Compare Micronesia, Federated States of (2006) - Lesotho (2008)

Compare Micronesia, Federated States of (2006) z Lesotho (2008)

	Micronesia, Federated States of (2006)	Lesotho (2008)

Administrative divisions	4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap	10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's 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: 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.)
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 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)	total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 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)
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. 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.
Birth rate	24.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 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: $951.4 million expenditures: $855.4 million (2007 est.)
Capital	name: Palikir geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 08 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	name: Maseru geographic coordinates: 29 19 S, 27 29 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland
Death rate	4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$60.8 million (FY05 est.)	$693 million (31 December 2007 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 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
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 (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
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	$68.82 million (2005)
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 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.
Electricity - consumption	178.6 million kWh (2002)	338.5 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2002)	13 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005)
Electricity - production	192 million kWh (2002)	350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005)
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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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 - 7.25 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)
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, 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
Exports	$14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)	0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	fish, garments, bananas, black pepper	manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners	Japan, US, Guam (2004)	US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006)
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	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
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 28.9% industry: 15.2% services: 55.9% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 15.2% industry: 45% services: 39.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	0.3% (2005 est.)	4.8% (2007 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
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.)
Imports	$132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)	1,400 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages	food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products
Imports - partners	US, Japan, Hong Kong (2004)	Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006)
Independence	3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)	4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	12% (2007 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.)	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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.2% (2005)	12% (2007 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, 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
Irrigated land	NA	30 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court	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
Labor force	37,410	838,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	note: 0.9% two-thirds are government employees, 34.4%, 64.7%	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.)
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: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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 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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 70.05 years male: 68.24 years female: 71.95 years (2006 est.)	total population: 39.97 years male: 40.73 years female: 39.18 years (2007 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: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 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): Army and Air Wing
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	2.6% (2006)
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, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Net migration rate	-21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	no formal parties	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]
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	108,004 (July 2006 est.)	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.)
Population below poverty line	26.7%	49% (1999)
Population growth rate	-0.11% (2006 est.)	0.144% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
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: 1.013 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.)
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 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)
Telephones - main lines in use	12,400 (2005)	48,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	14,100 (2005)	249,800 (2005)
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.)	3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	22% (2000 est.)	45% (2002)

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