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Compare Lesotho (2002) - Luxembourg (2007)

Compare Lesotho (2002) z Luxembourg (2007)

 Lesotho (2002)Luxembourg (2007)
 LesothoLuxembourg
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg
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: 18.8% (male 46,478/female 43,656)


15-64 years: 66.6% (male 161,466/female 158,261)


65 years and over: 14.7% (male 28,530/female 41,831) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products
Airports 28 (2001) 2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 2,586 sq km


land: 2,586 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Rhode Island
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. Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.
Birth rate 30.72 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 11.84 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million
revenues: $18.68 billion


expenditures: $18.65 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Maseru name: Luxembourg


geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers modified continental with mild winters, cool summers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 2 April 1993 17 October 1868; occasional revisions
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg


conventional short form: Luxembourg


local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg


local short form: Luxembourg
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) -
Death rate 16.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $715 million (2001 est.) $NA
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 Ann WAGNER


embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City


mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)


telephone: [352] 46 01 23


FAX: [352] 46 14 01
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 Joseph WEYLAND


chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72


FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270


consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $235.6 million (2004)
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) (1995) -
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. This stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, has suffered from the global economic slump, the country enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks second in the world.
Electricity - consumption 100 million kWh (2000) 6.315 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 3.131 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - imports 100 million kWh


note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2000)
6.392 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - production 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2000) 3.156 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Elevation extremes lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m


highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 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 air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland
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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers)
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 euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
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: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch)


head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies


note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP
Exports $250 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) 283 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 53.9%, North America 45.6% (1999) Germany 19.3%, France 15.5%, Italy 9.5%, UK 9.5%, Belgium 8.8%, Spain 5.3%, Netherlands 4.5% (2006)
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 horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.3 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18%


industry: 38%


services: 44% (2001)
agriculture: 1%


industry: 13%


services: 86% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2001 est.) 6.2% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 49 45 N, 6 10 E
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world
Heliports - 1 (2007)
Highways total: 4,955 km


paved: 887 km


unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1%


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


highest 10%: NA% (2000)
Imports $720 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) 61,070 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 89.5%, Asia 7% (1999) Belgium 26.3%, Germany 20.1%, China 16.7%, France 8.5%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 4.2% (2006)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 1839 (from the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) 4.3% (2006 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism
Infant mortality rate 82.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.9% (2001 est.) 2.7% (2006 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, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) NA
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch
Labor force 700,000 economically active 203,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2006 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: 1%


industry: 13%


services: 86% (2004 est.)
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total: 359 km


border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Land use arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
arable land: 23.94%


permanent crops: 0.39%


other: 75.67% (includes Belgium) (2005)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative 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 civil law system; accepts 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 Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%, DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5


note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister
Life expectancy at birth total population: 47 years


male: 46.3 years


female: 47.8 years (2002 est.)
total population: 79.03 years


male: 75.76 years


female: 82.52 years (2007 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: 100%


male: 100%


female: 100% (2000 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Western Europe, between France and Germany
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - total: 45 ships (1000 GRT or over) 682,955 GRT/858,985 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 7, chemical tanker 14, container 7, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 7


foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 9, France 14, Germany 10, Netherlands 1, UK 7, US 3) (2007)
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
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 0.9% (2005 est.)
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) National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more favorable time of year
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Luxembourger(s)


adjective: Luxembourg
Natural hazards periodic droughts NA
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - gas 155 km (2006)
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] Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast GIBERYEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN] (also known as Christian Social Party or PCS); Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union)
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.)
480,222 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.33% (2002 est.) 1.207% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
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: 275 km


standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2006)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)
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: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.065 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.682 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables


domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable


international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)
Telephones - main lines in use 22,200 (2000) 246,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 21,600 (2000) 713,800 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 5 (1999)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast
Total fertility rate 4.01 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.78 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) 4.1% (2006 est.)
Waterways none 37 km (on Moselle River) (2007)
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