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Compare Lesotho (2001) - Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2001)

Compare Lesotho (2001) z Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2001)

 Lesotho (2001)Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2001)
 LesothoCocos (Keeling) Islands
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka none (territory of Australia)
Age structure 0-14 years:
39.28% (male 430,147; female 424,994)

15-64 years:
56.03% (male 588,440; female 631,404)

65 years and over:
4.69% (male 43,033; female 59,044) (2001 est.)
0-14 years:
NA%

15-64 years:
NA%

65 years and over:
NA%
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
4

over 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
25

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
21 (2000 est.)
-
Area total:
30,355 sq km

land:
30,355 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total:
14 sq km

land:
14 sq km

water:
0 sq km

note:
includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Background Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule. The islands were discovered in 1609, but 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 is split between the mostly Europeans on West Island and the Malays on Home Island.
Birth rate 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) NA births/1,000 population
Budget revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital Maseru West Island
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 2.6 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
conventional long form:
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands

conventional short form:
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Australian dollar (AUD)
Death rate 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) NA deaths/1,000 population
Debt - external $720 million (2000 est.) $NA
Dependency status - territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Katherine H. PETERSON

embassy:
254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)

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

telephone:
[266] 312666

FAX:
[266] 310116
none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Lebohang Kenneth MOLEKO

chancery:
2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

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

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-6815
none (territory of Australia)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) $NA
Economy - overview Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's primary natural resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, and remittances from miners employed in South Africa. The number of such 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 substantial 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. Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia.
Electricity - consumption 55 million kWh (1999) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) -
Electricity - imports 55 million kWh

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

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
NA%

hydro:
NA%

nuclear:
NA%

other:
NA%
Elevation extremes lowest point:
junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

highest point:
Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
unnamed location 5 m
Environment - current issues 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 fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs
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 Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Europeans, Cocos Malays
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 7.78307 (January 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996); note - the Lesotho loti is at par with the South African rand which is also legal tender; maloti is the plural form of loti Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996)
Executive branch 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
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general

head of government:
Administrator (non-resident) William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)

cabinet:
NA

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Exports $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $NA
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998) copra
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) Australia
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 July - 30 June
Flag description 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 the flag of Australia is used
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
agriculture:
NA%

industry:
NA%

services:
NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 12 30 S, 96 50 E
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
total:
15 km

paved:
NA km

unpaved:
NA km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
0.9%

highest 10%:
43.4% (1986-87)
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Imports $700 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $NA
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) foodstuffs
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) Australia
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) none (territory of Australia)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism copra products and tourism
Infant mortality rate 82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) NA deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2000 est.) NA%
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1993 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court
Labor force 700,000 economically active NA
Labor force - by occupation 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others
Land boundaries total:
909 km

border countries:
South Africa 909 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
11%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
66%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
23% (1993 est.)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
100% (1993 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa English, Malay
Legal system 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 based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (80 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 65 to 80 in the May 1998 election; on 28 February 2001, the Senate approved expansion of the Assembly by a further 50 seats in the next election, which may be held as early as January 2002

elections:
last held 23 May 1998 (next to be held NA March 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - LCD 60.7%, BNP 24.5%, other 14.8%; seats by party - LCD 79, BNP 1

note:
results contested; opposition parties claimed the election was fraudulent and staged a coup; Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces intervened in September 1998 and restored order; the Interim Political Authority (IPA) was set up in December 1998 to create a new electoral system and conduct new elections.
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (NA seats)
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

female:
49.74 years (2001 est.)
total population:
NA years

male:
NA years

female:
NA years
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
83%

male:
72%

female:
93% (1999 est.)
-
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka
Map references Africa Southeast Asia
Maritime claims none (landlocked) exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
3 NM
Merchant marine - none (2000 est.)
Military - note 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. defense is the responsibility of Australia
Military branches Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police (RLMP) -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
515,464 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
277,369 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) NA
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun:
Cocos Islander(s)

adjective:
Cocos Islander
Natural hazards periodic droughts cyclones may occur in the early months of the year
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals fish
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Political parties and leaders 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; Dr. Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; 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] none
Political pressure groups and leaders NA none
Population 2,177,062

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 2001 est.)
633 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) -0.21% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none none; lagoon anchorage only
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 104,000 (1997) 300 (1992)
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)
0 km
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Sunni Muslim 57%, Christian 22%, other 21% (1981 est.)
Sex ratio 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 (2001 est.)
-
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal NA
Telephone system general assessment:
rudimentary system

domestic:
consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) NA (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) 0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 0 (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains flat, low-lying coral atolls
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) NA children born/woman
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) -
Waterways none none
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