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Compare Lesotho (2001) - Norfolk Island (2002)

Compare Lesotho (2001) z Norfolk Island (2002)

 Lesotho (2001)Norfolk Island (2002)
 LesothoNorfolk Island
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: 20.2%


15-64 years: 63.9%


65 years and over: 15.9% (1996)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 1 (2001)
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 (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: 34.6 sq km


land: 34.6 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland about 0.2 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. Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
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: $4.6 million


expenditures: $4.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92/93)
Capital Maseru Kingston
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers subtropical, mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 32 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 Norfolk Island Act of 1979
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island


conventional short form: Norfolk Island
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; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of 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. Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.
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: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Bates 319 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
-
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians
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 - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)
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); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Anthony J. MESSNER (since 4 August 1997)


head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)


cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator


elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004)


election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - NA%
Exports $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998) postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
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 three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band
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 29 02 S, 167 57 E
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
total: 80 km


paved: 53 km


unpaved: 27 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.) $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) NA
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
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 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; Court of Petty Sessions
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 tourism NA%, subsistence agriculture 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: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian
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 the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island 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 Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)


elections: last held 29 November 2001 (next to be held by December 2004)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
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.)
NA
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims none (landlocked) exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - none (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. 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) Pitcairners Arrival Day, 8 June (1856)
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun: Norfolk Islander(s)


adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Natural hazards periodic droughts typhoons (especially May to July)
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.)
1,866 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) -0.69% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors none none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 104,000 (1997) 2,500 (1996)
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% Anglican 37.4%, Uniting Church in Australia 14.5%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, none 12.2%, unknown 17.4%, other 3.9% (1996)
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: NA male(s)/female


under 15 years: NA male(s)/female


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


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


total population: NA male(s)/female
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: adequate


domestic: NA


international: radiotelephone service with Sydney (Australia)
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) 1,087 (1983)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) 0 (1983)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (1998)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) NA children born/woman
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) NA%
Waterways none none
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