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Compare Lesotho (2004) - United Arab Emirates (2001)

Compare Lesotho (2004) z United Arab Emirates (2001)

 Lesotho (2004)United Arab Emirates (2001)
 LesothoUnited Arab Emirates
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn
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:
28.86% (male 354,298; female 340,498)

15-64 years:
68.74% (male 1,047,839; female 607,020)

65 years and over:
2.4% (male 40,626; female 17,179) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish
Airports 28 (2003 est.) 40 (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:
22

over 3,047 m:
8

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
3

under 914 m:
4 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
total:
18

over 3,047 m:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
4

914 to 1,523 m:
9

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
82,880 sq km

land:
82,880 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Maine
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. The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the UAE. They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of the leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed it to play a vital role in the affairs of the region.
Birth rate 26.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 18.11 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $625.4 million


expenditures: $675.2 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (2003 est.)
revenues:
$6.5 billion

expenditures:
$7.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Maseru Abu Dhabi
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers desert; cooler in eastern mountains
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 1,318 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form:
United Arab Emirates

conventional short form:
none

local long form:
Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah

local short form:
none

former:
Trucial Oman, Trucial States

abbreviation:
UAE
Currency loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Emirati dirham (AED)
Death rate 24.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 3.79 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $735 million (2002) $12.6 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 Theodore H. KATTOUF

embassy:
Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi

mailing address:
P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi; American Embassy Abu Dhabi, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6010 (pouch); note - work week is Saturday through Wednesday

telephone:
[971] (2) 4436691

FAX:
[971] (2) 4435441

consulate(s) general:
Dubai
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 Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI

chancery:
Suite 700, 1255 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone:
[1] (202) 955-7999
Disputes - international none location and status of boundary with Saudi Arabia is not final, de facto boundary reflects 1974 agreement; boundary with Oman has not been bilaterally defined; northern section in the Musandam Peninsula is an administrative boundary; claims two islands in the Persian Gulf occupied by Iran: Lesser Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); claims island in the Persian Gulf jointly administered with Iran (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran) - over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in the region in protesting these Iranian actions
Economic aid - donor ODA $4.4 million -
Economic aid - recipient $41.5 million (2000) $NA
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 UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. Despite higher oil revenues in 1999-2000, the government has not drawn back from the economic reforms implemented during the 1998 oil price depression. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private-sector involvement.
Electricity - consumption 40 million kWh (2001) 34.131 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) 36.7 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:
Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point:
Jabal Yibir 1,527 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 lack of natural freshwater resources being overcome by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)

note:
less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999) Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since 1998); 3.6711 (1997), 3.6710 (1995-96)
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 ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)

head of government:
Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

note:
there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) which is composed of the seven emirate rulers; the council is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation, Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power; meets four times a year

elections:
president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held NA October 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous
Exports NA (2001) $46 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates
Exports - partners US 97.6%, Canada 1.5%, France 0.5% (2003) Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%, Oman, Iran (1999)
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 green (top), white, and black with a thicker vertical red band on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $5.583 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $54 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 15.3%


industry: 43.3%


services: 41.4% (2003)
agriculture:
3%

industry:
52%

services:
45% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $22,800 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2003 est.) 4% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 24 00 N, 54 00 E
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Heliports - 2 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 5,940 km


paved: 1,087 km


unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
total:
4,835 km

paved:
4,835 km

unpaved:
0 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.9%


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

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - growing role as heroin transshipment and money-laundering center due to its proximity to southwest Asian producing countries and the bustling free trade zone in Dubai
Imports NA (2001) $34 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000) machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food
Imports - partners Hong Kong 36.6%, Taiwan 36.2%, China 12%, Germany 9.9% (2003) Japan 9%, US 8%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South Korea (1999)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 2 December 1971 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999) 4% (2000)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling
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.)
16.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.1% (2003 est.) 4.5% (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 ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (1998 est.) 50 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Labor force 838,000 (2000) 1.4 million (1998 est.)

note:
75% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 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 services 60%, industry 32%, agriculture 8% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total:
867 km

border countries:
Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
Land use arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2001)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
2%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
98% (1993 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
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 federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah have joined the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts
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 Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)

elections:
none

note:
reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto
Life expectancy at birth total population: 36.81 years


male: 36.81 years


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

male:
71.84 years

female:
76.86 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:
79.2%

male:
78.9%

female:
79.8% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,094,256 GRT/1,421,333 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 16, chemical tanker 3, container 17, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 24, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 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) Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $32.5 million (2003) $1.6 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2003) 3.1% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 465,827 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
778,842

note:
includes non-nationals (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 253,974 (2004 est.) males age 15-49:
420,484 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
25,482 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 2 December (1971)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun:
Emirati(s)

adjective:
Emirati
Natural hazards periodic droughts frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals petroleum, natural gas
Net migration rate -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km
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] none
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.)
2,407,460

note:
includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) NA%
Population growth rate 0.14% (2004 est.) 1.59% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors none 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 820,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.5 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal none
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 system consisting of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai

domestic:
microwave radio relay and coaxial cable

international:
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia
Telephones - main lines in use 28,600 (2002) 915,223 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 92,000 (2002) 1 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 15 (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
Total fertility rate 3.44 children born/woman (2004 est.) 3.23 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) NA%
Waterways - none
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