Lesotho
 
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the United Kingdom on October 4 1966. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of authoritanism, which include seven years of military rule.
Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's only important natural resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, and remittances from miners employed in South Africa. The number of such mine workers has declined steadily over the past several years. In 1996 their remittances added about 33% to GDP compared with the addition of roughly 67% in 1990. A small manufacturing base depends largely on farm products which support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries. Agricultural products are exported primarily to South Africa. Proceeds from membership in a common customs union with South Africa form the majority of government revenue. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, generating royalties that will be an important source of income for Lesotho. The pace of parastatal privatization has increased in recent years. Civil disorder in September 1998 destroyed 80% of the commercial infrastructure in Maseru and two other major towns. Most firms were not covered by insurance, and the rebuilding of small and medium business has been a significant challenge in terms of both economic growth and employment levels. Output dropped 10% in 1998 and recovered slowly in 1999.
Districts
Main Article: Districts of Lesotho
Lesotho is divided into 10 districts: Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, and Thaba-Tseka.
Originally from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the U.S. Department of State website.
Referenced By
1966 | 2002 in politics | 4 October | 4th October | Additional Member System | Additional Members System | AfricA | African | African Union | Ambassadors to Canada | Anthropoides paradisea | Anthropoides paradisia | Attacks on humanitarian workers | Bantustan | Bantustans | Basel Convention | Basotho | Basutoland | Berea | Blue Crane | Botswana/History | British Commonwealth | Butha-Buthe | Butha-Buthe District | CITES | Climate Change Convention | Code for international direct dial | Colorado ski resort | Commonwealth countries | Commonwealth of Nations | Communications in Lesotho | Convention on Biological Diversity | Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora | Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna | CountriesA | CountriesB | CountriesC | CountriesD | CountriesE | CountriesF | CountriesG | CountriesH | CountriesI | CountriesJ | CountriesK | CountriesL | CountriesM | CountriesN | CountriesO | CountriesOfTheWorld | CountriesP | CountriesQ | CountriesR | CountriesS | CountriesT | CountriesU | CountriesV | CountriesW | CountriesX | CountriesY | CountriesZ | Countries by system of government | Countries of the World | Countries of the world/By continent | Countries of the world2 | Country calling code | Country calling codes | DVD-Audio | DVD drive | DVD movie | DVD ripper | Demographics of Lesotho | Digital Versatile Disc | Digital Video Disc | Districts of Lesotho | Drakensberg | EartH | Earth (planet) | Easter Monday | Economy of Lesotho | Economy of Namibia | Enclave | EnglishLanguage | English (language) | English Language | English langauge | Extinct countries | Extinct countries, empires, etc. | Extinct political countries, empires, etc. | Extint countries | FIPS country code | FIPS two-letter country codes | Flag of Lesotho | Flags of the world | Foreign relations of Lesotho | Gallery of Flags | Geography of Lesotho | Geography of South Africa ...
|
