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

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

 Lesotho (2001)Holy See (Vatican City) (2001)
 LesothoHoly See (Vatican City)
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka -
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.)
-
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock -
Airports 29 (2000 est.) none
Airports - with paved runways total:
4

over 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (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:
0.44 sq km

land:
0.44 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland about 0.7 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. 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.
Birth rate 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) -
Budget revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
revenues:
$209.6 million

expenditures:
$198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Capital Maseru Vatican City
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 2 April 1993 Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
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)
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR)
Death rate 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) -
Debt - external $720 million (2000 est.) -
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
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
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
chief of mission:
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele MONTALVO

chancery:
3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 333-7121
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) none
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. 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.
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)
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (1999) -
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:
unnamed location 19 m

highest point:
unnamed location 75 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 NA
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
party to:
none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Italians, Swiss, other
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 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
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:
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
Exports $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) -
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998) -
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) -
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
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 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
-
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) -
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 41 54 N, 12 27 E
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa 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
Heliports - 1 (2000 est.)
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
none; all city streets
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 kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) -
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) -
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) -
Industries food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Infant mortality rate 82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) -
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2000 est.) -
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 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)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 93 (Holy See and Italy) (2000)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1993 est.) 0 sq km (1993)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court none; normally handled by Italy
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 agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican
Land boundaries total:
909 km

border countries:
South Africa 909 km
total:
3.2 km

border countries:
Italy 3.2 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% (urban area)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
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 NA
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 Pontifical Commission
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

female:
49.74 years (2001 est.)
-
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
83%

male:
72%

female:
93% (1999 est.)
definition:
NA

total population:
100%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
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 Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope
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) Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun:
none

adjective:
none
Natural hazards periodic droughts NA
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals none
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -
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 (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
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.)
890 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) 1.15% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none none
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 104,000 (1997) NA
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)
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 Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Roman Catholic
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 limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
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:
automatic exchange

domestic:
tied into Italian system

international:
uses Italian system
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) NA
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (1996)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains low hill
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) -
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) -
Waterways none none
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