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Compare Lesotho (2007) - Guyana (2008)

Compare Lesotho (2007) z Guyana (2008)

 Lesotho (2007)Guyana (2008)
 LesothoGuyana
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Age structure 0-14 years: 35.7% (male 382,308/female 377,303)


15-64 years: 59.3% (male 613,979/female 645,818)


65 years and over: 5% (male 42,621/female 63,233) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 102,111/female 98,325)


15-64 years: 68.6% (male 266,288/female 261,620)


65 years and over: 5.3% (male 17,308/female 23,443) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock sugarcane, rice, shrimp, fish, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products
Airports 28 (2007) 93 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


under 914 m: 6 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2007)
total: 84


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 14


under 914 m: 69 (2007)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 214,970 sq km


land: 196,850 sq km


water: 18,120 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Idaho
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. Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006.
Birth rate 24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 18.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $995.8 million


expenditures: $763.2 million (2006 est.)
revenues: $419.4 million


expenditures: $527.4 million (2007 est.)
Capital name: Maseru


geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Georgetown


geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 459 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 6 October 1980
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: Cooperative Republic of Guyana


conventional short form: Guyana


former: British Guiana
Death rate 22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 8.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $652 million (2006 est.) $1.2 billion (2002)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador David M. ROBINSON


embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown


mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170


telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909


FAX: [592] 225-8497
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 Bayney KARRAN


chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900


FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international none all of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters
Economic aid - recipient $68.82 million (2005) $136.8 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) $253 million (1997) (2005)
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 and also generates royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. 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 Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-07, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of international organizations. Economic recovery since the 2005 flood-related contraction has been buoyed by increases in remittances and foreign direct investment. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to nearly 41% of GDP. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and partial privatization, and the state-owned sugar industry will conduct efficiency increasing modernizations. Export earnings from agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the import bill has risen, driven by higher energy prices. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 will broaden the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector.
Electricity - consumption 338.5 million kWh (2005) 750.7 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 13 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) 807.3 million kWh (2005)
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 Roraima 2,835 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 water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7%
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.541 (2002) Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 201.89 (2007), 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004), 193.88 (2003)
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, that 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 Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN and reelected in 2001, and again in 2006


head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992, except for a period as chief of state after the death of President Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997)


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature


elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamentary elections, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of vote 54.6%
Exports NA bbl/day 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Exports - partners US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006) US 18.8%, Canada 18.4%, UK 8.7%, Portugal 6.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.9%, Netherlands 4.3%, Belgium 4.3%, Jamaica 4.1% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
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 red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18.2%


industry: 40.8%


services: 41% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 35.2%


industry: 19%


services: 45.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.2% (2006 est.) 4.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 5 00 N, 59 00 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.)
lowest 10%: 1.3%


highest 10%: 33.8% (1999)
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laundering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling
Imports NA bbl/day 10,070 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food
Imports - partners Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006) Trinidad and Tobago 23%, US 21.3%, China 9.7%, Cuba 6.3%, UK 4.5% (2006)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 26 May 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999) 2% (2007 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining
Infant mortality rate total: 79.85 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 84.4 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 75.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 31.35 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 34.93 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 27.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.1% (2006 est.) 10.4% (2007 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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) 1,500 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the Judicial Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice
Labor force 838,000 (2000) 418,000 (2001 est.)
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% (2002 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total: 2,949 km


border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Land use arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2005)
arable land: 2.23%


permanent crops: 0.14%


other: 97.63% (2005)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of 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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted 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 popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)


elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4
unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parliamentary secretaries appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%, AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party - PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5, other 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 39.97 years


male: 40.73 years


female: 39.18 years (2007 est.)
total population: 66.17 years


male: 63.52 years


female: 68.95 years (2007 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: 98.8%


male: 99.1%


female: 98.5% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Map references Africa South America
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine - total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,516 GRT/14,193 DWT


by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1


registered in other countries: 2 (St Vincent and The Grenadines 2, unknown 1) (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): Army and Air Wing Guyana Defense Force: Army (includes Coast Guard, Air Corps) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2006) 1.8% (2006)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Guyanese
Natural hazards periodic droughts flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Net migration rate -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -7.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP; All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THABANE]; Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [Pheelo MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; New Lesotho Freedom Party or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO] Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj RAMJATTAN]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA]; People's National Congress/Reform or PNC/R [Robert Herman Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; The Unity Party [Joey JAGAN]; Vision Guyana [Peter RAMSAROOP]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Amerindian People's Association; Guyana Citizens Initiative; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union Congress
Population 2,125,262


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 2007 est.)
769,095


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 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) NA%
Population growth rate 0.144% (2007 est.) 0.234% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.674 male(s)/female


total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.018 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.738 male(s)/female


total population: 1.006 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: rudimentary system consisting of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a small radiotelephone communication system; mobile-cellular telephone system is expanding


domestic: privatized in 2001, Telecom Lesotho tasked with providing an additional 50,000 fixed-line connections within five years, a target not met; mobile-cellular service is expanding with a subscribership approaching 15 per 100 persons; rural services are scant


international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: fair system for long-distance service


domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines; fixed-line teledensity is about 15 per 100 persons; many areas still lack fixed-line telephone services; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 37 per 100 persons in 2005


international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 48,000 (2005) 110,100 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 249,800 (2005) 281,400 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 3 (1 public station; 2 private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Total fertility rate 3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.04 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) 9.1% (understated) (2000)
Waterways - Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2006)
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