Compare Montserrat (2004) - Lesotho (2007)

Compare Montserrat (2004) z Lesotho (2007)

	Montserrat (2004)	Lesotho (2007)

Administrative divisions	3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter	10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure	0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,092; female 1,062) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,889; female 3,162) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 543; female 497) (2004 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	cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products	corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports	1 (2003 est.)	28 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)	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: 102 sq km land: 102 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 was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of 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. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 7 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	17.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.)	revenues: $995.8 million expenditures: $763.2 million (2006 est.)
Capital	Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)	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; 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 local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland
Currency	East Caribbean dollar (XCD)	-
Death rate	7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	22.49 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$8.9 million (1997)	$652 million (2006 est.)
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 - recipient	As of 31 March 2003, UK's DFID had provided about $328 million in economic relief from volcanic activity, and by 31 March 2006, DFID aid is expected to total $411 million.	$68.82 million (2005)
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 has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.	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.
Electricity - consumption	2.325 million kWh (2001)	338.5 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	13 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005)
Electricity - production	2.5 million kWh (2001)	350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) 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, Wetlands 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 - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.541 (2002)
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Deborah Barnes JONES (since 10 May 2004) head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001) 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	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	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
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	US 81.9%, Belgium 15%, Canada 1.9% (2006)
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	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	purchasing power parity - $29 million (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 5.4% industry: 13.6% services: 81% (1996 est.)	agriculture: 18.2% industry: 40.8% services: 41% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-1% (2002 est.)	6.2% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates	16 45 N, 62 12 W	29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note	the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active volcanoes	landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level
Highways	total: 227 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% (2002 est.)
Illicit drugs	transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe	-
Imports	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials	food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products
Imports - partners	US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada	Hong Kong 33.4%, China 31.2%, Germany 7.7%, India 7.3% (2006)
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	total: 7.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 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)	2.6% (2002 est.)	6.1% (2006 est.)
International organization participation	Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU	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 sq km	30 sq km (2003)
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 Courts; customary or traditional court
Labor force	4,521 ; note - lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)	838,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA	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: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2001)	arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005)
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; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch	unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council	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: 78.53 years male: 76.39 years female: 80.78 years (2004 est.)	total population: 39.97 years male: 40.73 years female: 39.18 years (2007 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	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	none	-
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	no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force	Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	2.6% (2006)
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 (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)	periodic droughts
Natural resources	negligible	water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]	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	NA
Population	9,245 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2004 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	NA	49% (1999)
Population growth rate	1.03% (2004 est.)	0.144% (2007 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)
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: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	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: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664	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	NA	48,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	70 (1994)	249,800 (2005)
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	1 (2000)
Terrain	volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland	mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate	1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)	3.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	6% (1998 est.)	45% (2002)

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