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Compare Lesotho (2004) - Bahamas, The (2001)

Compare Lesotho (2004) z Bahamas, The (2001)

 Lesotho (2004)Bahamas, The (2001)
 LesothoBahamas, The
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nicholls Town and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay
Age structure 0-14 years: 37.3% (male 350,288; female 345,815)


15-64 years: 57.2% (male 521,434; female 545,183)


65 years and over: 5.5% (male 41,903; female 60,417) (2004 est.)
0-14 years:
29.43% (male 44,179; female 43,486)

15-64 years:
64.46% (male 94,329; female 97,674)

65 years and over:
6.11% (male 7,618; female 10,566) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock citrus, vegetables; poultry
Airports 28 (2003 est.) 65 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
36

over 3,047 m:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
16

914 to 1,523 m:
13

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
total:
29

914 to 1,523 m:
6

under 914 m:
23 (2000 est.)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
13,940 sq km

land:
10,070 sq km

water:
3,870 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Connecticut
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 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Birth rate 26.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 19.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $625.4 million


expenditures: $675.2 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (2003 est.)
revenues:
$766 million

expenditures:
$845 million, including capital expenditures of $97 million (FY97/98)
Capital Maseru Nassau
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 3,542 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 10 July 1973
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form:
Commonwealth of The Bahamas

conventional short form:
The Bahamas
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Death rate 24.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 7.14 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $735 million (2002) $385.8 million (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-designate J. Richard BLANKENSHIP

embassy:
Queen Street, Nassau

mailing address:
local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009; pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370

telephone:
[1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206

FAX:
[1] (242) 356-0222
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


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


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joshua SEARS

chancery:
2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 319-2660

FAX:
[1] (202) 319-2668

consulate(s) general:
Miami and New York
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor ODA $4.4 million -
Economic aid - recipient $41.5 million (2000) $9.8 million (1995)
Economy - overview Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs 40% of the archipelago's labor force. Moderate growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences led to an increase of the country's GDP by an estimated 3% in 1998, 6% in 1999, and 4.5% in 2000. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute only 10% of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run will depend heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector and continued sturdy growth in the US, which accounts for the majority of tourist visitors.
Electricity - consumption 40 million kWh (2001) 1.362 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 40 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 0 kWh NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001) 1.465 billion 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:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 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 coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999) Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar)
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 ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995)

head of government:
Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since December 1994)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Exports NA (2001) $376.8 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products
Exports - partners US 97.6%, Canada 1.5%, France 0.5% (2003) US 22.3%, Switzerland 15.6%, UK 15%, Denmark 7.4% (1998)
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 horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.583 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 15.3%


industry: 43.3%


services: 41.4% (2003)
agriculture:
3%

industry:
7%

services:
90% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2003 est.) 4.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain
Heliports - 1 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 5,940 km


paved: 1,087 km


unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
total:
2,693 km

paved:
1,546 km

unpaved:
1,147 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4%
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; banking industry vulnerable to money laundering
Imports NA (2001) $1.73 billion (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000) foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics
Imports - partners Hong Kong 36.6%, Taiwan 36.2%, China 12%, Germany 9.9% (2003) US 27.3%, Italy 26.5%, Japan 10%, Denmark 4.2% (1998)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999) NA%
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
Infant mortality rate total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 90.19 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 80.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
17.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.1% (2003 est.) 1.9% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 19 (2000)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts
Labor force 838,000 (2000) 156,000 (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 tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.)
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2001)
arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
67% (1993 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
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 English common law
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 Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 14 March 1997 (next to be held by March 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FNM 35, PLP 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 36.81 years


male: 36.81 years


female: 36.81 years (2004 est.)
total population:
70.46 years

male:
67.27 years

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


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98.2%

male:
98.5%

female:
98% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
1,049 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,000,221 GRT/44,601,471 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 185, cargo 214, chemical tanker 36, combination bulk 15, combination ore/oil 22, container 66, liquefied gas 33, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 79, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 182, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 118, roll on/roll off 50, short-sea passenger 15, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 24

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Algeria 2, Australia 1, Austria 1, Bermuda 6, Belgium 14, Canada 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 2, Denmark 17, Finland 7, France 9, Germany 9, Greece 89, Hong Kong 7, Indonesia 2, India 1, Israel 4, Italy 8, Japan 23, Jamaica 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 2, Luxembourg 2, Monaco 15, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 16, Norway 139, Poland 3, Portugal 2, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 5, Singapore 12, Spain 7, Sweden 14, Syria 1, Switzerland 7, UAE 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, UK 67, Ukraine 3, US 50, British Virgin Islands 1, British Virgin Islands 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 -
Military branches Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; with Army and Air Wing) Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $32.5 million (2003) $20 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2003) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 465,827 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 253,974 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun:
Bahamian(s)

adjective:
Bahamian
Natural hazards periodic droughts hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Net migration rate -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -2.65 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] Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 1,865,040


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 2004 est.)
297,852

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 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) NA%
Population growth rate 0.14% (2004 est.) 0.93% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 215,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth:
1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.96 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: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment:
modern facilities

domestic:
totally automatic system; highly developed

international:
tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Telephones - main lines in use 28,600 (2002) 96,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 92,000 (2002) 6,152 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Total fertility rate 3.44 children born/woman (2004 est.) 2.3 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) 9% (1998 est.)
Waterways - none
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