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Compare Hong Kong (2001) - Lesotho (2002)

Compare Hong Kong (2001) z Lesotho (2002)

 Hong Kong (2001)Lesotho (2002)
 Hong KongLesotho
Administrative divisions none (special administrative region of China) 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure 0-14 years:
17.73% (male 677,785; female 600,781)

15-64 years:
71.52% (male 2,554,329; female 2,602,662)

65 years and over:
10.75% (male 354,199; female 420,749) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 39% (male 433,229; female 427,926)


15-64 years: 56.3% (male 600,476; female 642,538)


65 years and over: 4.7% (male 43,691; female 60,094) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fresh vegetables; poultry corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports 3 (2000 est.) 28 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
3

over 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2000 est.)
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:
1,092 sq km

land:
1,042 sq km

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


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative six times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. 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.
Birth rate 11.13 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 30.72 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$20.8 billion

expenditures:
$24.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00)
revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million
Capital - Maseru
Climate tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 733 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution" 2 April 1993
Country name conventional long form:
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form:
Hong Kong

local long form:
Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu

local short form:
Xianggang

abbreviation:
HK
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
Currency Hong Kong dollar (HKD) loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Death rate 6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 16.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $48.1 billion (1999) $715 million (2001 est.)
Dependency status special administrative region of China -
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Consul General Michael KLOSSON

consulate(s) general:
26 Garden Road, Hong Kong

mailing address:
PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002

telephone:
[852] 2523-9011

FAX:
[852] 2845-1598
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 (special administrative region of China) chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Lebohang Kenneth MOLEKO


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 - recipient - $123.7 million (1995) (1995)
Economy - overview Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Indeed, imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Per capita GDP compares with the level in the four big countries of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-97. The widespread Asian economic difficulties in 1998 hit this trade-dependent economy quite hard, with GDP down 5%. The economy is undergoing a rapid recovery, with growth of 10% in 2000 to be followed by projected growth of 5% in 2001. Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's primary natural resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, remittances from miners employed in South Africa, and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years. A small manufacturing base depends largely on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries. Agricultural products are exported primarily to South Africa. Proceeds from membership in a common customs union with South Africa form the majority of government revenue. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, generating royalties for Lesotho. The pace of privatization has increased in recent years. In December 1999, the government embarked on a nine-month IMF staff-monitored program aimed at structural adjustment and stabilization of macroeconomic fundamentals. The government is in the process of applying for a three-year successor program with the IMF under its Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. Lesotho has a marked inequality in income distribution and serious unemployment/underemployment problems that will not yield to short-run solutions.
Electricity - consumption 32.202 billion kWh (1999) 100 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 633 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 7.05 billion kWh (1999) 100 million kWh


note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2000)
Electricity - production 27.726 billion kWh (1999) 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m

highest point:
Tai Mo Shan 958 m
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues air and water pollution from rapid urbanization 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:
Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
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 Chinese 95%, other 5% Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7990 (January 2001), 7.7912 (2000), 7.7575 (1999), 7.7453 (1998), 7.7421 (1997), 7.7343 (1996); note - Hong Kong became a special administrative region of China on 1 July 1997; before then, the Hong Kong dollar was linked to the US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 Hong Kong dollars per US dollar maloti per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997); note - the Lesotho loti is at par with the South African rand which is also legal tender; maloti is the plural form of loti
Executive branch chief of state:
President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993)

head of government:
Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)

cabinet:
Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and 10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Anson CHAN (since 29 November 1993), Financial Secretary Donald TSANG (since 7 March 1995), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997)

elections:
NA
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 $204 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 2000 est.) $250 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities clothing, textiles, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals
Exports - partners China 33%, US 24%, Japan 5%, UK 4%, Germany, Singapore (1999) South African Customs Union 53.9%, North America 45.6% (1999)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 April - 31 March
Flag description red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center 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 - $181 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $5.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
0.1%

industry:
14.3%

services:
85.6% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 18%


industry: 38%


services: 44% (2001)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $25,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 10% (2000 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 22 15 N, 114 10 E 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note more than 200 islands landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Heliports 2 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
1,831 km

paved:
1,831 km

unpaved:
0 km (1997)
total: 4,955 km


paved: 887 km


unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 43% (1986-87)
Illicit drugs a hub for Southeast Asian heroin and regional stimulants trade; transshipment and money-laundering center; increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse -
Imports $215 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $720 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is reexported food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products
Imports - partners China 44%, Japan 12%, US 7%, Taiwan 7%, South Korea, Singapore (1999) South African Customs Union 89.5%, Asia 7% (1999)
Independence none (special administrative region of China) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 2.1% (2000) 15.5% (1999 est.)
Industries textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 82.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.7% (2000 est.) 6.9% (2001 est.)
International organization participation APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 17 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 20 sq km (1997 est.) 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch The Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force 3.39 million (2000 est.) 700,000 economically active
Labor force - by occupation wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31.5%, community and social services 24%, financing, insurance, and real estate 14.5%, transport and communications 11.6%, manufacturing 7.7%, construction 2.6% (October 1999) 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Land boundaries total:
30 km

border countries:
China 30 km
total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
Land use arable land:
6%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
1%

forests and woodland:
20%

other:
72% (1997 est.)
arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
Languages Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Legal system based on English common law 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 Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 24 elected by popular vote, and 6 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19
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:
79.67 years

male:
76.97 years

female:
82.55 years (2001 est.)
total population: 47 years


male: 46.3 years


female: 47.8 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population:
92.2%

male:
96%

female:
88.2% (1996 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 72%


female: 93% (1999 est.)
Location Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Southeast Asia Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea:
3 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total:
354 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,330,662 GRT/17,227,315 DWT

ships by type:
barge carrier 1, bulk 208, cargo 36, chemical tanker 7, combination bulk 2, container 59, liquefied gas 6, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 3, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bermuda 2, Belgium 1, Canada 2, China 9, Japan 3, Mongolia 1, Norway 1, South Africa 1, UK 7 (2000 est.)
-
Military - note defense is the responsibility of China 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 Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA; note - separate budget for Hong Kong not established by China $34 million (1999)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
2,020,937 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 526,332 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
1,520,531 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 283,203 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
47,139 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun:
Chinese

adjective:
Chinese
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards occasional typhoons periodic droughts
Natural resources outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Net migration rate 7.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [leader NA]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing, chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin LEE Chu-ming, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong Kong Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]; New Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai, chairman]

note:
political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New Century Forum
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 Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim, president]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Liberal Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman] NA
Population 7,210,505 (July 2001 est.) 2,207,954


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 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 49% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 1.3% (2001 est.) 1.33% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Hong Kong none
Radio broadcast stations AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 4.45 million (1997) NA (2002)
Railways total:
34 km

standard gauge:
34 km 1.435-m gauge (all electrified) (1996 est.)
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 eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10% Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.13 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services

domestic:
microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network

international:
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
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 3.839 million (1999) 22,200 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3.7 million (December 1999) 21,600 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus two repeaters) (1997) 1 (2000)
Terrain hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate 1.29 children born/woman (2001 est.) 4.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.5% (2000 est.) 45% (2000 est.)
Waterways none none
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