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Compare Lesotho (2008) - Ethiopia (2008)

Compare Lesotho (2008) z Ethiopia (2008)

 Lesotho (2008)Ethiopia (2008)
 LesothoEthiopia
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular - astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples)
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: 43.4% (male 16,657,155/female 16,553,812)


15-64 years: 53.8% (male 20,558,026/female 20,639,076)


65 years and over: 2.7% (male 953,832/female 1,149,986) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, potatoes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish
Airports 28 (2007) 84 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 15


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2007)
total: 69


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 29


under 914 m: 21 (2007)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 1,127,127 sq km


land: 1,119,683 sq km


water: 7,444 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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. Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990's ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission in November 2007 remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to Ethiopia.
Birth rate 24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 37.39 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $951.4 million


expenditures: $855.4 million (2007 est.)
revenues: $2.944 billion


expenditures: $3.683 billion (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: Addis Ababa


geographic coordinates: 9 02 N, 38 42 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 2 April 1993 ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995
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: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia


conventional short form: Ethiopia


local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik


local short form: Ityop'iya


former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa


abbreviation: FDRE
Death rate 22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 14.67 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $693 million (31 December 2007 est.) $3.793 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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 Donald Y. YAMAMOTO


embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa


mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa


telephone: [251] 11-517-40-00


FAX: [251] 11-517-40-01
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 Samuel ASSEFA


chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200


FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles


consulate(s): New York
Disputes - international none Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia's Ogaden and southern Somalia's Oromo region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia
Economic aid - recipient $68.82 million (2005) $1.6 billion (FY05/06)
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. Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, and in December 2005 the IMF voted to forgive Ethiopia's debt to the body. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to a 3.3% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004-07.
Electricity - consumption 338.5 million kWh (2005) 2.577 billion 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) 2.864 billion 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: Denakil Depression -125 m


highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 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; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management
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, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%, Guragie 4.3%, Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census)
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003) birr per US dollar - 8.96 (2007), 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004), 8.5997 (2003)


note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank
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 GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)


cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and approved by the House of People's Representatives


elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2013); prime minister designated by the party in power following legislative elections


election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of vote by the House of People's Representatives - 79%
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds
Exports - partners US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006) Germany 12.8%, China 10.6%, Japan 7.5%, US 6.8%, Saudi Arabia 5.9%, Djibouti 5.8%, Italy 5% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 8 July - 7 July
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 green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan-African colors
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 15.2%


industry: 45%


services: 39.7% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 48.8%


industry: 12.9%


services: 38.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.8% (2007 est.) 9.8% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 8 00 N, 38 00 E
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.)
lowest 10%: 3.9%


highest 10%: 25.5% (2000)
Illicit drugs - transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money laundering center
Imports 1,400 bbl/day (2004) 28,460 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles
Imports - partners Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006) Saudi Arabia 18%, **COUNTRY** 11.4%, China 11.3%, India 8.1%, Italy 5.1%, Germany 4.1% (2006)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years
Industrial production growth rate 12% (2007 est.) 9% (2007 est.)
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals processing, cement
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: 91.92 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 101.57 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 81.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 12% (2007 est.) 15.9% (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, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) 2,900 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 Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council)
Labor force 838,000 (2000 est.) 27.27 million (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.)
agriculture: 80%


industry: 8%


services: 12% (1985)
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total: 5,328 km


border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km
Land use arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2005)
arable land: 10.01%


permanent crops: 0.65%


other: 89.34% (2005)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Amarigna 32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%, English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census)
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 civil law; currently transitional mix of national and regional courts; 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
bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation (or upper chamber responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues) (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives (or lower chamber responsible for passing legislation) (547 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - EPRDF 327, CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1, others 6, undeclared 2


note: some seats still remain vacant as detained opposition MPs did not take their seats, but those will be decided in the April 2008 byelection
Life expectancy at birth total population: 39.97 years


male: 40.73 years


female: 39.18 years (2007 est.)
total population: 49.23 years


male: 48.06 years


female: 50.44 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 can read and write


total population: 42.7%


male: 50.3%


female: 35.1% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 120,383 GRT/152,418 DWT


by type: cargo 8, roll on/roll off 2 (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 Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) (2008)


note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2006) 3% (2006)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun: Ethiopian(s)


adjective: Ethiopian
Natural hazards periodic droughts geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower
Net migration rate -0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (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] Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP; Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP [AYELE Chamisso] (awarded to AYELE 11 January 2008, but AYELE has virtually no support among former CUD MPs, other CUD MPs must now be affiliated with their original CUD-precursor parties); Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance of Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM, Oromo People's Democratic Organization or OPDO, the South Ethiopian People's Democratic Front or SEPDF, and Tigrayan Peoples' Liberation Front or TPLF); Gurage Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM; Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Omoro People's Congress or OPC [IMERERA Gudina]; Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Ethiopian People's Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa]
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.)
76,511,887


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) 38.7% (FY05/06 est.)
Population growth rate 0.144% (2007 est.) 2.272% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)
Railways - total: 699 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad)


narrow gauge: 699 km 1.000-m gauge


note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia but remains largely inoperable (2006)
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)
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: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.829 male(s)/female


total population: 0.995 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: inadequate telephone system; the number of fixed lines and mobile telephones is increasing from a very small base; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is only about 2 per 100 persons


domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service


international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 48,000 (2005) 725,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 249,800 (2005) 866,700 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (plus 24 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley
Total fertility rate 3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) 5.1 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) NA%
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