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Compare Lesotho (2001) - Vanuatu (2002)

Compare Lesotho (2001) z Vanuatu (2002)

 Lesotho (2001)Vanuatu (2002)
 LesothoVanuatu
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
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: 35.6% (male 35,681; female 34,164)


15-64 years: 61.1% (male 61,384; female 58,473)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 3,473; female 3,003) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 31 (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: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
25

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
21 (2000 est.)
total: 27


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 17 (2002)
Area total:
30,355 sq km

land:
30,355 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 12,200 sq km


land: 12,200 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes more than 80 islands
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly larger than Connecticut
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 British and French who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980.
Birth rate 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 24.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
revenues: $94.4 million


expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million
Capital Maseru Port-Vila
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 2,528 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 30 July 1980
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu


conventional short form: Vanuatu


former: New Hebrides
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) vatu (VUV)
Death rate 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 8.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $720 million (2000 est.) $64.6 million (1999 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
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
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
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US, it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN
Disputes - international none Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) $45.8 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 economy is based primarily on subsistence or small-scale agriculture which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. A severe earthquake in November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by a tsunami. GDP growth has risen less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center.
Electricity - consumption 55 million kWh (1999) 36.27 million 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) 39 million 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: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 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 a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; deforestation
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: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders
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 vatu per US dollar - 146.02 (December 2001), 145.31 (2001), 137.64 (2000), 129.08 (1999), 127.52 (1998), 115.87 (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: President Father John BANI (since 25 March 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Edward NATAPEI (since 16 April 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Serge VOHOR (since 16 April 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament


elections: president elected for a four-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils for a five-year term; election for president last held 25 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2003)


election results: Father John BANI elected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA%; Edward NATAPEI reelected prime minister by Parliament


note: the government of Prime Minister Barak SOPE was ousted in a no confidence vote on 14 April 2001 and Edward NATAPEI was elected the new prime minister by Parliament
Exports $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $22.8 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998) copra, kava, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) Japan 32%, Belgium 17%, US 17%, Germany 8% (2000)
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 two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $257 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
agriculture: 26%


industry: 12%


services: 62% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) 2.7% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 16 00 S, 167 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
total: 1,070 km


paved: 256 km


unpaved: 814 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.) $87.5 million f.o.b. (2000)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) Australia 28%, Singapore 14%, New Zealand 8%, Japan 4%, US 1% (2000)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) 1% (1997 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Infant mortality rate 82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 59.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2000 est.) 2.5% (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 ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, NAM, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 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 Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)
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 agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (2000 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: 2.46%


permanent crops: 7.38%


other: 90.16% (1998 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages
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 unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
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 Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 2 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 15, VP 14, VRP 3, MPP 2, other and independent 18; note - political party associations are fluid


note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

female:
49.74 years (2001 est.)
total population: 61.33 years


male: 59.93 years


female: 62.8 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: 53%


male: 57%


female: 48% (1979 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims none (landlocked) measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


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: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,092,838 GRT/1,329,576 DWT


ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 3, container 2, liquefied gas 3, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 7, vehicle carrier 6


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 3, Canada 2, China 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, Netherlands 1, New Zealand 5, Panama 1, Poland 1, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 4, US 2, Vietnam 1 (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) no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 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) Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)


adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Natural hazards periodic droughts tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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] Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Dinh Van THAN]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanuaaku Party (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]
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.)
196,178 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) 1.66% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors none Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)
Radios 104,000 (1997) 67,000 (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% Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 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: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) 5,500 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) 310 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (2002)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains mostly mountains of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3.08 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) NA%
Waterways none none
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