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Compare Lesotho (2002) - Paraguay (2001)

Compare Lesotho (2002) z Paraguay (2001)

 Lesotho (2002)Paraguay (2001)
 LesothoParaguay
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and one capital city; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion (city), Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
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:
38.9% (male 1,133,306; female 1,097,360)

15-64 years:
56.39% (male 1,622,743; female 1,610,659)

65 years and over:
4.71% (male 124,321; female 145,750) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (yucca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber
Airports 28 (2001) 915 (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:
11

over 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
4 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
total:
904

1,524 to 2,437 m:
29

914 to 1,523 m:
340

under 914 m:
535 (2000 est.)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
406,750 sq km

land:
397,300 sq km

water:
9,450 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller 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. In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then.
Birth rate 30.72 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 30.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $76 million


expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million
revenues:
$1.3 billion

expenditures:
$2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (1999 est.)
Capital Maseru Asuncion
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 2 April 1993 promulgated 20 June 1992
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form:
Republic of Paraguay

conventional short form:
Paraguay

local long form:
Republica del Paraguay

local short form:
Paraguay
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) guarani (PYG)
Death rate 16.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $715 million (2001 est.) $3 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 David N. GREENLEE

embassy:
1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion

mailing address:
Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001

telephone:
[595] (21) 213-715

FAX:
[595] (21) 213-728
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 Leila RACHID

chancery:
2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-4508

consulate(s) general:
Detroit (honorary), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (honorary)
Disputes - international none -
Economic aid - recipient $123.7 million (1995) (1995) $NA
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. Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. The informal sector features both reexport of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3% annually in 1995-97, but GDP declined slightly in 1998 and 1999. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Growth rebounded slightly in 2000.
Electricity - consumption 100 million kWh (2000) 1.915 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 46.03 billion 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) 51.554 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
0.07%

hydro:
99.79%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0.15% (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 Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m

highest point:
Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 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 (an estimated 2 million hectares of forest land were lost from 1958-85); water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal present health risks for many urban residents
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

signed, but not ratified:
Nuclear Test Ban
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%
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 guarani per US dollar - 3,570.0 (January 2001), 3,486.4 (2000), 3,119.1 (1999), 2,726.5 (1998), 2,177.9 (1997), 2,056.8 (1996); note - since early 1998, the exchange rate has operated as a managed float; prior to that, the exchange rate was determined freely in the market
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 Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI (since 28 March 1999); vice president Julio Cesar FRANCO (since NA August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Council of Ministers nominated by the president

elections:
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)

election results:
Raul CUBAS Grau elected president; percent of vote - 55.3%; resigned 28 March 1999

note:
President Luis GONZALEZ MACCHI, formerly president of the Chamber of Senators, constitutionally succeeded President Raul CUBAS Grau, who resigned after being impeached soon after the assassination of Vice President Luis Maria ARGANA; the successor to ARGANA was decided in an election held in August 2000
Exports $250 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals electricity, soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils
Exports - partners South African Customs Union 53.9%, North America 45.6% (1999) Brazil, Argentina, EU
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 blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.3 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18%


industry: 38%


services: 44% (2001)
agriculture:
28%

industry:
21%

services:
51% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $4,750 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2001 est.) 1% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 23 00 S, 58 00 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil
Highways total: 4,955 km


paved: 887 km


unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)
total:
25,901 km

paved:
3,067 km

unpaved:
22,834 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 43% (1986-87)
lowest 10%:
0.7%

highest 10%:
46.6% (1995)
Illicit drugs - illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is consumed in South America; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Southern Cone markets and Europe
Imports $720 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) $3.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery
Imports - partners South African Customs Union 89.5%, Asia 7% (1999) Brazil, US, Argentina, Uruguay, EU, Hong Kong
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999 est.) 0% (2000 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products
Infant mortality rate 82.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 29.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.9% (2001 est.) 8% (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 CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 4 (2000)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) 670 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 of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura)
Labor force 700,000 economically active 2 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 45%
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total:
3,920 km

border countries:
Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km
Land use arable land: 10.71%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
arable land:
6%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
55%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
7% (1993 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Spanish (official), Guarani (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 Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
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
bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
Chamber of Senators - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)

election results:
Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Colorado Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 47 years


male: 46.3 years


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

male:
71.44 years

female:
76.52 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

total population:
92.1%

male:
93.5%

female:
90.6% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Central South America, northeast of Argentina
Map references Africa South America
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - total:
20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 31,066 GRT/35,441 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 14, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2 (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. -
Military branches Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police Army, Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines), Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $34 million (1999) $125 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.4% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 526,332 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,388,436 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 283,203 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,001,516 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 17 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
58,359 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 14 May (1811)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun:
Paraguayan(s)

adjective:
Paraguayan
Natural hazards periodic droughts local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone
Net migration rate -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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] Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA [Miguel Abdon SAGUIER]; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adalina GUITERREZ DE GALEANO]; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria LJUBETIC]; National Encounter or PEN [Euclides ACEVEDO]; National Republican Association - Colorado Party [acting president Bader RACHID LICHI]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT
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.)
5,734,139 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999 est.) 36% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.33% (2002 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)
Radios NA (2002) 925,000 (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)
total:
971 km

standard gauge:
441 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:
60 km 1.000-m gauge

note:
there are 470 km of various gauges that are privately owned
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite, and other Protestant
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:
1.03 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 (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
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:
meager telephone service; principal switching center is Asuncion

domestic:
fair microwave radio relay network

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 22,200 (2000) 290,475 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 21,600 (2000) 510,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 4 (2001)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Total fertility rate 4.01 children born/woman (2002 est.) 4.11 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2000 est.) 16% (2000 est.)
Waterways none 3,100 km
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