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Compare Lesotho (2001) - Montserrat (2004)

Compare Lesotho (2001) z Montserrat (2004)

 Lesotho (2001)Montserrat (2004)
 LesothoMontserrat
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
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: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062)


15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162)


65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 1 (2003 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


under 914 m: 1 (2004 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: 102 sq km


land: 102 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland about 0.6 times 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. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995.
Birth rate 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
revenues: $31.4 million


expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)
Capital Maseru Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 40 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 present constitution came into force 19 December 1989
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Montserrat
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Death rate 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $720 million (2000 est.) $8.9 million (1997)
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK
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 (overseas territory of the UK)
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 (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID aid is expected to total $411 million.
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. Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.
Electricity - consumption 55 million kWh (1999) 2.325 million 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) 2.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
0%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

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


highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 914 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 land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
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%, black, white
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 East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
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 Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004)


head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister
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) electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) US, Antigua and Barbuda
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 blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
agriculture: 5.4%


industry: 13.6%


services: 81% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) -1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 16 45 N, 62 12 W
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
total: 227 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km


note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003)
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 - transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Imports $700 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) NA
Industries food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
Infant mortality rate 82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2000 est.) 2.6% (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 Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (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 Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)
Labor force 700,000 economically active 4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 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 agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
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: 20%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 80% (2001)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa English
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 English common law and statutory law
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 Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)


note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members


elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2


note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

female:
49.74 years (2001 est.)
total population: 78.53 years


male: 76.39 years


female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
83%

male:
72%

female:
93% (1999 est.)
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 97% (1970 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - none
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 the UK
Military branches Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police (RLMP) no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
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) Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun: Montserratian(s)


adjective: Montserratian
Natural hazards periodic droughts severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals negligible
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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] National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
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.)
9,245


note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) NA
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) 1.03% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors none Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
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)
-
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 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: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-664
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) 70 (1994)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) 6% (1998 est.)
Waterways none -
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