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Compare Lesotho (2002) - Guinea (2003)

Compare Lesotho (2002) z Guinea (2003)

 Lesotho (2002)Guinea (2003)
 LesothoGuinea
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou
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: 44.4% (male 2,027,970; female 1,986,300)


15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,358,566; female 2,372,384)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 124,382; female 160,618) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Airports 28 (2001) 15 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
total: 10


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 245,857 sq km


land: 245,857 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Oregon
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. Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has spilled over into Guinea, threatening stability and creating a humanitarian emergency.
Birth rate 30.72 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 42.5 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million
revenues: $395.7 million


expenditures: $472.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.)
Capital Maseru Conakry
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 320 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea


conventional short form: Guinea


local long form: Republique de Guinee


local short form: Guinee


former: French Guinea
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Guinean franc (GNF)
Death rate 16.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $715 million (2001 est.) $3.4 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 Barrie R. WALKLEY


embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry


mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry


telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23


FAX: [224] 41 15 22
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 Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY


chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300


FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010
Disputes - international none domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created skirmishes, deaths, and refugees in border areas
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) (1995) $359.2 million (1998)
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. Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-99, and reform progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October 2000 assessment. However, fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders has caused major economic disruptions. In addition to direct defense costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff, while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local markets. Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief - and single digit inflation permitted moderate 3.7% growth in 2002. Growth should strengthen in 2003 because of a slowly improving security situation and increased investor confidence.
Electricity - consumption 100 million kWh (2000) 735.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 100 million kWh


note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2000)
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2000) 790.6 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 45.5%


hydro: 54.5%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
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: Mont Nimba 1,752 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; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%
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 Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2002), 1,950.56 (2001), 1,746.87 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.83 (1998)
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 Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)


head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003); the prime minister is appointed by the president


election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%, Mamadou Boye BA (UPR) 24.6%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16.6%,
Exports $250 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 53.9%, North America 45.6% (1999) South Korea 17.8%, Spain 10.1%, Cameroon 9.7%, Belgium 9.6%, US 9.2%, Ireland 8.6%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Germany 5% (2002)
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 vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.3 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $18.69 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18%


industry: 38%


services: 44% (2001)
agriculture: 25%


industry: 37%


services: 38% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2001 est.) 3.7% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 11 00 N, 10 00 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands
Highways total: 4,955 km


paved: 887 km


unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)
total: 30,500 km


paved: 5,033 km


unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 43% (1986-87)
lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 32% (1994)
Imports $720 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 89.5%, Asia 7% (1999) France 18.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, Italy 8.9%, US 8.2%, Belgium 7.6%, China 5.6%, UK 5.2% (2002)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 2 October 1958 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) 3.2% (1994)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries
Infant mortality rate 82.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 93.3 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 87.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.9% (2001 est.) 6% (2002 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, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 4 (2001)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) 950 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Labor force 700,000 economically active 3 million (1999)
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 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total: 3,399 km


border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Land use arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
arable land: 3.6%


permanent crops: 2.44%


other: 93.96% (1998 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa French (official), each ethnic group has its own language
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, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; 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 People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 47 years


male: 46.3 years


female: 47.8 years (2002 est.)
total population: 49.54 years


male: 48.28 years


female: 50.83 years (2003 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: 35.9%


male: 49.9%


female: 21.9% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - none (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; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) $154 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 3.3% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 526,332 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 2,056,520 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 283,203 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 1,038,428 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Guinean(s)


adjective: Guinean
Natural hazards periodic droughts hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2003 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] Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]
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.)
9,030,220 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999 est.) 40% (1994 est.)
Population growth rate 1.33% (2002 est.) 2.37% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors none Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios NA (2002) -
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: 1,115 km


standard gauge: 311 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 804 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
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: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 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: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system


domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 22,200 (2000) 37,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 21,600 (2000) 21,567 (1998)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 6 low-power stations (2001)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Total fertility rate 4.01 children born/woman (2002 est.) 5.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) NA%
Waterways none 1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)
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