Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Luxembourg (2001) - Lesotho (2005) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Luxembourg (2001) - Lesotho (2005)

Compare Luxembourg (2001) z Lesotho (2005)

 Luxembourg (2001)Lesotho (2005)
 LuxembourgLesotho
Administrative divisions 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure 0-14 years:
18.91% (male 43,051; female 40,711)

15-64 years:
67.03% (male 149,781; female 147,165)

65 years and over:
14.06% (male 24,921; female 37,343) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 36.9% (male 346,930/female 342,459)


15-64 years: 57.6% (male 526,642/female 548,096)


65 years and over: 5.5% (male 42,003/female 60,905) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports 2 (2000 est.) 28 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

over 3,047 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total:
2,586 sq km

land:
2,586 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Rhode Island slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 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.
Birth rate 12.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 26.53 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues:
$5.6 billion

expenditures:
$5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $698.5 million


expenditures: $697.6 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (2004 est.)
Capital Luxembourg Maseru
Climate modified continental with mild winters, cool summers temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 17 October 1868, occasional revisions 2 April 1993
Country name conventional long form:
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

conventional short form:
Luxembourg

local long form:
Grand Duche de Luxembourg

local short form:
Luxembourg
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
Currency Luxembourg franc (LUF); euro (EUR)

note:
on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Luxembourg at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Luxembourg francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002
-
Death rate 8.88 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 25.03 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $NA $735 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador James C. HORMEL

embassy:
22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City

mailing address:
American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)

telephone:
[352] 46 01 23

FAX:
[352] 46 14 01
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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS

chancery:
2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 265-4171

FAX:
[1] (202) 328-8270

consulate(s) general:
New York and San Francisco
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
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor ODA, $160 million (1999) ODA $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient - $41.5 million (2000)
Economy - overview The stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a substantial proportion of the economy. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border workers for 30% of its labor force. Luxembourg has a custom union with Belgium and the Netherlands, and, as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market. It joined with 10 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999. 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, but the government has 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, also generating royalties for Lesotho. 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 and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The garment industry 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.
Electricity - consumption 6.149 billion kWh (1999) 308 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 655 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 6.201 billion kWh (1999) 16 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)
Electricity - production 648 million kWh (1999) 314 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
36.88%

hydro:
53.09%

nuclear:
0%

other:
10.03% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Moselle River 133 m

highest point:
Buurgplaatz 559 m
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland 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
Environment - international agreements party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest and resident workers) Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Luxembourg francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.299 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996); note - the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg maloti per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state:
Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981);

head of government:
Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August 1999)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the monarch, following popular election to the Chamber of Deputies; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies

note:
government coalition - CSV and DP
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, which 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 determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch
Exports $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) NA
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners EU 75% (Germany 25%, France 21%, Belgium 13%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, Netherlands 5%), US 4% (1999) US 97%, Canada 2.1%, UK 0.3% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner
GDP purchasing power parity - $15.9 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
1%

industry:
30%

services:
69% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 15.2%


industry: 43.9%


services: 40.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $36,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.7% (2000 est.) 3.3% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 49 45 N, 6 10 E 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note landlocked landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
5,166 km

paved:
5,166 km (including 118 km of expressways)

unpaved:
0 km (1999)
total: 5,940 km


paved: 1,087 km


unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4%
Imports $10 billion (c.i.f., 2000) NA
Imports - commodities minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000)
Imports - partners EU 81% (Belgium 35%, Germany 26%, France 12%, Netherlands 4%), US 9% (1999) Hong Kong 46.8%, China 25.5%, South Korea 5.6%, Germany 4.8% (2004)
Independence 1839 (from the Netherlands) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 7.8% (2000 est.) 15.5% (1999)
Industries banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 84.23 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 79.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.8% (2000 est.) 5.3% (2004 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC ACP, AfDB, AU, C, The Commonwealth, 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, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 8 (2000) -
Irrigated land 10 sq km (including Belgium) (1993 est.) 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force 248,000 (of whom 70,200 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000) 838,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation services 83.2%, industry 14.3%, agriculture 2.5% (1998 est.) 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Land boundaries total:
356 km

border countries:
Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 135 km
total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
Land use arable land:
24%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
20%

forests and woodland:
35%

other:
20%
arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2001)
Languages Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language) Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Legal system based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by NA June 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%, LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2

note:
the Council of State or Conseil d'Etat, which has 21 members who are appointed and dismissed by the Grand Duke based on proposals from the government, the Chamber of Deputies, or the Council of State, is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies
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 direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election


elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
Life expectancy at birth total population:
77.3 years

male:
74.02 years

female:
80.8 years (2001 est.)
total population: 34.47 years


male: 35.49 years


female: 33.42 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
100%

male:
100%

female:
100% (2000 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Location Western Europe, between France and Germany Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Europe Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total:
50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 988,450 GRT/1,313,498 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 2, chemical tanker 11, container 2, liquefied gas 18, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 7

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 4 (2000 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 Army; note - the government abolished the Gendarmerie Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing
Military expenditures - dollar figure $131 million (FY98/99) $32.3 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (FY98/99) 2.3% (2004)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
112,714 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
92,817 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
2,565 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun:
Luxembourger(s)

adjective:
Luxembourg
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards NA periodic droughts
Natural resources iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Net migration rate 9.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 48 km -
Political parties and leaders Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix BRAS]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]
Political pressure groups and leaders ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union) NA
Population 442,972 (July 2001 est.) 1,867,035


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 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 49% (1999)
Population growth rate 1.26% (2001 est.) 0.08% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Mertert -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 285,000 (1997) -
Railways total:
274 km

standard gauge:
274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified; 178 km double track) (1998)
-
Religions the greatest preponderance of the population is Roman Catholic with a very few Protestants, Jews, and Muslims

note:
1979 legislation forbids the collection of religious statistics
Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables

domestic:
nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable

international:
3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)
general assessment: rudimentary system


domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing


international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 314,700 (1999) 28,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 215,741 (2000) 92,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 5 (1999) 1 (2000)
Terrain mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate 1.7 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3.35 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.7% (2000 est.) 45% (2002)
Waterways 37 km (on the Moselle) -
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.