
Establishment 1824
National anthem Lesotho Fatse La Bontat'a Rona
Internet TLD: .ls
Calling Code: 266

History
After many years as a British protectorate, Lesotho gained full independence from the United Kingdom on October 4, 1966.An Interim Political Authority (IPA), charged with reviewing the electoral structure in the country, was created in December 1998. The IPA devised a proportional electoral system to ensure that there be opposition in the National Assembly. The new system retained the existing 80 elected Assembly seats, but added 40 seats to be filled on a proportional basis. Elections were held under this new system in May 2002, and the LCD won again, gaining 54% of the vote. For the first time, however, opposition political parties won significant numbers of seats, and despite some irregularities and threats of violence from Major General Lekhanya, Lesotho experienced its first peaceful election. Nine opposition parties now hold all 40 of the proportional seats, with the BNP having the largest share (21). The LCD has 79 of the 80 constituency-based seats. Although its elected members participate in the National Assembly, the BNP has launched several legal challenges to the elections, including a recount; none has been successful.

Politics
The Lesotho Government is a constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, is head of government and has executive authority. The King serves a largely ceremonial function; he no longer possesses any executive authority and is proscribed from actively participating in political initiatives.

The Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) controls a majority in the National Assembly (the lower house of parliament), with the Basotho National Party (BNP), Lesotho Peoples Congress, and the National Independent Party among the 9 opposition parties represented. The upper house of parliament, called the Senate, is composed of 22 principal chiefs whose membership is hereditary, and 11 appointees of the King, acting on the advice of the prime minister. The constitution provides for an independent judicial system. The judiciary is made up of the Court of Appeal, the High Court, Magistrate's Courts, and traditional courts that exist predominately in rural areas. All but one of the Justices on the Court of Appeal are South African jurists. There is no trial by jury; rather, judges make rulings alone, or, in the case of criminal trials, with two other judges as observers. The constitution also protects basic civil liberties, including freedom of speech, association, and the press; freedom of peaceful assembly; and freedom of religion.

Districts
For administrative purposes, Lesotho is divided into 10 districts, each headed by a district secretary.

1 Berea , 2 Butha-Buthe , 3 Leribe , 4 Mafeteng , 5 Maseru , 6 Mohale's Hoek , 7 Mokhotlong , 8 Qacha's Nek , 9 Quthing , 10 Thaba-Tseka

Geography
The most notable geographic fact about Lesotho, apart from its status as an enclave, is that it is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 1,000 metres in elevation. Its lowest point is 1,400 m, and over 80% of the country lies above 1,800 m.

Economy
Lesotho's economy is based on exports of water and electricity sold to South Africa, manufacturing, agriculture, livestock, and to some extent the earnings of laborers employed in South Africa. Lesotho also exports diamonds, wool, and mohair. Lesotho is geographically surrounded by South Africa and economically integrated with it as well. The majority of households subsist on farming or migrant labor, primarily miners in South Africa for 3 to 9 months. The western lowlands form the main agricultural zone. Almost 50% of the population earns some income through crop cultivation or animal husbandry, with over half the country's income coming from the agricultural sector.

Defense
The security force is composed of the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF--estimated 3,500 personnel) and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS). The LDF consists of an army, an air wing, and a paramilitary wing. The LDF answers to the Prime Minister (who is the Minister of Defense and National Security and also the Minister of Public Service), while the Lesotho Mounted Police Service reports to the Minister of Home Affairs. There also is a National Security Service (NSS), Intelligence, which is directly accountable to the Prime Minister. Relations between the police and the army have occasionally been tense, and in 1997 the army was called upon to put down a serious police mutiny.

Foreign relations
Lesotho has historically maintained generally close ties with the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other Western states. Although Lesotho decided in 1990 to break relations with the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) and reestablish relations with Taiwan, it has since restored ties with the P.R.C. Lesotho also recognized Palestine as a state, was a strong public supporter of the end of apartheid in South Africa, and granted a number of South African refugees political asylum during the apartheid era.

Demographics
More than 99% of Lesotho's population is ethnically Basotho; other ethnic groups include Europeans and Asians. The country's population is 80% Christian, the majority of whom are Roman Catholic. Other religions are Islam, Hindu, and indigenous beliefs. Sesotho and English are official languages, and other languages spoken include Zulu and Xhosa