CapitalMaseru
Population2,222,962
Area30,355 km²
GDP per capita$2,600
LanguagesSesotho , English , Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu
Currencymaloti
Life Expectancy60.2 yr
Governmentparliamentary constitutional monarchy
Introduction
Background
Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822. Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK that made Basutoland first a British protectorate and, after 1884, a crown colony. After gaining independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Basotho National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE II was exiled in 1990, returned to Lesotho in 1992, was reinstated in 1995, and was then succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. 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 Batswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections in 2007 were hotly contested, and aggrieved parties disputed how seats were awarded. In 2012, competitive elections saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government -- the first in the country's history -- that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month. MOSISILI returned to power in snap elections in 2015 after the collapse of THABANE’s coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup. In 2017, THABANE returned to become prime minister but stepped down in 2020 after being implicated in his estranged wife’s murder. He was succeeded by Moseketsi MAJORO. In 2022, Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE was inaugurated as prime minister and head of a three-party coalition.
Geography
Area
land
30,355 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
30,355 sq km
Climate
temperate; winters that are cool to cold and dry; summers that are hot and wet
Terrain
predominantly highland, featuring plateaus, hills, and mountains
Land use
other
21.1% (2023 est.)
forest
1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
77.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 65.9% (2023 est.)
Location
located in Southern Africa, it is an enclave of South Africa
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
lowest point
at the confluence of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers at an elevation of 1,400 m
highest point
Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
mean elevation
2,161 m
Irrigated land
12 sq km (2013)
Map references
Africa
Land boundaries
total
1,106 km
border countries
South Africa 1,106 km
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
experiences occasional droughts
Geography - note
a landlocked nation, encircled by South Africa; characterized by mountainous terrain, with over 80% of the area situated at 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above sea level
Natural resources
resources include water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, and building stone
Area - comparative
slightly less in size than Maryland
Geographic coordinates
29 30 S, 28 30 E
Population distribution
the western region of the country has a relatively higher population density, with the capital Maseru and smaller urban centers like Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe being the most populated, as illustrated in the population distribution map
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
Orange (941,351 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
source of the Orange river (shared with South Africa and Namibia [m]) - 2,092 km
note: [s] following the country name denotes river source; [m] following the country name denotes river mouth
People & Society
Literacy
male
83.2% (2024 est.)
female
96.6% (2024 est.)
total population
90.4% (2024 est.)
Languages
Sesotho (official), English (official), Phuthi, Xhosa, Zulu
Religions
Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1 male(s)/female
total population
0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.59 male(s)/female
Birth rate
21.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
23.4 years
total
24 years (2025 est.)
female
24.3 years
Population
male
1,099,314
total
2,222,962 (2025 est.)
female
1,123,648
Nationality
noun
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective
Basotho
Tobacco use
male
42.4% (2025 est.)
total
22.8% (2025 est.)
female
4.1% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
30.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
32% (male 358,137/female 353,618)
15-64 years
62.7% (male 699,197/female 696,626)
65 years and over
5.4% (2024 est.) (male 44,625/female 75,345)
Ethnic groups
Sotho 99.7%, other 0.3% (which includes Kwena, Nguni (Hlubi and Phuthi), Zulu)
Child marriage
men married by age 18
1.9% (2018)
women married by age 15
1% (2018)
women married by age 18
16.4% (2018)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
56.8 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
48.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
11.6 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
8.6 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
10.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
13.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-4.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.49 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 65.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 74% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 93% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 34.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 26% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 7% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
6.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
10.4% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
51 deaths/1,000 live births
total
52.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
40.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.73% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.23 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
The population density is notably higher in the western region of the country, with Maseru as the capital, alongside smaller cities such as Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe, which are the most populous, as illustrated in the population distribution map.
Life expectancy at birth
male
58.1 years
female
62.3 years
total population
60.2 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
478 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 62.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 71.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 93.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 37.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 28.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 6.4% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
1.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
3.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0.82 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
202,000 MASERU (capital) (2018)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
16.6% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
20.9 years (2014 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
46.9% (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
12.5% (2024 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
11 years (2017 est.)
total
11 years (2017 est.)
female
11 years (2017 est.)
Environment
Climate
temperate climate; cool to cold, arid winters; hot, humid summers
Land use
other
21.1% (2023 est.)
forest
1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
77.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 65.9% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
30.4% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
2.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
73,500 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
11.9% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
overgrazing; significant soil erosion; depletion of soil nutrients; desertification; the Highlands Water Project manages, stores, and diverts water to South Africa
Total water withdrawal
municipal
20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
20 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
3.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
1.148 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
175,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
973,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
17.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
3.022 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: the flag features three horizontal stripes in blue (top), white, and green; at the center of the white stripe is depicted a black mokorotlo, which is a traditional Basotho straw hat and a national emblem
meaning: the blue symbolizes rain, the white represents peace, and the green signifies prosperity
history: the updated flag was unveiled in 2006 in honor of 40 years of independence
Capital
name
Maseru
etymology
the name means "[place of] red sandstones" in the Sesotho language
time difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
29 19 S, 27 29 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
yes
citizenship by descent only
yes
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
previously used in 1959 and 1967; the most recent version was adopted on 2 April 1993, effectively reinstating the 1967 design
amendment process
amendments proposed by Parliament that impact constitutional provisions, such as fundamental rights and freedoms, the sovereignty of the kingdom, the role of the king, and the powers of Parliament, require a majority vote from the National Assembly, Senate approval, a referendum approval from a majority of eligible voters, and the king's assent; amendments that do not affect the aforementioned provisions necessitate a minimum two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament
Country name
former
Basutoland
etymology
the name originates from the Sotho people, which translates to "dark-skinned;" Le- serves as a singular noun prefix, while the earlier name, Basutoland, utilized the plural noun prefix, Ba-
local long form
Kingdom of Lesotho
local short form
Lesotho
conventional long form
Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form
Lesotho
Independence
4 October 1966 (from the UK)
Legal system
a hybrid legal system combining English common law and Roman-Dutch law; the High Court and Court of Appeal oversee the review of legislative acts
Government type
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
the Court of Appeal is composed of the court president, a number of justices of appeal as determined by Parliament, and the Chief Justice along with the puisne judges of the High Court ex officio; the High Court consists of the chief justice and a number of puisne judges as designated by Parliament
subordinate courts
Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional courts; military courts
judge selection and term of office
the president of the Court of Appeal and the chief justice of the High Court are appointed by the monarch based on the prime minister's recommendations; puisne judges are appointed by the monarch upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, an independent entity comprised of judicial officers and officials selected by the monarch; judges of both courts may serve until the age of 75
Executive branch
cabinet
the government is led by the prime minister (appointed by the King based on the Council of State's advice), the deputy prime minister, and 18 additional ministers; the prime minister is the head of the majority party or coalition in the National Assembly
chief of state
King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996)
head of government
Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel MATEKANE (28 October 2022)
election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary but lacks executive or legislative authority as per the constitution; under customary law, the College of Chiefs possesses the authority to remove the monarch, determine the successor, or act as regent if the successor is not of legal age
National holiday
Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
National color(s)
blue, white, green, black
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
1 (mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Maloti-Drakensberg Park
Political parties
All Basotho Convention or ABC
Alliance of Democrats or AD
Basotho Action Party or BAP
Basotho National Party or BNP
Democratic Congress or DC
Democratic Party of Lesotho or DPL
Lesotho People's Congress or LPC
Movement of Economic Change or MEC
National Independent Party or NIP
Popular Front for Democracy of PFD
Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL
Legislative branch
legislature name
Parliament
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"Lesotho fatse la bo ntat'a rona" (Lesotho, Land of Our Fathers)
history
adopted in 1967; the anthem's melody is derived from a Swiss songbook from 1823
lyrics/music
Francois COILLARD/Ferdinand-Samuel LAUR
National symbol(s)
mokorotio (Basotho hat)
Administrative divisions
10 districts: Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
National Assembly
term in office
5 years
number of seats
122 (all directly elected)
electoral system
mixed system
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
11/2/2022
expected date of next election
October 2027
percentage of women in chamber
25%
parties elected and seats per party
Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) (56); Democratic Congress (DC) (29); All Basotho Convention (ABC) (8); Basotho Action Party (BAP) (6); Other (20)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Senate
term in office
5 years
number of seats
33 (11 appointed)
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
10/7/2022
expected date of next election
November 2027
percentage of women in chamber
21.2%
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 234-6815
chancery
2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 797-5533
chief of mission
Ambassador Tumisang MOSOTHO (since 16 September 2022)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://www.gov.ls/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[266] 22310116
embassy
254 Kingsway Avenue, Maseru
telephone
[266] 22312666
mailing address
2340 Maseru Place, Washington DC 20521-2340
chief of mission
Ambassador (position currently vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Thomas HINES (since August 2024)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://ls.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$1.13 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures
$1.256 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$1.07 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$885.789 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$983.027 million (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$2.247 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$2.077 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$2.083 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
food, beverages, textiles, garment assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism
Labor force
884,200 (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2020
3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
22.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
22.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
22% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
maloti (LSL) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
16.459 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
14.779 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
16.356 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
18.45 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
18.329 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$928.019 million (2023 est.)
Economic overview
a lower middle-income economy bordered by South Africa; characterized by environmental fragility and political instability; crucial investment in infrastructure and renewable energy; severe poverty; job and income losses in urban areas due to COVID-19; pervasive corruption
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
16.7% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
16.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
16.2% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
South Africa 31%, Belgium 26%, USA 20%, UAE 8%, India 8% (2023)
Imports - partners
South Africa 78%, China 10%, Taiwan 3%, Japan 1%, India 1% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$2,600 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$2,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$2,600 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
2.4% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
2.8% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
milk, potatoes, maize, vegetables, fruits, sorghum, wheat, game meat, beans, wool (2023)
Exports - commodities
diamonds, garments, wool, power equipment, bedding (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, fabric, trucks, garments, cotton fabric (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$268.876 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$151.577 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$84.393 million (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
30.4% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.272 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
92.9% (2023 est.)
government consumption
35.6% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
-1.1% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
28.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
42.9% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-98.6% (2023 est.)
Population below poverty line
49.7% (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
8.3% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
6.3% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
6.1% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
2.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$5.893 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$6 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$6.166 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
17.7% (2024 est.)
total
24.2% (2024 est.)
female
36.2% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$771.278 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$854.089 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$1.008 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
31% (2024 est.)
services
48% (2024 est.)
agriculture
6.5% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
1.7% (2017 est.)
highest 10%
32.9% (2017 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017
44.9 (2017 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
1 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
24,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
production
57,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
81,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
imports
453.992 million kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
833.009 million kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
104,000 kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
102.88 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
37.7%
electrification - urban areas
83.6%
electrification - total population
50% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
8.117 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar
0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
99.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
48% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
There is 1 television station owned by the state and 2 radio stations under state ownership; the majority of private broadcasting media transmitters are linked to government-operated radio signal towers; a subscription service for satellite television is accessible; broadcasts from various international media outlets can be received (2019)
Internet country code
.ls
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
7,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
1.64 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
70 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
9,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Transportation
Airports
34 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
7P
Military & Security
Military - note
The Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) is tasked with upholding the nation's sovereignty and ensuring internal security; in practical terms, external security is provided by South Africa. The LDF is a relatively small military entity that originated in 1964 as the Police Mobile Unit (PMU). In 1980, the PMU was reclassified as the Lesotho Paramilitary Force and subsequently transformed into the Royal Lesotho Defense Force in 1986. In 1993, it was officially renamed the Lesotho Defense Force (2025).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2020
1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021
1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military and security forces
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) (2025)
Military service age and obligation
Individuals aged 20-30 are eligible for voluntary military service, applicable to both genders (2026).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The LDF is equipped with light weaponry and maintains a modest collection of predominantly older or used equipment sourced from European, South African, and US origins (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 2,000 active Defense Forces (2025)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
610 (2024 est.)
