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Compare Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006) - Lesotho (2003)

Compare Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006) z Lesotho (2003)

 Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2006)Lesotho (2003)
 Cocos (Keeling) IslandsLesotho
Administrative divisions none (territory of Australia) 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure 0-14 years: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 37.7% (male 353,554; female 349,092)


15-64 years: 56.8% (male 516,017; female 541,694)


65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,735; female 59,867) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports 1 (2006) 28 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Area total: 14 sq km


land: 14 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
Background There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002.
Birth rate NA 27.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY 99/00 est.)
Capital name: West Island


geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E


time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Maseru
Climate tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 26 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 2 April 1993
Country name conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands


conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
Currency - loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population 24.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external - $735 million (2002)
Dependency status non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (territory of Australia) chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS


embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)


mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho


telephone: [266] 312666


FAX: [266] 310116
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of Australia) chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor - ODA $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient $NA $41.5 million (2000)
Economy - overview Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.
Electricity - consumption - 40 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - production - 0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location 5 m
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs 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
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Ethnic groups Europeans, Cocos Malays Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) maloti per US dollar - 10.54 (2002), 8.61 (2001), 6.94 (2000), 6.11 (1999), 5.53 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general


head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); 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 Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)


cabinet: Cabinet


elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution, which 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 determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch
Exports $NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities copra manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners Australia (2004) US 97.5%, Canada 0.9%, France 0.6% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 1 April - 31 March
Flag description the flag of Australia is used divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner
GDP - purchasing power parity - $5.106 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 20%


industry: 46%


services: 34% (2001)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 4% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 30 S, 96 50 E 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Highways - total: 5,940 km


paved: 1,087 km


unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4%
Imports $NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000)
Imports - partners Australia (2004) Hong Kong 51.9%, China 25%, France 3.9% (2002)
Independence none (territory of Australia) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - 15.5% (1999)
Industries copra products and tourism food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total: 86.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 80.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 10% (2002 est.)
International organization participation none ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force NA 838,000
Labor force - by occupation note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Land boundaries 0 km total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
Languages Malay (Cocos dialect), English Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Legal system based upon the laws of Australia and local laws based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)


elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election


elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population: 36.94 years


male: 36.76 years


female: 37.13 years (2003 est.)
Literacy NA definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Southeast Asia Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
none (landlocked)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs
Military branches - Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $34 million (1999)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA%
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 459,723 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 250,560 (2003 est.)
National holiday Australia Day, 26 January (1788) Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun: Cocos Islander(s)


adjective: Cocos Islander
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards cyclone season is October to April periodic droughts
Natural resources fish water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Net migration rate NA -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders none Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance [Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]
Political pressure groups and leaders none NA
Population 574 (July 2006 est.) 1,861,959


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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line - 49% (1999)
Population growth rate 0% (2006 est.) 0.19% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - none
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa


narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Religions Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Sex ratio - at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage NA 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station
general assessment: rudimentary system


domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 287 (1992) 22,200 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular note - analog cellular service available 21,600 (2000)
Television broadcast stations NA 1 (2000)
Terrain flat, low-lying coral atolls mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate NA 3.52 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 60% (2000 est.) 45% (2002)
Waterways - none
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