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Compare Lesotho (2007) - Tonga (2007)

Compare Lesotho (2007) z Tonga (2007)

 Lesotho (2007)Tonga (2007)
 LesothoTonga
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
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: 34.6% (male 20,624/female 19,779)


15-64 years: 61.2% (male 35,551/female 36,052)


65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,087/female 2,828) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Airports 28 (2007) 6 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2007)
total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 748 sq km


land: 718 sq km


water: 30 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland 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. Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
Birth rate 24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 23.67 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $995.8 million


expenditures: $763.2 million (2006 est.)
revenues: $56.97 million


expenditures: $83.88 million (FY04/05)
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: Nuku'alofa


geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W


time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 419 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
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: Kingdom of Tonga


conventional short form: Tonga


local long form: Pule'anga Tonga


local short form: Tonga


former: Friendly Islands
Death rate 22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $652 million (2006 est.) $80.7 million (2004)
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 Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
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 Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU


chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022


telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025


FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024


consulate(s) general: San Francisco
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $68.82 million (2005) $31.75 million (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. Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.
Electricity - consumption 338.5 million kWh (2005) 32.55 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) 35 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: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 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 results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
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, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Polynesian, Europeans
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.541 (2002) pa'anga per US dollar - 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952 (2002)
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: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; four appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including two each from the nobles' and peoples' representatives serving three-year terms


note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the cabinet, and two governors


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops
Exports - partners US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006) US 39.7%, Japan 27.8%, NZ 8.2%, South Korea 7.6% (2006)
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 red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18.2%


industry: 40.8%


services: 41% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 23%


industry: 27%


services: 50% (FY03/04 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.2% (2006 est.) 2.4% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 20 00 S, 175 00 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.9%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006) Fiji 30.3%, NZ 27.7%, US 8.2%, Australia 7.5%, France 5.7%, UK 4.7% (2006)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999) 1% (2003 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism tourism, fishing
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: 11.99 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.1% (2006 est.) 11.1% (2005 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, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) NA
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 (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council)
Labor force 838,000 (2000) 33,910 (2003)
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: 65%


industry and services: 35% (1997 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% (2005)
arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 14.67%


other: 65.33% (2005)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Tongan, English
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 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 Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)


elections: last held on 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)


election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%, other 30%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 39.97 years


male: 40.73 years


female: 39.18 years (2007 est.)
total population: 70.12 years


male: 67.6 years


female: 72.76 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: can read and write Tongan and/or English


total population: 98.9%


male: 98.8%


female: 99% (1999 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine - total: 14 ships (1000 GRT or over) 58,756 GRT/67,889 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 9, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1


foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Switzerland 1, UK 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 Tonga Defense Services: Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2006)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2006) 0.9% (2006 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Tongan(s)


adjective: Tongan
Natural hazards periodic droughts cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone fish, fertile soil
Net migration rate -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 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] People's Democratic Party [Tesina FUKO]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]
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.)
116,921 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) 24% (FY03/04)
Population growth rate 0.144% (2007 est.) 1.847% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
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: 1.043 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.993 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 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: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television


domestic: fully automatic switched network


international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)
Telephones - main lines in use 48,000 (2005) 13,700 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 249,800 (2005) 29,900 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 3 (2004)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Total fertility rate 3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.75 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) 13% (FY03/04 est.)
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