Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Lesotho (2002) - Aruba (2001) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Lesotho (2002) - Aruba (2001)

Compare Lesotho (2002) z Aruba (2001)

 Lesotho (2002)Aruba (2001)
 LesothoAruba
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Age structure 0-14 years: 39% (male 433,229; female 427,926)


15-64 years: 56.3% (male 600,476; female 642,538)


65 years and over: 4.7% (male 43,691; female 60,094) (2002 est.)
0-14 years:
21.29% (male 7,709; female 7,193)

15-64 years:
68.52% (male 23,111; female 24,859)

65 years and over:
10.19% (male 2,954; female 4,181) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock aloes; livestock; fish
Airports 28 (2001) 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
-
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
193 sq km

land:
193 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly larger than Washington, DC
Background Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule. Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
Birth rate 30.72 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 12.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$541 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Maseru Oranjestad
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 68.5 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 1 January 1986
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Aruba
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)
Death rate 16.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $715 million (2001 est.) $285 million (1996)
Dependency status - part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS


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:
Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON

embassy:
J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao

mailing address:
P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone:
[599] (9) 461-3066

FAX:
[599] (9) 461-6489
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Lebohang Kenneth MOLEKO


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) (1995) $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996
Economy - overview Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's primary natural resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, remittances from miners employed in South Africa, and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The number of 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 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. Lesotho has a marked inequality in income distribution and serious unemployment/underemployment problems that will not yield to short-run solutions. Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and less than 1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.
Electricity - consumption 100 million kWh (2000) 418.5 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 100 million kWh


note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2000)
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2000) 450 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

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:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Mount Jamanota 188 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%, mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997); note - the Lesotho loti is at par with the South African rand which is also legal tender; maloti is the plural form of loti Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
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 BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)

head of government:
Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29 July 1994) and Deputy Prime Minister Lili BEKE-MARTINEZ

cabinet:
Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)

elections:
the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 12 July 1997 (next to be held by December 2001)

election results:
Jan (Henny) H. EMAN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Lili BEKE-MARTINEZ elected deputy prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Exports $250 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) $2.2 billion (including oil reexports) (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 53.9%, North America 45.6% (1999) US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (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 blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.3 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18%


industry: 38%


services: 44% (2001)
agriculture:
NA%

industry:
NA%

services:
NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2001 est.) 3.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 12 30 N, 69 58 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level -
Highways total: 4,955 km


paved: 887 km


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

paved:
513 km

unpaved:
287 km

note:
most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 43% (1986-87)
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - drug-money-laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
Imports $720 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) $2.5 billion (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 89.5%, Asia 7% (1999) US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Infant mortality rate 82.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 6.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.9% (2001 est.) 4.2% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) NA
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) 0.01 sq km
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)
Labor force 700,000 economically active 41,501 (1997 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 most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
arable land:
7% (including aloe 0.01%)

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
93% (1993 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
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 Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
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 (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election


elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held by NA December 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - AVP 43%, MEP 39%, OLA 9% PPA 4%, ADN 2%, PARA 1%, MAS 0.5%; seats by party - AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 47 years


male: 46.3 years


female: 47.8 years (2002 est.)
total population:
78.52 years

male:
75.16 years

female:
82.04 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 72%


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

total population:
97%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,120 GRT/3,635 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 1 (2000 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 the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 526,332 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 283,203 (2002 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Flag Day, 18 March
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun:
Aruban(s)

adjective:
Aruban; Dutch
Natural hazards periodic droughts lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals NEGL; white sandy beaches
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) NEGL
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; Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; 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] Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Tico CROES]; Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [leader NA]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 2,207,954


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 2002 est.)
70,007 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.33% (2002 est.) 0.64% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios NA (2002) 50,000 (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% Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish
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 (2002 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.07 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.93 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; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment:
NA

domestic:
more than adequate

international:
1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
Telephones - main lines in use 22,200 (2000) 33,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 21,600 (2000) 3,402 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Total fertility rate 4.01 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) 0.6% (1999 est.)
Waterways none none
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.