Best Countries

At a glance

Capital: Maseru

Official language: Sesotho, English

Currency: Loti

Continent: South Africa

The kingdom in heaven

According to Countryaah, Lesotho is in southern Africa, which doesn’t mean you won’t run into snow here!

Location

Lesotho has a parliamentary monarchy and every year there are countless festivals in honor of the king. The country is completely enclosed by South Africa and thus joins the list of the only three countries in the world that are completely enclosed by another country. The latter are San Marino and Vatican City.

Arrival & highlights

You can reach Lesotho via direct flight to Johannesburg. Popular excursion destinations are the Drakensberg in the north and the Sehlabathebe National Park in the south of the country.

Lesotho is a great choice for hikers. The lowest point in the country is 1000 meters above sea level, which is why it is also known as “The Kingdom in the Sky”.

Important facts

Capital: Maseru

Official language: Sesotho, English

Currency

Currency (sub-unit)

Loti (100 pisces)

ISO 4217 code

LSL / 426

Geography

Continent: Africa

Region: south

Geo coordinates: S -29 ° -36′-36 “E 28 ° 14 ‘1”

Highest mountain: Thabana Ntlenyana (3,482 m)

Total area: 30,355 km²

Mainland: 30,355 km²

National border: 909 km

Politics

Dependency: Great Britain until 1966

UN member since: 1966

Other political affiliation: Commonwealth

Form of government: Constitutional monarchy

Economy

Export goods: Diamonds, wool

BSP: $ 1,624,000,000

GDP: $ 1,514,000,000

GDP purchasing power parity: $ 6,370,000,000

Economic growth: 1.2%

GDP share of agriculture: 16.1%

GDP share of industry: 45.6%

GDP share of services: 38.3%

Inflation rate: 4.2%

State budget revenue: $ 806,000,000

State budget expenditure: $ 874,000,000

Export: $ 770,000,000

Import: $ 1,324,000,000

Gold and currency reserves: $ 614,000,000

Electricity consumption: 357 million KWh

Oil consumption: 1,500 million m³

Cultivation area: 11%

Bovine: 620,000 pieces

Sheep: 930,000 pieces

Demographic data

Residents: 2,022,400

Residents in cities: 307.200

Average age: 20.3 years

0-14 years: 36.8%

15-64 years: 58.3%

> 65 years: 4.9%

Population growth: -0.46%

Birth rate: 24.75 / 1,000 residents

Death rate: 28.71 / 1,000 residents

Migration: -0.68 / 1,000 residents

Ratio men / women: 0.95

Fertility: 3.28 children / woman

Infant mortality: 87.24 ‰

Life expectancy men: 35.55 years

Life expectancy women: 33.21 years

Country codes and abbreviations

ISO 3166 Alpha 2: LS

ISO 3166 Alpha 3: LSO

ISO 3166 numeric: 426

Top Level Domain: ls

IOC country code: LES

UN / LOCODE: LS

Source: Abbreviationfinder

Communication

Telephone connections: 40,000

Cell Phones: 289,000

Radios: 133,000

TV: 174,000

Computer: 32,000

Internet users: 96,000

Transportation

Paved roads: 1,460 km

Cars: 34,000

Health

Number of doctors: 210

Daily food intake: 2,350 kcal / resident

HIV- infected people: 330,000

Education

Illiteracy: 14%

History

Foundation: 1820

Last sovereign since: 1966

Religion

Main religious group: Christians

Crime

Prison inmates: 3,000

Military

Armed forces (troop strength): 2,000

Defense Spending: $ 43.7 million

GETTING THERE

Arriving by plane

South African Airways (SA) (Internet: www.flysaa.com) flies daily between Maseru and Johannesburg (flight time 1 hour 10 minutes). Worldwide connections exist from Johannesburg.

Departure fee

20 M. Transit travelers and children under 5 years of age are excluded.

Arrival by car

The three main roads to South Africa lead over the Maseru Bridge in the west, the Ficksburg Bridge in the north and through the Caledon’s Poort in the west. Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg Bridge are open all day, Caledon’s Poort is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. There are additional border crossings, but with poorer roads.

Buses and minibuses run regularly between Maseru and Johannesburg.

A toll is required from all travelers leaving Lesotho by road.

Arriving by train

From Marseilles (South Africa) there is a short train connection (2.6 km) that leads to Maseru on the Bloemfontein / Natal route. The passenger service was discontinued some time ago and today only freight trains run to Lesotho.

ON THE GO

Traveling by plane

No regular service. Charter flights may be arranged from South Africa to explore Lesotho. Information only on site.

On the way by car / bus

Car: The road network is poor and there are only a few paved roads (approx. 2,000 km). A paved main road leads from the north to the cities on the western and southern borders of the country, the other roads are often impassable during the rainy season. All-wheel drive recommended. You shouldn’t drive a car at night in rural areas. There are

Petrol stations in all major cities and along the main traffic routes. However, a reserve canister should be carried.

Traffic regulations:
left-hand traffic,
mandatory seat belts.

Speed limits:
within built-up areas: 50 km / h,
outside built-up areas: 80 km / h.

Documents:International driver’s license recommended. The national driving license will only be accepted if it is issued in English or if a certified English translation is attached. National driving licenses of most countries are valid for 6 months in Lesotho.

Bus: Minibuses run on the levels.