Compare Micronesia, Federated States of (2006) - Lesotho (2002)

Compare Micronesia, Federated States of (2006) z Lesotho (2002)

	Micronesia, Federated States of (2006)	Lesotho (2002)

Administrative divisions	4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap	10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure	0-14 years: 36.6% (male 20,116/female 19,391) 15-64 years: 60.4% (male 32,620/female 32,659) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,413/female 1,805) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 39% (male 433,229; female 427,926) 15-64 years: 56.3% (male 600,476; female 642,538) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 43,691; female 60,094) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish	corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports	6 (2006)	28 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)	total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Area	total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)	total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)	slightly smaller than Maryland
Background	In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.	Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule.
Birth rate	24.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	30.72 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $144.2 million; including capital expenditures of $17.9 million $NA (1998 est.)	revenues: $76 million expenditures: $80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million
Capital	name: Palikir geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 08 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Maseru
Climate	tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage	temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline	6,112 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	10 May 1979	2 April 1993
Country name	conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none local long form: Federated States of Micronesia local short form: none former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts abbreviation: FSM	conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland
Currency	-	loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Death rate	4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	16.81 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$60.8 million (FY05 est.)	$715 million (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186	chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. LOFTIS embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 312666 FAX: [266] 310116
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)	chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Lebohang Kenneth MOLEKO 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 - recipient	$86.3 million under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced	$123.7 million (1995) (1995)
Economy - overview	Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector.	Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's primary natural resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, remittances from miners employed in South Africa, and a rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years. A small manufacturing base depends largely on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries. Agricultural products are exported primarily to South Africa. Proceeds from membership in a common customs union with South Africa form the majority of government revenue. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, generating royalties for Lesotho. The pace of privatization has increased in recent years. In December 1999, the government embarked on a nine-month IMF staff-monitored program aimed at structural adjustment and stabilization of macroeconomic fundamentals. The government is in the process of applying for a three-year successor program with the IMF under its Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility. Lesotho has a marked inequality in income distribution and serious unemployment/underemployment problems that will not yield to short-run solutions.
Electricity - consumption	178.6 million kWh (2002)	100 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2002)	100 million kWh note: electricity supplied by South Africa (2000)
Electricity - production	192 million kWh (2002)	0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m	lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues	overfishing, climate change, pollution	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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Ethnic groups	nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups	Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	maloti per US dollar - 11.58786 (January 2002), 8.60918 (2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997); note - the Lesotho loti is at par with the South African rand which is also legal tender; maloti is the plural form of loti
Executive branch	chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003) cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the eight executive departments elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA%	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	$14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)	$250 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities	fish, garments, bananas, black pepper	manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals
Exports - partners	Japan, US, Guam (2004)	South African Customs Union 53.9%, North America 45.6% (1999)
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	1 April - 31 March
Flag description	light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern	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 - $5.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 28.9% industry: 15.2% services: 55.9% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 18% industry: 38% services: 44% (2001)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	0.3% (2005 est.)	2.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	6 55 N, 158 15 E	29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note	four major island groups totaling 607 islands	landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Highways	-	total: 4,955 km paved: 887 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 43% (1986-87)
Imports	$132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)	$720 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities	food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages	food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products
Imports - partners	US, Japan, Hong Kong (2004)	South African Customs Union 89.5%, Asia 7% (1999)
Independence	3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)	4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	15.5% (1999 est.)
Industries	tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items from shell, wood, and pearls	food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate	total: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 32.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	82.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.2% (2005)	6.9% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO	ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	NA	10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court	High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force	37,410	700,000 economically active
Labor force - by occupation	note: 0.9% two-thirds are government employees, 34.4%, 64.7%	86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km
Land use	arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (2005)	arable land: 10.71% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.29% (1998 est.)
Languages	English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi	Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Legal system	based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws	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 Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14	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 NA 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: 70.05 years male: 68.24 years female: 71.95 years (2006 est.)	total population: 47 years male: 46.3 years female: 47.8 years (2002 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 72% female: 93% (1999 est.)
Location	Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia	Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references	Oceania	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)	-
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	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	no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; the paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit, is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within the Office of the Attorney General (2003)	Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; including Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$34 million (1999)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	NA%
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 526,332 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 283,203 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)	Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality	noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese	noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards	typhoons (June to December)	periodic droughts
Natural resources	forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate	water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Net migration rate	-21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders	no formal parties	Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance [Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	108,004 (July 2006 est.)	2,207,954 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 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	26.7%	49% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate	-0.11% (2006 est.)	1.33% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	none
Radio broadcast stations	AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios	-	NA (2002)
Railways	-	total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Religions	Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%	Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Sex ratio	NA	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)	general assessment: rudimentary system domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	12,400 (2005)	22,200 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	14,100 (2005)	21,600 (2000)
Television broadcast stations	3; note - cable TV also available (2004)	1 (2000)
Terrain	islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk	mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate	3.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)	4.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	22% (2000 est.)	45% (2000 est.)
Waterways	-	none

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