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Compare Lesotho (2007) - Vanuatu (2004)

Compare Lesotho (2007) z Vanuatu (2004)

 Lesotho (2007)Vanuatu (2004)
 LesothoVanuatu
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
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: 34.1% (male 35,281; female 33,785)


15-64 years: 62.4% (male 64,669; female 61,829)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 3,740; female 3,305) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef
Airports 28 (2007) 30 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1524 to 2437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2007)
total: 27


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 12,200 sq km


land: 12,200 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly larger than Connecticut
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. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980.
Birth rate 24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 23.67 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $995.8 million


expenditures: $763.2 million (2006 est.)
revenues: $94.4 million


expenditures: $99.8 million, including capital expenditures of $30.4 million (1996 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)
Port-Vila (Efate)
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 2,528 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 30 July 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: Republic of Vanuatu


conventional short form: Vanuatu


former: New Hebrides
Currency - vatu (VUV)
Death rate 22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 8.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $652 million (2006 est.) $65.8 million (2001 est.)
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 Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
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
Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN
Disputes - international none Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France
Economic aid - recipient $68.82 million (2005) $45.8 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. 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. This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 1997, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. A severe earthquake in November 1999 followed by a tsunami, caused extensive damage to the northern island of Pentecote and left thousands homeless. Another powerful earthquake in January 2002 caused extensive damage in the capital, Port-Vila, and surrounding areas, and also was followed by a tsunami. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid. Growth expanded moderately in 2003.
Electricity - consumption 338.5 million kWh (2005) 40.42 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 13 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) 43.46 million kWh (2001)
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: Tabwemasana 1,877 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 a majority of the population does not have access to a potable and reliable supply of water; 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: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, indigenous Melanesian 98%, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, other Pacific Islanders
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.541 (2002) vatu per US dollar - 122.189 (2003), 139.198 (2002), 145.312 (2001), 137.643 (2000), 129.075 (1999)
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 Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004); Prime Minister Serge VOHOR ousted in no-confidence vote on 11 December 2004


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament


elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general elections in 2008)


election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49 votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004
Exports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee
Exports - partners US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006) India 32.8%, Thailand 25.5%, Indonesia 9.6%, Japan 7.6%, Australia 4%, Poland 4% (2003)
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 two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow
GDP - purchasing power parity - $563 million (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18.2%


industry: 40.8%


services: 41% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 26%


industry: 12%


services: 62% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.2% (2006 est.) -0.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 16 00 S, 167 00 E
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
Highways - total: 1,070 km


paved: 256 km


unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.)
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 (2001)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
Imports - partners Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006) Australia 15.3%, Japan 10.6%, Singapore 7.4%, New Zealand 6%, Fiji 5.1% (2003)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999) 1% (1997 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
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: 56.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 59.25 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 53.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.1% (2006 est.) 2% (2002 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 ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
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 Courts; customary or traditional court Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)
Labor force 838,000 (2000) NA
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 5%, services 30% (2000 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: 2.46%


permanent crops: 7.38%


other: 90.16% (2001)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages
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 unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
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 Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16; note - political party associations are fluid


note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language
Life expectancy at birth total population: 39.97 years


male: 40.73 years


female: 39.18 years (2007 est.)
total population: 62.1 years


male: 60.64 years


female: 63.63 years (2004 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: 53%


male: 57%


female: 48% (1979 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims none (landlocked) measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine - total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828 DWT


by type: bulk 28, cargo 2, combination bulk 3, container 2, liquefied gas 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5


foreign-owned: Australia 2, Canada 1, Estonia 1, Germany 1, Japan 25, Monaco 4, New Zealand 2, Panama 1, Poland 7, Switzerland 3, United Kingdom 5, United States 2


registered in other countries: 1 (2004 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 no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF; including the paramilitary Mobile Force or VMF)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2006) NA
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)


adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
Natural hazards periodic droughts tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Net migration rate -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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] Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [NA]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Greens (Vanuatu) [Moana CARCASSES]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
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.)
202,609 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) NA
Population growth rate 0.144% (2007 est.) 1.57% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2002)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Presbyterian 36.7%, Anglican 15%, Roman Catholic 15%, indigenous beliefs 7.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6.2%, Church of Christ 3.8%, other 15.7% (including Jon Frum Cargo cult)
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: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 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: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 48,000 (2005) 6,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 249,800 (2005) 7,800 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (2002)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Total fertility rate 3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) NA
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