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Compare Lesotho (2002) - Cameroon (2002)

Compare Lesotho (2002) z Cameroon (2002)

 Lesotho (2002)Cameroon (2002)
 LesothoCameroon
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest
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: 42.1% (male 3,443,505; female 3,367,571)


15-64 years: 54.5% (male 4,431,524; female 4,392,155)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 253,242; female 296,751) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Airports 28 (2001) 49 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total: 11


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
total: 38


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 475,440 sq km


land: 469,440 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly larger than California
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. The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.
Birth rate 30.72 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 35.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million
revenues: $2.2 billion


expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)
Capital Maseru Yaounde
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 402 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted; revised January 1996
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon


conventional short form: Cameroon


former: French Cameroon
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate 16.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 12.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $715 million (2001 est.) $10.9 billion (2000 est.)
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: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES


embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde


mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520


telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14


FAX: [237] 223-07-53


branch office(s): Douala
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
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Raymond EPOTE


chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790


FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
Disputes - international none oral arguments on the land and maritime boundary disputes between Cameroon and Nigeria were presented to the ICJ; disputes center around Bakasi Peninsula, where armed clashes continue, Bouram Island on Lake Chad, and the maritime boundary and economic zone dispute in the Gulf of Guinea, which also involves Equatorial Guinea; Lake Chad Basin Commission urges signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, the site of continuing armed clashes
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) (1995) on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief now amounts to $1.26 billion
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. Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency and privatization. International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the economy.
Electricity - consumption 100 million kWh (2000) 3.369 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 100 million kWh


note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2000)
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2000) 3.623 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 3%


hydro: 97%


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: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Fako (on Cameroon Mountain) 4,095 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 water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
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, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%
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 Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
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 Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)


head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19 September 1996)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 92.6%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares relatively meaningless
Exports $250 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 53.9%, North America 45.6% (1999) Italy 24%, France 18%, Netherlands 10% (2000 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 three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.3 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $26.4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18%


industry: 38%


services: 44% (2001)
agriculture: 44%


industry: 20%


services: 36% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2001 est.) 4.9% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 6 00 N, 12 00 E
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano
Highways total: 4,955 km


paved: 887 km


unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)
total: 34,300 km


paved: 4,288 km


unpaved: 30,012 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Imports $720 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 89.5%, Asia 7% (1999) France 29%, Germany 7%, US 6%, Japan 6% (2000 est.)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) 4.2% (1999 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber
Infant mortality rate 82.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 68.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.9% (2001 est.) 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 ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 1 (2002)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) 330 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly)
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 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total: 4,591 km


border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km
Land use arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
arable land: 12.81%


permanent crops: 2.58%


other: 84.61% (1998 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
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 French civil law system, with common law influence; 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 (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 National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature)


elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21


note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established
Life expectancy at birth total population: 47 years


male: 46.3 years


female: 47.8 years (2002 est.)
total population: 54.36 years


male: 53.51 years


female: 55.23 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: 63.4%


male: 75%


female: 52.1% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 50 NM
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; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) $118.6 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.4% (FY98/99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 526,332 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 3,872,965 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 283,203 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 1,959,357 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 174,308 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Cameroonian(s)


adjective: Cameroonian
Natural hazards periodic droughts volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) NA 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; 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] Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA, chairman]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Southern Cameroon National Council [Frederick Ebong ALOBWEDE]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]
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.)
16,184,748


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.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999 est.) 48% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.33% (2002 est.) 2.36% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors none Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)
Radios NA (2002) 2.27 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)
1,008 km


narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
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: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 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: available only to business and government


domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 22,200 (2000) 95,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 21,600 (2000) 300,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (2002)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
Total fertility rate 4.01 children born/woman (2002 est.) 4.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) 30% (2001 est.)
Waterways none 2,090 km (of decreasing importance) (2002)
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