| Lesotho at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships | |
|---|---|
 | |
| FINA code | LES |
| National federation | Lesotho Swimmers Association |
| in Shanghai, China | |
| Competitors | 3 in 1 sports |
| Medals |
|
| World Aquatics Championships appearances | |
Lesotho competed at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, China between July 16 and 31, 2011.
Lesotho qualified 3 swimmers. [1]
| Athlete | Event | Heats | Semifinals | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Seele Benjamin Ntai | Men's 50m Freestyle | 32.74 | 111 | Did not advance | |||
| Tsepo Mafa | Men's 50m Freestyle | 34.54 | 114 | Did not advance | |||
| Athlete | Event | Heats | Semifinals | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | ||
| Masempe Theko | Women's 50m Freestyle | 49.75 | 87 | Did not advance | |||
Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is an enclaved country within the border of South Africa. Along with the Vatican City and San Marino, it is one of only three independent states completely surrounded by the territory of another country, and the only one outside of the Italian peninsula. Lesotho is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million. Its capital and largest city is Maseru.
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Lesotho, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
The economy of Lesotho is based on agriculture, livestock, manufacturing, mining, and depends heavily on inflows of workers’ remittances and receipts from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Lesotho is geographically surrounded by South Africa and is economically integrated with it as well. The majority of households subsist on farming. The formal sector employment consist of mainly the female workers in the apparel sector, the male migrant labor, primarily miners in South Africa for 3 to 9 months and employment in the Government of Lesotho (GOL). The western lowlands form the main agricultural zone. Almost 50% of the population earn income through informal crop cultivation or animal husbandry with nearly two-thirds of the country's income coming from the agricultural sector.
Telecommunications in Lesotho include radio, television, print and online newspapers, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet.
Lesotho's geographic location makes it extremely vulnerable to political and economic developments in South Africa. Its capital is the small city of Maseru. It is a member of many regional economic organizations including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Lesotho also is active in the United Nations, the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, the Non-Aligned Movement, and many other international organizations. In addition to the Republic of Korea, the United States, South Africa, Ireland, People's Republic of China, Libya, and the European Union all currently retain resident diplomatic missions in Lesotho. Foreign relations of Lesotho are administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations.
Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho-South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the country became a British protectorate in 1869. When the country achieved independence in 1966, Maseru retained its status as capital. The name of the city is a Sesotho word meaning "red sandstones".
Letsie III is the King of Lesotho. He succeeded his father, Moshoeshoe II, when the latter was forced into exile in 1990. His father was briefly restored in 1995 but soon died in a car crash in early 1996, and Letsie became king again. As a constitutional monarch, most of King Letsie's duties as monarch of Lesotho are ceremonial. In 2000, he declared HIV/AIDS in Lesotho to be a natural disaster, prompting immediate national and international response to the epidemic.
Moshoeshoe II, previously known as Constantine Bereng Seeiso, was the paramount chief of Lesotho, succeeding paramount chief Seeiso from 1960 until the country gained full independence from Britain in 1966. He was king of Lesotho from 1966 until his exile in 1990, and from 1995 until his death in 1996.
Thomas Motsoahae Thabane is a Mosotho politician who has been Prime Minister of Lesotho since June 2017. Previously he was Prime Minister from June 2012 to March 2015. He is leader of the All Basotho Convention (ABC) political party.
The Lesotho national football team represents Lesotho in men's international association football and it is governed by the Lesotho Football Association, The team's nickname is (Likuena) Crocodiles, The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals and the Africa Cup of Nations finals in history, The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Lesotho first participated at the Olympic Games in 1972 and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they boycotted the 1976 Summer Olympics along with most other African nations. Lesotho has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Lesotho face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Lesotho does not recognise same-sex marriages or civil unions, nor does it ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Lesotho–Russia relations are the bilateral relations between Russia and Lesotho.
Life expectancy at birth in Lesotho in 2016 was 51 years for men and 55 for women. Infant mortality is about 8.3%. In 2006 life expectancy was estimated at 42 years for men and women.
India–Lesotho relations refers to the bilateral ties between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of Lesotho.
The Lesotho women's national football team represents the country in international competitions.
Lesotho competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, which was held from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The country's participation at London marked its tenth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its début at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The delegation included three track and field athletes; Tsepo Ramonene, Mosito Lehata and Mamorallo Tjoka, and one swimmer; Masempe Theko. Ramonene and Lehata qualified for the Games by meeting qualification standards, while Tjoka and Theko made the Olympics through wildcard places. Tjoka was selected as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony while Lehata held it at the closing ceremony. Ramonene finished last in the men's marathon and was revived my medical personnel during the event. Lehata did not progress to the semi-finals of the men's 200 metres and Tjoka finished in 90th in the women's marathon. Theko finished 73rd overall in the women's 50 metre freestyle and did not progress to the semi-finals of the event.
Human rights in Lesotho, a nation of 2,067,000 people completely surrounded by South Africa, is a contentious issue. In its 2012 Freedom in the World report, Freedom House declared the country "Partly Free". According to the United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, which produces annual human rights reports on the country, the most pressing human rights issues are the use of torture, poor prison conditions, and the abuse of women and children.
Basotho cuisine features African traditions and British influence. Lesotho is surrounded by South Africa and it shares culinary practices with its neighbor. Lesotho's food culture features potato, seafood, rice and vegetables. Corn-based dishes include mealie pap, a maize porridge. There are also stews made with peanuts. British desserts can be found. Basotho cuisine tends to include sauces, but is generally less spicy than other African countries. Beetroot and carrot salads are common side dishes.