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Lesotho, formally the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. As an enclave of South Africa, with which it shares a 1,106 km border, it is the only sovereign enclave in the world outside of the Italian Peninsula. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest peak in Southern Africa. It has an area of over 30,000 km2 (11,600 sq mi) and has a population of about 2 million. Its capital and largest city is Maseru.
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 female workers in the apparel sector. While male migrant laborers work primarily as miners in South Africa for 3 to 9 months and employment in the Government of Lesotho (GOL). Half of the country's population work in informal crop cultivation or animal husbandry.
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.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana.
The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is a customs union among five countries of Southern Africa: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa. Its headquarters are in the Namibian capital, Windhoek. It was established in 1910.
The Lesotho Congress of Democratic Unions (LECODU) is a national trade union center in Lesotho. It was formed in May, 2004 by the merger of some unions of the Congress of Lesotho Trade Unions and the Lesotho Federation of Democratic Unions (LFDU). Ts'eliso Ramochela, the general secretary of the LFDU, assumed the position of general secretary in the LECODU.
The Lesotho Trade Union Congress (LTUC) is a national trade union center in Lesotho. The organisation was first established in 1971. The group's secretary general, Moletsane Jonathan is a veteran leader of pro-BNP labour federations.
Lesotho is a predominantly Christian country, with Islam being a minority religion. Due to secular nature of the Lesotho's constitution, Muslims are free to proselytize and build places of worship in the country. The Muslim population of Lesotho in 2013 is about 3000 plus throughout the country. Most of the population are from South Asia. South Asian Muslims, being a more prominent and established community, settled in the country to conduct business and trade. Their presence has been well noted since the early 1900s, when a few families migrated from Durban, Kwazulu-Natal. There are various mosques and prayer halls in Lesotho at the Capital City Maseru to Butha-Buthe and other places around geography of Lesotho. Jamaat Khana at Jackpot Market, Bus Stop Jamaat Khana, Pioneer Mall Jamaat Khan, Sekamaneng Islamic Centre Jamaat Khana, Osaman Masjid at Ha-Hoohlo Jamaat Khana and Thabong are the places where people offer their Friday Prayer in Maseru City. The vast majority of Muslims are Sunni. The Ahmadiyya Muslim community claims 350 members in the country and the Shi'ites Muslim are there around 1500.
Lesotho Cricket Association is the official governing body of the sport of cricket in Lesotho and operates Lesotho national cricket team. Its current headquarters is in Teyateyaneng, Lesotho. Lesotho Cricket Association is Lesotho's representative at the International Cricket Council and is an associate member and has been a member of that body since 2001. It is also a member of the African Cricket Association.
The following are the telephone numbers in Lesotho. Lesotho was allocated the country code +266 by the International Telecommunication Union in the late 1960s. Phone numbers in are eight digits long, the first two digits being the area code. Previously, Lesotho had area codes, which were integrated into the South African telephone numbering plan, and calls could be made from South Africa using the regional code 050. For example, to call a number in Maseru, subscribers would dial 0501, while to call a number in Mazenod, they would dial 05022. From the rest of the world, subscribers would dial +266 1.
The People's Republic of China and Lesotho maintain historical, political, economic, trade, aid, healthcare and migration connections.
The practice of polygamy is legal in Lesotho, though such marriages are not recognized under civil law. However, customary law allows for such unions, which while not recognized as legal marriages by the government, allow the spouses a variety of benefits such as child custody and inheritance rights.
The nation of Lesotho has a single railway station, located in the capital city Maseru. It is the terminus of the Maseru branch line, which connects to the railway network of South Africa.
Rugby union in Lesotho, and its predecessor Basutoland is a minor but growing sport.
Lesotho–South Africa relations refers to the current and historical bilateral relations of South Africa and Lesotho. Lesotho, which is surrounded by South Africa, depends on South Africa for most of its economic affairs, and its foreign policy is often aligned with that of Pretoria. Both are member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, African Union, Southern African Customs Union and Southern African Development Community. Lesotho, along with Eswatini, have been described as satellite states of South Africa.
Cannabis in Lesotho is illegal for any use, but largely tolerated. Cannabis is widely produced in the country, being the nation's most significant cash-crop. In the 2000s it was estimated that 70% of the cannabis in South Africa originated in Lesotho. In 2017 Lesotho became the first African nation to grant a license for the cultivation of medical cannabis.
Canada-Lesotho Relations began in 1966. Canada maintains a High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa which represents it in Lesotho. Lesotho maintains a High Commission in Ottawa and an Honorary Consul in Vancouver. Lesotho businesses can apply for support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, which has funded projects focused on gender equality.
Kenya–Lesotho relations are bilateral relations between Kenya and Lesotho. Both countries are member states of the Commonwealth of Nations and African Union
References
- ICTUR; et al., eds. (2005). Trade Unions of the World (6th ed.). London, UK: John Harper Publishing. ISBN 0-9543811-5-7.
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