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Compare Lesotho (2001) - Oman (2007)

Compare Lesotho (2001) z Oman (2007)

 Lesotho (2001)Oman (2007)
 LesothoOman
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 5 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)*
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: 42.7% (male 698,461/female 670,793)


15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,026,686/female 723,712)


65 years and over: 2.7% (male 47,534/female 37,711) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 137 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total:
4

over 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
total: 7


over 3,047 m: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
25

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
21 (2000 est.)
total: 130


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 51


914 to 1,523 m: 35


under 914 m: 34 (2007)
Area total:
30,355 sq km

land:
30,355 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 212,460 sq km


land: 212,460 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Kansas
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 inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
Birth rate 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 35.76 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
revenues: $13.07 billion


expenditures: $11.62 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Maseru name: Muscat


geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E


time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 2,092 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman


conventional short form: Oman


local long form: Saltanat Uman


local short form: Uman


former: Muscat and Oman
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) -
Death rate 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 3.78 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $720 million (2000 est.) $3.465 billion (2006 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 Gary A. GRAPPO


embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat


mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat


telephone: [968] 24-643-400


FAX: [968] 24-699771
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 Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI


chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988


FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933
Disputes - international none boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) $30.68 million (2005)
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. Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation. Sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped build Oman's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Oman joined the World Trade Organization in November 2000 and continues to liberalize its markets. It ratified a free trade agreement with the US in September 2006 and, through the Gulf Cooperation Council, seeks similar agreements with the EU, China and Japan. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence on foreign labor, the government is encouraging the replacement of foreign expatriate workers with local workers. Oman actively seeks private foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.
Electricity - consumption 55 million kWh (1999) 8.661 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 55 million kWh

note:
electricity supplied by South Africa (1999)
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (1999) 11.89 billion kWh (2005)
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: Arabian Sea 0 m


highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 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 rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
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 Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002)
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: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Exports $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) 733,100 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998) petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) China 23.6%, South Korea 17.9%, Japan 10.9%, Thailand 10.7%, South Africa 7.7%, UAE 6.3% (2006)
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 three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
agriculture: 2.3%


industry: 39.1%


services: 58.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) 6.6% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 21 00 N, 57 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Heliports - 2 (2007)
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
-
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 bbl/day
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) UAE 22.4%, Japan 16.5%, US 8.1%, Germany 5.4%, India 4.3% (2006)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) 5.9% (2006 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (LNG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber
Infant mortality rate 82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 18.28 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.96 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2000 est.) 3.2% (2006 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 ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1993 est.) 720 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Supreme Court


note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Shari'a law
Labor force 700,000 economically active 920,000 (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 agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
Land boundaries total:
909 km

border countries:
South Africa 909 km
total: 1,374 km


border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Land use arable land:
11%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
66%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
23% (1993 est.)
arable land: 0.12%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 99.74% (2005)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
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 Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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.
bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla (or upper chamber) (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura (or lower chamber)(84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers)


elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2007)


election results: NA
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

female:
49.74 years (2001 est.)
total population: 73.62 years


male: 71.37 years


female: 75.99 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
83%

male:
72%

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


total population: 81.4%


male: 86.8%


female: 73.5% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,155 GRT/7,244 DWT


by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 1


registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007)
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) Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman, RAFO) (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 11.4% (2005 est.)
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 Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun: Omani(s)


adjective: Omani
Natural hazards periodic droughts summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - gas 4,072 km; oil 3,405 km (2006)
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.)
3,204,897


note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) 3.234% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (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)
-
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu) 25%
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: 1.041 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.419 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.26 male(s)/female


total population: 1.238 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote
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: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable


domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations


international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) 278,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) 1.818 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 13 (plus 25 repeaters) (1999)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) 5.7 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) 15% (2004 est.)
Waterways none -
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