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Compare Lesotho (2001) - Zimbabwe (2001)

Compare Lesotho (2001) z Zimbabwe (2001)

 Lesotho (2001)Zimbabwe (2001)
 LesothoZimbabwe
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
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:
38.68% (male 2,223,332; female 2,172,479)

15-64 years:
57.69% (male 3,319,982; female 3,236,286)

65 years and over:
3.63% (male 208,785; female 204,502) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs
Airports 29 (2000 est.) 455 (2000 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:
18

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
9 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
25

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
21 (2000 est.)
total:
437

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
209

under 914 m:
224 (2000 est.)
Area total:
30,355 sq km

land:
30,355 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total:
390,580 sq km

land:
386,670 sq km

water:
3,910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly larger than Montana
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 UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence.
Birth rate 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 24.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
revenues:
$2.5 billion

expenditures:
$2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $279 million (FY96/97 est.)
Capital Maseru Harare
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 2 April 1993 21 December 1979
Country name conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
conventional long form:
Republic of Zimbabwe

conventional short form:
Zimbabwe

former:
Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)
Death rate 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 23.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $720 million (2000 est.) $4.1 billion (2000 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 (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Earl M. IRVING

embassy:
172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare

mailing address:
P. O. Box 3340, Harare

telephone:
[263] (4) 250-593

FAX:
[263] (4) 796487
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 Simbi Veke MUBAKO

chancery:
1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:
[1] (202) 332-7100

FAX:
[1] (202) 483-9326
Disputes - international none -
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) $200 million (2000 est.)
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 government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier moves to develop a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF suffers delays in part because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999 and 60% in 2000. The economy is being steadily weakened by excessive government deficits and AIDS; Zimbabwe has the highest rate of infection in the world. Per capita GDP, which is twice the average of the poorer sub-Saharan nations, will increase little if any in the near-term, and Zimbabwe will suffer continued frustrations in developing its agricultural and mineral resources.
Electricity - consumption 55 million kWh (1999) 6.939 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 55 million kWh

note:
electricity supplied by South Africa (1999)
1.564 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (1999) 5.78 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
0%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
69.98%

hydro:
30.02%

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:
junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m

highest point:
Inyangani 2,592 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 deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching
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, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%
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 Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 54.9451 (January 2001), 43.2900 (2000), 38.3142 (1999), 21.4133 (1998), 11.8906 (1997), 9.9206 (1996)
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:
Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly

elections:
presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 16-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the president

election results:
Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%
Exports $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998) tobacco 29%, gold 7%, ferroalloys 7%, cotton 5% (1999 est.)
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998) South Africa 10%, UK 9%, Malawi 8%, Botswana 8%, Japan 7%, (1999 est.)
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 seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $28.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
agriculture:
28%

industry:
32%

services:
40% (1997 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2000 est.) -6.1% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 20 00 S, 30 00 E
Geography - note landlocked; surrounded by South Africa landlocked
Highways total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
total:
18,338 km

paved:
8,692 km

unpaved:
9,646 km (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
0.9%

highest 10%:
43.4% (1986-87)
lowest 10%:
1.8%

highest 10%:
46.9% (1990)
Illicit drugs - significant transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets
Imports $700 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995) machinery and transport equipment 35%, other manufactures 18%, chemicals 17%, fuels 14% (1999 est.)
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998) South Africa 46%, UK 6%, China 4%, Germany 4%, US 3% (1999 est.)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 18 April 1980 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Infant mortality rate 82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 62.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2000 est.) 60% (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 ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 6 (2000)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (1993 est.) 1,930 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Supreme Court; High Court
Labor force 700,000 economically active 5.5 million (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 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries total:
909 km

border countries:
South Africa 909 km
total:
3,066 km

border countries:
Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
Land use arable land:
11%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
66%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
23% (1993 est.)
arable land:
7%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
13%

forests and woodland:
23%

other:
57% (1993 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal 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 mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common 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 parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for six-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors)

elections:
last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)

election results:
percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 47.2%, MDC 45.6%, ZANU-Ndonga 0.7%, United Parties 0.7%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 63, MDC 56, ZANU-Ndonga 1
Life expectancy at birth total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

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

male:
38.51 years

female:
35.7 years (2001 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 English

total population:
85%

male:
90%

female:
80% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
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) Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) $127 million (FY99/00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 3.1% (FY99/00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
515,464 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
2,996,631 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
277,369 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
1,860,167 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Nationality noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
noun:
Zimbabwean(s)

adjective:
Zimbabwean
Natural hazards periodic droughts recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note:
there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment
Pipelines - petroleum products 212 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] Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; Popular Democratic Front or PDF [Austin CHAKAODZA]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Ndabaningi SITHOLE]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert MUGABE]; Zimbabwe Unity Movement or ZUM [Edgar TEKERE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA National Constitutional Assembly or NCA
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.)
11,365,366

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.)
Population below poverty line 49.2% (1999 est.) 60% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 1.49% (2001 est.) 0.15% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none Binga, Kariba
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 104,000 (1997) 1.14 million (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)
total:
2,759 km (1995)

narrow gauge:
2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double track) (1995 est.)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
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:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.02 male(s)/female (2001 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:
system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines

domestic:
consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)
Telephones - main lines in use 20,000 (1997) 212,000 (in addition there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,262 (1996) 70,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 16 (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Total fertility rate 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3.28 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) 50% (2000 est.)
Waterways none the Mazoe and Zambezi rivers are used for transporting chrome ore from Harare to Mozambique
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