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Compare Lesotho (2001) - United Arab Emirates (2002)

Compare Lesotho (2001) z United Arab Emirates (2002)

 Lesotho (2001)United Arab Emirates (2002)
 LesothoUnited Arab Emirates
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
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: 27.7% (male 345,077; female 331,545)


15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,069,443; female 635,275)


65 years and over: 2.6% (male 45,989; female 18,660) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 38 (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: 19 22


over 3,047 m: 8 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 4


914 to 1,523 m: 2 3


under 914 m: 4 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
25

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
21 (2000 est.)
total: 19 19


over 3,047 m: 1 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 3


914 to 1,523 m: 9 9


under 914 m: 5 5 (2002)
Area total:
30,355 sq km

land:
30,355 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 82,880 sq km


land: 82,880 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Maine
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 Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.
Birth rate 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 18.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
revenues: $20 billion


expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Maseru Abu Dhabi
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 1,318 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates


conventional short form: none


local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah


local short form: none


former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States


abbreviation: UAE
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Emirati dirham (AED)
Death rate 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $720 million (2000 est.) $12.6 billion (2001 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 Marcelle M. WAHBA


embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi


mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi


telephone: [971] (2) 4436691


FAX: [971] (2) 4435441


consulate(s) general: Dubai
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 Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI


chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400


FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
Disputes - international none Oman signed boundary treaty with the UAE in 1999, and the UAE-Oman boundary line was formally recognized in June 2000;; because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)
Economic aid - donor - $NA
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) -
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. The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement.
Electricity - consumption 55 million kWh (1999) 35.991 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 55 million kWh

note:
electricity supplied by South Africa (1999)
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (1999) 38.7 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
0%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

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


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

highest point:
Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 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 lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)


note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)
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 Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since 1997), 3.6710 (1995-96)
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 ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)


head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power


elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president


election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous
Exports $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $47.6 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998) crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%, Oman, Iran (1999)
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 equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $51 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 46%


services: 51% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $21,100 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) 5.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 24 00 N, 54 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Heliports - 2 (2002)
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
total: 4,835 km


paved: 4,835 km


unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
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 - The UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law by the president on 25 January 2002
Imports $700 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $28.6 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) Japan 9%, UK 8%, US 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South Korea (1999)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 2 December 1971 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) 4% (2000)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
Infant mortality rate 82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 16.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2000 est.) 4.5% (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 ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1993 est.) 720 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 700,000 economically active 1.6 million


note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.) (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 services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total:
909 km

border countries:
South Africa 909 km
total: 867 km


border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Land use arable land:
11%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
66%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
23% (1993 est.)
arable land: 0.48%


permanent crops: 0.49%


other: 99.03% (1998 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
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 federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts
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 Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)


elections: none


note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

female:
49.74 years (2001 est.)
total population: 74.52 years


male: 72.06 years


female: 77.1 years (2002 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 can read and write


total population: 79.2%


male: 78.9%


female: 79.8% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 833,401 GRT/1,251,015 DWT


ships by type: cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (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) Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) $1.6 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 3.1% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
515,464 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 773,938


note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
277,369 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 419,851 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 25,482 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun: Emirati(s)


adjective: Emirati
Natural hazards periodic droughts frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals petroleum, natural gas
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km
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 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.)
2,445,989


note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) 1.58% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors none 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 104,000 (1997) 820,000 (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% Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
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: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 2.46 male(s)/female


total population: 1.48 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal none
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 of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai


domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) 915,223 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) 1 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 15 (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3.16 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) NA%
Waterways none none
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