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Compare Lesotho (2006) - Dominica (2002)

Compare Lesotho (2006) z Dominica (2002)

 Lesotho (2006)Dominica (2002)
 LesothoDominica
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter
Age structure 0-14 years: 36.8% (male 374,102/female 369,527)


15-64 years: 58.3% (male 572,957/female 606,846)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 39,461/female 59,438) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 10,052; female 9,800)


15-64 years: 63.8% (male 23,011; female 21,782)


65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,245; female 3,268) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited
Airports 28 (2006) 2 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2006)
-
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 754 sq km


land: 754 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Background Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002. Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.
Birth rate 24.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 17.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $738.5 million


expenditures: $792.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA (2005 est.)
revenues: $72 million


expenditures: $79.9 million, including capital expenditures of $11.5 million (FY97/98)
Capital name: Maseru


geographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Roseau
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 148 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 3 November 1978
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


local short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica


conventional short form: Dominica
Currency - East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Death rate 28.71 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 7.11 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $735 million (2002) $150 million (2000) (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY


embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)


mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho


telephone: [266] 22 312666


FAX: [266] 22 310116
the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; US interests are served by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados
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 Swinburne LESTRADE


chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016


telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781


FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor ODA, $4.4 million -
Economic aid - recipient $41.5 million (2000) $24.4 million (1995) (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. However, the government has recently 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, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. 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 Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in 1995 after tropical storms wiped out a quarter of the 1994 crop. The subsequent recovery has been fueled by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. Economic growth is sluggish, and unemployment is greater than 20%. The government has been attempting to develop an offshore financial sector in order to diversify the island's production base.
Electricity - consumption 363.5 million kWh (2003) 62.31 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 38 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003) 67 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 48%


hydro: 52%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 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 NA
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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001) East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
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 depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age
chief of state: President Vernon Lordon SHAW (since 6 October 1998)


head of government: Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October 2000); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Roosevelt DOUGLAS


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister


elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 6 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Vernon Lordon SHAW elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Exports NA bbl/day $49 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges
Exports - partners Hong Kong 43.6%, China 35.4%, Germany 8.4% (2005) Caricom countries 47%, UK 36%, US 7% (1996 est.)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 July - 30 June
Flag description three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)
GDP - purchasing power parity - $262 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 16.3%


industry: 44.3%


services: 39.4% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 18%


industry: 23%


services: 59% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.2% (2005 est.) -3.2% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 15 25 N, 61 20 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world
Highways - total: 780 km


paved: 390 km


unpaved: 390 km (2001)
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 narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering
Imports NA bbl/day $132 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000) manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals
Imports - partners US 84%, Belgium 12.8%, Canada 2.4% (2005) US 41%, Caricom countries 25%, UK 13%, Netherlands, Canada (1996 est.)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 3 November 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999) -10% (1997 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes
Infant mortality rate total: 87.24 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 92.04 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
15.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.7% (2005 est.) 1% (2001 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 ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 16 (2000)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) NA sq km
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)
Labor force 838,000 (2000) 25,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa


industry and services: 14%
agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%
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% (2005)
arable land: 4%


permanent crops: 16%


other: 80% (1998 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa English (official), French patois
Legal system based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations 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 by 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 House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July 2005) note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90 day grace period


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 34.4 years


male: 35.55 years


female: 33.21 years (2006 est.)
total population: 73.86 years


male: 70.98 years


female: 76.88 years (2002 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 has ever attended school


total population: 94%


male: 94%


female: 94% (1970 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contiguous zone: 24 NM


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): Army and Air Wing Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (including Special Service Unit, Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $41.1 million (2005 est.) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.1% (2005 est.) NA%
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 3 November (1978)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Dominican(s)


adjective: Dominican
Natural hazards periodic droughts flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone timber, hydropower, arable land
Net migration rate -0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -18.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI] (the governing party); Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]; United Democratic Party or UDP [C.D. MOFELI]; United Party or UP [Makara SEKAUTU] Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Pierre CHARLES]; United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)
Population 2,022,331


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 2006 est.)
70,158 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) NA%
Population growth rate -0.46% (2006 est.) -0.81% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Portsmouth, Roseau
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 46,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


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


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: rudimentary system


domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of 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: NA


domestic: fully automatic network


international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use 48,000 (2005) 19,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular 245,100 (2005) 461 (1996)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 0 (however, there is one cable television company) (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains rugged mountains of volcanic origin
Total fertility rate 3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.) 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) 23% (2000 est.)
Waterways - none
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