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Compare Holy See (Vatican City) (2001) - Lesotho (2004)

Compare Holy See (Vatican City) (2001) z Lesotho (2004)

 Holy See (Vatican City) (2001)Lesotho (2004)
 Holy See (Vatican City)Lesotho
Administrative divisions - 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure - 0-14 years: 37.3% (male 350,288; female 345,815)


15-64 years: 57.2% (male 521,434; female 545,183)


65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,903; female 60,417) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products - corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports none 28 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways - total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total:
0.44 sq km

land:
0.44 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Popes in their secular role ruled much of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Vatican and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. 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 - 26.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues:
$209.6 million

expenditures:
$198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: $625.4 million


expenditures: $675.2 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (2003 est.)
Capital Vatican City Maseru
Climate temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968) 2 April 1993
Country name conventional long form:
The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)

conventional short form:
Holy See (Vatican City)

local long form:
Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

local short form:
Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
Currency Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR) loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Death rate - 24.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external - $735 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)

embassy:
Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome

mailing address:
PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624

telephone:
[39] (06) 4674-3428

FAX:
[39] (06) 5758346
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 chief of mission:
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele MONTALVO

chancery:
3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 333-7121
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 none $41.5 million (2000)
Economy - overview This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. 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 NA kWh 40 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy 40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - production - 0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
NA%

hydro:
NA%

nuclear:
NA%

other:
NA%
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
unnamed location 19 m

highest point:
unnamed location 75 m
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues NA 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:
none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Italians, Swiss, other Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira; the Vatican will start using euros in 2002 in conjunction with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire per euro maloti per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state:
Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)

head of government:
Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2 December 1990)

cabinet:
Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope

elections:
pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope

election results:
Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
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 (2001)
Exports - commodities - manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners - US 97.6%, Canada 1.5%, France 0.5% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band 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 - $5.583 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 15.3%


industry: 43.3%


services: 41.4% (2003)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 4% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 41 54 N, 12 27 E 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) -
Highways none; all city streets total: 5,940 km


paved: 1,087 km


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

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4%
Imports NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy NA (2001)
Imports - commodities - food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000)
Imports - partners - Hong Kong 36.6%, Taiwan 36.2%, China 12%, Germany 9.9% (2003)
Independence 11 February 1929 (from Italy) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - 15.5% (1999)
Industries printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate - total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 90.19 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 6.1% (2003 est.)
International organization participation CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 93 (Holy See and Italy) (2000) -
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1993) 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch none; normally handled by Italy High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force NA 838,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Land boundaries total:
3.2 km

border countries:
Italy 3.2 km
total: 909 km


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

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
100% (urban area)
arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2001)
Languages Italian, Latin, French, various other languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Legal system NA 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 Pontifical Commission 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: 36.81 years


male: 36.81 years


female: 36.81 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition:
NA

total population:
100%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Europe Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope 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; with Army and Air Wing)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $32.5 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2.6% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 465,827 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 253,974 (2004 est.)
National holiday Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun:
none

adjective:
none
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards NA periodic droughts
Natural resources none water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Net migration rate - -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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 (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) NA
Population 890 (July 2001 est.) 1,865,040


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 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 49% (1999)
Population growth rate 1.15% (2001 est.) 0.14% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors none none
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios NA -
Railways total:
862 m; note - a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station

standard gauge:
862 m 1.435-m gauge (1999)
-
Religions Roman Catholic 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: 0.96 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage limited to cardinals less than 80 years old 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
automatic exchange

domestic:
tied into Italian system

international:
uses Italian system
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: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 28,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 92,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1996) 1 (2000)
Terrain low hill mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate - 3.44 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate - 45% (2002)
Waterways none -
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