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Compare Montserrat (2001) - Lesotho (2005)

Compare Montserrat (2001) z Lesotho (2005)

 Montserrat (2001)Lesotho (2005)
 MontserratLesotho
Administrative divisions 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter's 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure 0-14 years:
23.83% (male 907; female 898)

15-64 years:
64.66% (male 2,341; female 2,556)

65 years and over:
11.51% (male 464; female 408) (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 cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports 1 (2000 est.) 28 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

under 914 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: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total:
100 sq km

land:
100 sq km

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


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano that began on 18 July 1995. 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 17.43 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 26.53 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues:
$31.4 million

expenditures:
$31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)
revenues: $698.5 million


expenditures: $697.6 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (2004 est.)
Capital Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat) Maseru
Climate tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 40 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution present constitution came into force 19 December 1989 2 April 1993
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Montserrat
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
Currency East Caribbean dollar (XCD) -
Death rate 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 25.03 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $8.9 million (1997) $735 million (2002)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) 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 none (overseas territory of the UK) 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 $4.4 million
Economic aid - recipient $9.8 million (1995); note - about $100 million (1996-98) in reconstruction aid from the UK; Country Policy Plan (1999) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance $41.5 million (2000)
Economy - overview Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK committed to a three year $125 million aid program in 1999 to help reconstruct the economy. 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 9.3 million kWh (1999) 308 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 16 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)
Electricity - production 10 million kWh (1999) 314 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills) 914 m
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation 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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups black, white Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) maloti per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Anthony John ABBOTT (since NA September 1997)

head of government:
Chief Minister David BRANDT (since 22 August 1997)

cabinet:
Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary

elections:
the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister; note - as a result of the last election, a coalition party was formed between NPP, NDP, and one of the independent candidates
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 $1.5 million (1998) NA
Exports - commodities electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live plants, cattle manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000)
Exports - partners US, Antigua and Barbuda (1993) US 97%, Canada 2.1%, UK 0.3% (2004)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 April - 31 March
Flag description blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross 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 - $31 million (1999 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
5.4%

industry:
13.6%

services:
81% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 15.2%


industry: 43.9%


services: 40.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,000 (1999 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -1.5% (1999 est.) 3.3% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 16 45 N, 62 12 W 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note - landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Highways total:
269 km

paved:
203 km

unpaved:
66 km (1995)
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%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe -
Imports $26 million (1998) NA
Imports - commodities machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000)
Imports - partners US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (1993) Hong Kong 46.8%, China 25.5%, South Korea 5.6%, Germany 4.8% (2004)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 15.5% (1999)
Industries tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate 8.19 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) 5% (1998) 5.3% (2004 est.)
International organization participation Caricom, CDB, ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, WCL 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) 17 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court) 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 4,521 (1992); note - recently lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity 838,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% 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:
20%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
10%

forests and woodland:
40%

other:
30% (1993 est.)
arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2001)
Languages English Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Legal system English common law and statutory law 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 Legislative Council (11 seats, 7 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 11 November 1996 (next to be held by NA November 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPA 2, MNR 2, NPP 1, independent 2
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:
78.03 years

male:
75.95 years

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


male: 35.49 years


female: 33.42 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population:
97%

male:
97%

female:
97% (1970 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
3 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine none (2000 est.) -
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK 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 Police Force Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $32.3 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2.3% (2004)
National holiday Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun:
Montserratian(s)

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


adjective: Basotho
Natural hazards severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (full-scale eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano occurred during 1996-97) periodic droughts
Natural resources NEGL water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Net migration rate 123.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders Movement for National Reconstruction or MNR [Percival Austin BRAMBLE]; National Development Party or NDP [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [John A. OSBORNE] 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 NA NA
Population 7,574

note:
an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (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 13.39% (2001 est.) 0.08% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Plymouth (abandoned), Little Bay (anchorages and ferry landing), Carr's Bay -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 7,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km -
Religions Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.96 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 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
NA
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 4,000 (1997) 28,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 70 (1994) 92,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 1 (2000)
Terrain volcanic islands, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate 1.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3.35 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (1996 est.) 45% (2002)
Waterways none -
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