Lesotho

COUNTRY FLAG

COAT OF ARMS

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LOCATION MAP

AREA MAP

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INFORMATION

Capital: Maseru

Government: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy

Current King: King Letsie III

Economy:

  • Relies heavily on remittances from Basotho employed in South Africa, customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and export revenue for the majority of government revenue.

Population: 2,177,740 (July 2021 est.)

Land Size: 30,355 sq km (11,720 sq miles)

Major Ethnic Groups:

  • Sotho: 99.7%
  • Europeans, Asians, and other: 0.3%
Religions:

  • Christian: 80%
  • Indigenous African Religions: 20%

Language(s):

  • Sesotho (official) (southern Sotho)
  • English (official)
  • Zulu
  • Xhosa

Links:

RECENT NEWS

  • Wed - Mar 27, 2024: Authorities Must Investigate Torture of Detainees At Maseru Correctional Institution - AllAfrica News: Lesotho
    [AI London] Responding to recent findings by the Lesotho Ombudsman which exposed a disturbing pattern of human rights violations, including torture, excessive use of force and denial of medical care to detainees at Maseru Correctional Centre Institution (MCCI), Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Vongai Chikwanda, said:
  • Tue - Mar 26, 2024: Detainees Remain At Risk of Torture - AllAfrica News: Lesotho
    [AI London] On 22 December 2023, detainees at Maseru Correctional Institution (MCCI), Lesotho, were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment by the Correctional Services officers who beat the detainees with various weapons and denied them necessary medical care.
  • Mon - Mar 18, 2024: 'I Was Forced to Implicate Metsing and Mokhosi' - Mphaki - AllAfrica News: Lesotho
    [Lesotho Times] FORMER Military Intelligence (MI) boss, Brigadier Rapele Mphaki, has claimed that he was tortured by the police, forcing him to implicate the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) leader and deputy leader; Mothetjoa Metsing and Tšeliso Mokhosi, in the 2017 murder of three civilians.
  • Mon - Mar 18, 2024: Businesswoman Charged for Trying to Rob Police - AllAfrica News: Lesotho
    [Lesotho Times] LOCAL businesswoman, 'Masibusiso Lebesa, has been charged by the Maseru Magistrates Court for allegedly trying to defraud the then Ministry of Police and Public Safety of M448 000.
  • Mon - Mar 18, 2024: Gvt Warns Civil Servants Against Striking - AllAfrica News: Lesotho
    [Lesotho Times] ...GS Mokela says COLEPE not recognised under public service laws