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Compare Lesotho (2008) - Bahamas, The (2003)

Compare Lesotho (2008) z Bahamas, The (2003)

 Lesotho (2008)Bahamas, The (2003)
 LesothoBahamas, The
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay
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: 28.8% (male 42,799; female 42,730)


15-64 years: 65.4% (male 95,718; female 98,875)


65 years and over: 5.8% (male 7,092; female 10,263) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock citrus, vegetables; poultry
Airports 28 (2007) 64 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 30


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2007)
total: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 22 (2002)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller 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 was reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven 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. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections of February 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties continue to periodically demonstrate their distrust of the results. Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US.
Birth rate 24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 18.57 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $951.4 million


expenditures: $855.4 million (2007 est.)
revenues: $918.5 million


expenditures: $956.5 million, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY 99/00)
Capital name: Maseru


geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Nassau
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 3,542 km
Constitution 2 April 1993 10 July 1973
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 The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
Currency - Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Death rate 22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $693 million (31 December 2007 est.) $371.6 million (2001)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Robert NOLAN


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 (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Robert M. WITAJEWSKI


embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau


mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)


FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mabasia MOHOBANE


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Disputes - international none have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary with the US
Economic aid - recipient $68.82 million (2005) $9.8 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. In July 2007 Lesotho signed a Millennium Challenge Account Compact with the US worth $362.5 million. The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2002. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of most of the visitors.
Electricity - consumption 338.5 million kWh (2005) 1.451 billion 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) 1.56 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
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 Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 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 coral reef decay; solid waste disposal
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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003) Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999), 1 (1998)
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002) and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) fish and crawfish; rum, salt, chemicals; fruit and vegetables
Exports - partners US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006) US 39.1%, Germany 15.4%, Spain 10.8%, France 7.4%, Poland 4.6%, Switzerland 4.3% (2002)
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 three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side
GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.59 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 15.2%


industry: 45%


services: 39.7% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $15,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.8% (2007 est.) 0.1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 24 15 N, 76 00 W
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways - total: 2,693 km


paved: 1,546 km


unpaved: 1,147 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%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center
Imports 1,400 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals
Imports - partners Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006) US 20.3%, South Korea 20.1%, Germany 11.5%, Norway 11.5%, Japan 10%, Italy 7.2% (2002)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 10 July 1973 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 12% (2007 est.) NA%
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism tourism, banking, e-commerce, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe
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: 26.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 32.45 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 12% (2007 est.) 1.8% (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, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 19 (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 Courts; customary or traditional court Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts
Labor force 838,000 (2000 est.) 156,000 (1999)
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.)
tourism 50%, other services 40%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1999 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: 0.6%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 99% (1998 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 39.97 years


male: 40.73 years


female: 39.18 years (2007 est.)
total population: 65.71 years


male: 62.3 years


female: 69.18 years (2003 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: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 1,090 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 33,065,778 GRT/46,202,085 DWT


ships by type: bulk 150, cargo 223, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 18, container 108, liquefied gas 26, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 8, passenger 102, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 178, refrigerated cargo 135, roll on/roll off 40, short-sea passenger 17, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 23


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Angola 1, Argentina 1, Australia 4, Belgium 18, Bermuda 1, Canada 5, Chile 1, China 3, Croatia 2, Cuba 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 27, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Finland 9, France 15, Germany 26, Greece 173, Hong Kong 6, India 2, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 9, Jamaica 1, Japan 32, Kenya 3, Malaysia 10, Malta 2, Monaco 67, Netherlands 32, New Zealand 2, Norway 237, Panama 2, Philippines 3, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 9, Singapore 13, Slovenia 1, South Korea 2, Spain 7, Sweden 12, Switzerland 8, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, Turkey 2, Ukraine 2, United Arab Emirates 10, United Kingdom 107, United States 159, Uruguay 1 (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 Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $20 million (FY95/96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2006) 0.7% (FY99)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Independence Day, 10 July (1973)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Bahamian(s)


adjective: Bahamian
Natural hazards periodic droughts hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone salt, aragonite, timber, arable land
Net migration rate -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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] Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]
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.)
297,477


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 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) NA%
Population growth rate 0.144% (2007 est.) 0.77% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2%
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: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 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: modern facilities


domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed


international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
Telephones - main lines in use 48,000 (2005) 96,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 249,800 (2005) 6,152 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills
Total fertility rate 3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.25 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) 6.9% (2001 est.)
Waterways - none
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