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Compare Lesotho (2001) - Malta (2003)

Compare Lesotho (2001) z Malta (2003)

 Lesotho (2001)Malta (2003)
 LesothoMalta
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders
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: 19.5% (male 40,448; female 37,623)


15-64 years: 67.5% (male 136,221; female 134,142)


65 years and over: 13% (male 21,730; female 30,256) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 1 (2002)
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


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
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: 316 sq km


land: 316 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly less than twice the size of 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. Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has become a freight transshipment point, financial center, and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU membership.
Birth rate 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
revenues: $1.5 billion


expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)
Capital Maseru Valletta
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)
Constitution 2 April 1993 1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and again in 1987
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
conventional long form: Republic of Malta


conventional short form: Malta


local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta


local short form: Malta
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Maltese lira (MTL)
Death rate 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $720 million (2000 est.) $130 million (1997)
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 Anthony H. GIOIA


embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Malta VLT 01


mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta


telephone: [356] 21-235-960


FAX: [356] 2124-3229
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: Ambassador John LOWELL


chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612


FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470


consulate(s): New York
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. Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Malta is privatizing state-controlled firms and liberalizing markets in order to prepare for membership in the European Union. The island remains divided politically, however, over the question of joining the EU. Continued sluggishness in the global economy is holding back exports, tourism, and overall growth.
Electricity - consumption 55 million kWh (1999) 1.644 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 55 million kWh

note:
electricity supplied by South Africa (1999)
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (1999) 1.768 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
0%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

highest point:
Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)
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 very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
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: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
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 Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.43 (2002), 0.45 (2001), 0.44 (2000), 0.4 (1999), 0.39 (1998)
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: President Guido DE MARCO (since 4 April 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 6 September 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 4 April 1999)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister


elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term; election last held NA April 1999 (next to be held by April 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister


election results: Guido DE MARCO elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote - 54%
Exports $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998) machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) Singapore 17.3%, US 11.4%, UK 9.4%, Germany 9%, France 7.2%, China 6.5%, Italy 6% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 April - 31 March
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 equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $6.818 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
agriculture: 2.8%


industry: 25.5%


services: 71.7% (1999)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) 1.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 35 50 N, 14 35 E
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
total: 2,254 km


paved: 1,972 km


unpaved: 282 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
0.9%

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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe
Imports $700 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) Italy 18.3%, France 12.1%, South Korea 11.3%, UK 7.5%, Singapore 5.3%, Germany 5.2%, Japan 5%, US 4.6%, Spain 4.2% (2002)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 21 September 1964 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco
Infant mortality rate 82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2000 est.) 2.4% (2002 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 C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 6 (2002)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1993 est.) 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Labor force 700,000 economically active 160,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa industry 24%, services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.)
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: 31.25%


permanent crops: 3.13%


other: 65.62% (1998 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Maltese (official), English (official)
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 on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD 0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

female:
49.74 years (2001 est.)
total population: 78.43 years


male: 75.94 years


female: 81.14 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
83%

male:
72%

female:
93% (1999 est.)
definition: age 10 and over can read and write


total population: 92.8%


male: 92%


female: 93.6% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive fishing zone: 25 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 1,234 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,885,128 GRT/42,467,864 DWT


ships by type: bulk 459, cargo 280, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 10, container 80, liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 236, refrigerated cargo 37, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea passenger 7, vehicle carrier 15


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 19, Canada 2, China 16, Croatia 14, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Denmark 3, Estonia 5, Finland 1, Germany 54, Greece 627, Hong Kong 12, Iceland 3, India 10, Iran 2, Israel 26, Italy 36, Japan 2, Latvia 24, Lebanon 6, Monaco 29, Netherlands 10, Nigeria 2, Norway 43, Poland 29, Portugal 2, Romania 15, Russia 85, Saudi Arabia 1, Slovenia 2, South Korea 5, Spain 1, Switzerland 54, Syria 4, Turkey 84, Ukraine 25, UAE 3, UK 4, US 10 (2002 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. -
Military branches Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police (RLMP) Armed Forces (including land forces [with subordinate air squadron and maritime squadron] and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) $60 million (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.7% (2000)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
515,464 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 99,312 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
277,369 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 79,080 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 21 September (1964)
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)


adjective: Maltese
Natural hazards periodic droughts NA
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals limestone, salt, arable land
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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] Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
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.)
400,420 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) 0.73% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors none Marsaxlokk, Valletta
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios 104,000 (1997) -
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% Roman Catholic 98%
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.)
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
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 system satisfies normal requirements


domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands


international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) 187,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) 17,691 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 6 (2000)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) 7% (2002 est.)
Waterways none none
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